svätý mikuláš

so, yesterday was the day of svätý mikuláš, or st. nicholas as we know him in the states.  in slovakia there are a lot of similarities between sv. mikuláš and santa claus.  both come bearing gifts and wear big red suits or outfits and have white hair and beard.  in otherwords, they're both old guys in red suits with gifts for kids.  that is about where the comparison ends. 

though both santa and sv. mikuláš have their origins in the actual saint nicholas, the united states, with its rampant commercialism has strayed quite a bit farther from the original idea of the man we know in history as nicholas.  we have strayed so much that, in fact, many (or perhaps even most) people don't know that santa claus is based in a real person, or that that person, nicholas, is an important person in church history.

here, sv. mikuláš is still portrayed in drawings as an "average" sized person (not as much, though still some when he comes to life, of the big belly and abundance that appears in the states) with a priest's outfit (though still red and white), a hat similar to what i think of when i think of the pope's big hat with a cross on it, and a bible in his hands.  the bible, i think, is the key difference.  it puts the focus back on why sv. mikuláš did/does what he did/does.  he is following the path of god as found and understood in the bible.

another difference is in what sv. mikuláš brings in comparison with what santa brings.  in the states, for my family at least, santa filled our stockings with little goodies and then also brought big presents.  we did leave the customary cookies (or leftover birthday cake) and when i was little i remember many years of leaving toys that we no longer played with for him to give to other kids (a tradition that i plan on continuing some day). 

here, sv. mikuláš is not nearly as extravagant.  in the morning we (me and the kids) got a little bag of candies.  the kids also got to go to the village office/mayor's office for another bag of candies, but that is about as elaborate as it ever got.  it's not about big gifts, it's about a little something to brighten your day.  a little treat, but nothing that will give you a stomach ache if you eat it all at once.

i greatly appreciate the simpler version of jolly, old st. nicholas, especially with the more explicit connection to the actual historical person.  it's been fun to be in on experiencing some of the many joys and traditions of this time of year in slovakia, and i'm looking forward to many more:)

blessings to you in this time of joyful expectation.