For many, the most vivid memories from childhood are associated with the New Year holidays, in particular St. Nicholas Day. Parents told everyone that they needed to behave well and then St. Nicholas would give the well-mannered children the desired gifts. And he won’t just give a gift, but will do it in a special way - he’ll put it under the pillow. And for naughty children there will also be a gift - a rod. For parents, this time becomes a real quest when they need to put a gift under the child’s pillow silently and very quickly, so as not to wake up or frighten away the moment of miracle. Year after year we grow, values, feelings and activities change, but the belief in miracles remains the same. To this day, even for adults, the night of December 19 remains a magical period filled with fabulous sensations.
On this day, Orthodox people not only give each other gifts, but also go to church; this is their main tradition on the holiday.
You can buy inexpensive and much needed gifts. The material contains many gift options that can be presented to loved ones, both adults and children.
Saint Nicholas has gifts for everyone, ulvovi.info
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How to choose a gift for St. Nicholas Day
Parents take the choice of a gift for such a magical holiday very seriously and try to give something useful, suitable for the specific age of the child. This factor is especially important to take into account since the child wants to “hotly” use his gift, and not look at it, “lick his lips” and wait until he can use it. If there is more than one child in a family, then you should not give the same gifts; you need to make your choice based on the preferences of a particular child. Also, when choosing a gift, the gender of the child plays a role.
For an adult, it’s even easier to choose a gift that interests him, because you can ask him directly what he would like to receive. But in order to find out what the child wants, adults have to resort to a number of tricks such as writing a letter to the hero of the occasion and other tricks.
But no matter who you choose a gift for, both adults and children will be equally pleased to receive their favorite sweets in addition.
Gifts for Nikolay's Birthday
An unusual personalized battery that is worth paying attention to. Great gift for someone else:
Personalized external battery
An ideal item for a charged gift, a personalized battery will save you in a difficult situation, and delivery is also available.
Where can I buy
Do you want to give something useful and modern? Then this product is definitely for you:
Flash drive “Color Show”
The “Color Show” flash drive not only has a presentable appearance, but also beautiful engraving.
The flash drive contains 8 and 16 GB of memory, such a gift is suitable for absolutely any time of the year. Where can I buy
A canvas print is a unique family gift that Nicholas will love:
Print on canvas
Do you want to please your mother-in-law?
Choose a beautiful photo of her and order it in large format on canvas. Where can I buy
A personalized wallet and purse is not only unique but also a presentable gift:
Personalized wallet
This amazing personalized wallet is made of high-quality material and has 12 card compartments, and this gift will easily put things in order in your pockets and bag.
Where can I buy
The book is truly not only original but also magnificent:
Pravda newspaper original birthday gift
A wonderful item for an original gift, it includes a complete set which includes a framing frame, a set of fasteners and a gift box.
Where can I buy
Personalized wallet with shoulder strap:
Personalized wallet with shoulder strap “Comfort Black”
An original and beautiful wallet with a shoulder strap is not only a wonderful gift that can be suitable for any occasion, but also an excellent design option.
It has 6 card compartments, as well as a coin compartment and a zipper closure. Where can I buy
What to give a child for a holiday
Speaking of children's gifts, let's start with gifts for girls, or rather young princesses, which they consider themselves to be. It will be nice for princesses of different ages to receive a set for making jewelry. In Ukraine, developers of children's toys are concerned about creating special sets that contain several hundred elements from which you can collect various decorations of different shapes, colors and styles. A girl of 4 or 8 years old can create new beads, but the complexity of creating jewelry will vary accordingly. Such a gift will not only be a good time for your daughter, but will also help develop her imagination and perseverance when creating new elements.
If the girl doesn’t like fine motor skills yet, then you can put a soft doll under her pillow that sings and talks. There are dolls that teach good manners, which girls will learn better than annoying instructions from their parents. Caring for such a doll will develop sensitivity and tenderness.
Kinetic sand is suitable as a gift for both boys and girls. Children of all ages love to sculpt and build castles from this bright sand. In order to keep the child’s attention and interest in such an activity longer, it is worth periodically replenishing the supply of molds with the help of which you can create entire masterpieces; you should not limit yourself to ordinary houses, flowers and the sun. Of course, kinetic sand can be considered a summer, seasonal gift, but if you wish, you can make a sandbox right on your table by allocating the right place for this and protecting the surface so that the sand does not spill onto the floor.
Girls are very demanding when it comes to gifts, womans.ws
Home football. This gift will be appreciated by active boys who, even in winter, will be able to play their favorite game without leaving home. The set includes an inflatable goal, a ball and a pump, with the help of which both the goal and the ball can easily acquire the required shape. The gift is also good because the child can gather a group of classmates and together with them arrange a real match to see who can score the most goals.
Policeman set. Just don’t choose the set itself, which includes very “flimsy” plastic handcuffs and a machine gun of the same strength. Pay attention to this kit, which includes a helmet, a toy knife, handcuffs, a walkie-talkie, a watch and even a police ID where you can paste a photo and enter the name of a young law enforcement officer. With such a gift, your child will neutralize all robbers and violators, but you should prepare for the fact that the child may play too much and you will be detained for any, even the most minimal violation: not lowering the toilet lid, not wiping crumbs off the table, or for untidy things! A gift book will always be relevant for both girls and boys. The assortment in bookstores is enormous and the shelves are literally bursting with an overabundance of literature. But it’s worth choosing high-quality literature and not being fooled only by colorful pictures. If your child is in primary school, then buy him a coloring book or one that, in addition to the printed fairy tale or story, will also contain several tasks that can hold the child’s interest longer.
If your child is in kindergarten, then a gift under the pillow can be given to him through the teachers. Let them quietly place it under their pillow. Imagine how much joy a child will have when he wakes up after a sleepy hour and finds a gift under his pillow. But this issue should also be approached responsibly; parents need to agree in advance so that all children find gifts under the pillows so that this does not cause offense to anyone.
St. Nicholas Day: history and traditions of the holiday
One of the most joyful dates of the winter calendar is St. Nicholas Day (in the villages they also say “Nicholas of the Winter”).
Nicholas the Wonderworker is one of the most beloved saints of the Christian Church; he is revered both in the West and in the East. Orthodox Christians celebrate this day on December 19, and Catholics on December 6.
Nicholas the Wonderworker (Pleasant of God, Nicholas the Merciful, Nikola) in Rus' was revered on a par with Jesus Christ and the Mother of God, above all other saints. There was even a legend among the people that he was supposed to become God, but he refused
The power of the saint was considered almost limitless. After all, due to the nature of his actions, the concept of “savior” also extended to him. It is no coincidence that foreigners stated that Russians pay tribute to St. Nicholas is worship befitting the Savior himself - Jesus Christ: “Nicholas... like God is revered in Orthodoxy.”
The Volga and Siberian peoples of Russia also called him “Nikola - Russian God”. Nikola also performed as “Sea God”, “Peasant God”, even “Common God”
According to the popular beliefs of the Slavs, Nikola is the “eldest” among the saints, is included in the Holy Trinity and can even succeed God on the throne. The special veneration of the saint is evidenced by the plots of folk legends about how St. Nicholas became a “lord”: he prayed so fervently in the church that the golden crown itself fell on his head
Among the Eastern and Western Slavs, the image of Nikola, due to some of its functions (“chief” of heaven - holds the keys to heaven; transports souls to the “other world”; patronizes warriors) can be contaminated with the image of Archangel Michael. Among the southern Slavs, the image of the saint as a fighter of snakes and a “wolf shepherd” comes close to the image of St. George the Victorious
The main functions of Nikola (patron of livestock and wild animals, agriculture, beekeeping, connection with the afterlife, correlation with the relics of the bear cult), the opposition of the “merciful” Nikola to the “formidable” Elijah the Prophet in folklore legends indicate, according to B. A. Uspensky, on the preservation in the popular veneration of St. Nicholas traces of the cult of the pagan deity Volos (Veles)
Russian traditions
On this day, according to legend, “St. Nicholas the saint descends from the heavenly fields onto the snow-covered earth and walks across the face of the Russian Land, walking around it - as usual (in one day) - from end to end. And ahead of time, all the spirits of darkness run away from him.” They say that winter comes to Nikola with a nail, it gets along with the roofs, where it will cover it with snow, where it will tuck it in with snow, and where it will hammer a nail so that the snow shingles don’t fall off, so that the chimney sings and hums - winter patches the roofs with ice tar, wraps them in snow more tightly .
They celebrated St. Nicholas Day with pies and treated the winter. In many places in Russia, the so-called “Nikolshchina” was celebrated on Nikolin’s day. They celebrated for several days, always by pooling, with a large amount of beer or mash from the grain of the new harvest. Unlike others, this is a holiday for old people, large families and representatives of rural and rural families.
The general fun lasts at least 3-4 days, with all the closest relatives coming together, and neighbors were certainly invited. Things go wrong for those who refuse to contribute and shy away from celebrating: such a host is tormented with ridicule throughout the year. “Call a friend to Nikolshchina, call a foe - both will be friends. They go to the fraternity party uninvited. The brotherhood judges, the gang rules. Nikolytsina is red with beer and pies.”
At the common table, community issues were resolved, disputants were reconciled and treated, news was shared, and conversations were held about the world order. The young people walked, had fun with winter fun, began preparing for Christmas gatherings, negotiated the purchase of a hut from some poor lonely old woman or widow, prepared firewood, torches, outfits, and began making Christmas masks for the mummers.
In some places, winter matchmaking begins on Nikola. The sale of excess bread was timed to coincide with winter St. Nicholas - “St. Nicholas bargaining is a decree for everything.”
History of the holiday of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
First celebrations
The holiday came to the Western Church in the 9th century, when Pope Nicholas built a church in honor of this saint. The Eastern rite dates back to the times of Kievan Rus - St. Nicholas Day was first celebrated in the 11th century under Prince Vsevolod Yaroslavich.
Did Nikolai really live?
Tradition says that in the 4th century, in the Italian city of Myra, there lived a young man named Nicholas, a rich orphan. The young man was so warm-hearted that he could not ignore the grief of others. When he learned that someone was in need, he would leave money or necessary things at the doorstep. Nikolai did this secretly, but one day the truth was revealed. Since then, he became the bishop of his city and performed many good deeds.
Why is it customary to give gifts on Nicholas Day?
This is how the memory of how the future bishop secretly gave money to three poor girls for a dowry, throwing gold out the window at night, was embodied. Then this practice of secret gifts grew into a folk tradition.
. Children “appropriated” St. Nicholas Day for themselves
Let's start with the fact that initially Saint Nicholas was the patron saint of sailors, fishermen, and travelers
According to legend, he steadily helped needy children - he fed them, sometimes gave them gifts, saved them from death and healed them.
Therefore, after his death, when a holiday was established in his honor, a tradition arose in Holland of giving gifts to children. They celebrated St. Nicholas Day on December 9, and since he was the patron saint of sailors, the bishop sailed on a ship and distributed gifts to children on behalf of the saint. And later he began to delight children not only on December 9, but also on Christmas.
Approximately the same tradition existed in Germany, when on the feast day of the saint, December 6, the ministers of the Cologne Cathedral distributed pastries and fruits to children.
But the birth of Santa Claus is more likely associated with the birth of the work of Clement Clarke Moore, who in the poem “The Parish of St. Nicholas" described him as a kind, well-fed old man. Since then, this tradition has spread throughout the world and has taken root most in the United States.
Like in other countries, it was also customary for us to give gifts to children. According to legend, Nikolai bakes cookies in the shape of stars all day before the holiday, and then puts them under the children’s pillows at night; we call them Nikolaychiks.
The prototype of today's gingerbread was the special sweet bread that German mothers baked on this day. The dough necessarily included dried fruits, most often dried pear.
Nikolai comes not alone, but with his retinue
It is believed that the Wonderworker, accompanied by angels, descends from heaven on a golden sleigh drawn by golden-maned horses. Little devils are hanging around nearby and convincing them that all the children behaved badly and don’t deserve gifts, while they themselves are just looking to steal Nikolai’s bag. But the angels strictly watch over them.
There is also an earthly helper - a donkey with gray-silver hair, who helps deliver gifts. According to legend, this is always a descendant of the same “donkey” on which Jesus rode into Jerusalem.
. What is the Golden Book?
There Nikolai writes down all the good and bad deeds of the children for the year. If the book contained impoliteness, disobedience, laziness, such a child received not a gift, but a warning. Most often - a bunch of rods. They also put a piece of coal or a raw potato under the pillow of the unhearing people.
What name does Nikolai have among different peoples?
In the Czech Republic this is St. Nicholas, in Holland he is called Sinterklaas, in Croatia - Sveti Nikola, among the Hungarians he is called Mikulas, and among the Romanians - Mosh Nikolae, in Malta the name San Niklav is adopted, in Slovenia - Miklavzh, in Albania - Shen-Kolle .
St. Nicholas Day in Catholicism
Each Catholic country has its own unusual and original traditions:
Austria:
damn parade. Night of Krampus
A truly terrible procession takes place in European cities on the night of December 5-6. Many adherents of the tradition dress up in the costume of the evil devil with horns - Krampus, and take to the streets, scaring tourists and entertaining themselves.
Krampus is considered the assistant of St. Nicholas (Santa Claus), punishing naughty children. According to legend, the devil always carries with him the main attributes - a bag and a rod.
The December night turns into a real creepy carnival, where both men and women try on the images of devils, dance, sing and play with the crowd, threatening the audience with birch brooms.
The Night of Krampus has long gained global proportions. This holiday is celebrated not only in Austria, where the legend of the devil originated, but also in Germany and Hungary.
The Austrians organize a whole carnival. A crowd of evil Krampus takes to the streets of the city - these are devils, the personification of dark forces. They scare passersby, shout threats, and rattle their chains. However, as soon as Saint Nicholas appears on the square near the main temple, the evil spirit runs away and hides.
The Dutch write postcards and greet Nicholas from the sea
The day before, relatives and friends write messages to each other with wishes, as if on behalf of the saint. And the official celebrations take place not far from Amsterdam, in the fishing village of Monnickendam - this is where the ship from Spain arrives, on which Sinterklaas and his retinue of servants travel.
At the pier he is met by the burgomaster, members of the government and crowds of jubilant people. To the sounds of an orchestra and fireworks, the hero of the occasion mounts a white horse and goes to children's institutions.
Netherlands.
On the eve of the holiday, namely December 5, all children carefully polish their shoes, which they then place by the fireplace. Hay and carrots are usually left inside for Santa Claus to feed his reindeer. But on the morning of December 6, they find a sweet surprise in their shoes. But the gifts don't end there on this day. In the evening, according to legend, Santa Claus leaves a bag of gifts outside the house. And neighbors or parents, saying that they are the old man’s helpers, bring the bag into the house
Bulgarians have a fish day
Families invite relatives and neighbors to eat fish (usually carp). Homemade bread, consecrated in the church, is always present on the table.
. Greece - they don’t give gifts, but they congratulate sailors
Here Saint Basil gives sweets to children, and this coincides with the New Year. Nicholas is considered the patron saint of the Greek Navy, and the holiday is celebrated with celebrations on all ships at sea and in ports. Also, December 6th opens the so-called Nicolobarbara (named after Nicolo Barbaro, a Venetian from the ship) - a series of the coldest days, and right now the homes must be re-covered with warm carpets removed for the summer.
France.
In this country they treat Saint Nicholas especially, since they have the right hand of the saint in the temple in Lorraine. Therefore, December 6 is an official holiday here. Along the central streets you can see a procession with music and fanfare. At the head of this procession there is always a gray-haired old man who distributes sweets to all the children. But behind him is a ghost, who has a rod and a bag in his hands. According to legend, he puts naughty children in a sack, and then drags them to his cave and beats them with rods
Hungary and Romania.
In these countries, it is also customary to leave shoes on the night of December 5-6, only on the windowsill. If the children were obedient, then in the morning they find a gift, if not, then a branch.
Italy.
But here not only children, but also young brides receive gifts. Moreover, they are presented with gifts throughout the day. This tradition is called "Rito delle nubili"
Czech Republic.
On the eve of the holiday, every child, no matter where he is, hangs a Christmas stocking on the fireplace. It is believed that Saint Nicholas comes at night and gives sweets and fruits to obedient children and potatoes to naughty children.
Albania.
The feast of St. Nicholas is celebrated here not on December 6, but on December 5 in the evening. A sumptuous dinner is served here, and the traditional dish is roasted lamb or pork. The celebration begins with Albanians lighting candles and fasting, and when midnight comes everyone greets each other with the words “May St. Nicholas Night help you!” and start eating.
We have a beer sample and the opening of the toboggan run
On this day, we drove around the village three times in a sleigh to see how much snow had fallen. And then the owners called their neighbors over for freshly brewed beer. The ritual was called “halving the fast,” because it was after Nicholas that they began to prepare for Christmas, making nativity scenes and learning carols. Source : Wikipedia, vedmochka.net and others
Interesting gifts for teenagers
Despite the fact that teenagers, as a rule, no longer believe so much in the existence of St. Nicholas, it is still very important for them to receive a gift on such a holiday.
You can give a girl a set of cosmetics, but you should not make it too large, so as not to accustom her to a large layer of cosmetics from a young age, otherwise there is a risk that by the age of 25, instead of an attractive girl, she will turn into a nesting doll. You can also give a teenage girl a diary where she will write down all her important things.
Teenagers will be more interested in getting some kind of gadget or just a modern gadget, for example, wireless headphones, a wireless device, an original smartphone case, a flash drive, or an educational and original smart watch. Even a young boy should be given specifically masculine gifts, and not generic ones, in order to form true masculine tastes and feelings.
Update some element of your child's wardrobe: the desired tracksuit or an elegant and warm dress will be an excellent memorable gift. But before that, you should hint to your child what you want to give him, since teenagers are not always constancy and you may simply find yourself at the moment when your child decides to change his image.
Along with sweets, you can also give your teenager a couple of movie tickets for the expected premiere. Such a gift, by the way, will be both for a girl who can go to a movie with her best friend, and for a guy who can invite the girl he likes.
You can also add museum tickets to the main gift. But you shouldn’t make it the main gift. First you need to appease your child, who, after receiving the desired gift, will clearly not refuse you a trip to the museum.
This is a holiday for both adults and children, gordon.ua
For a teenager, money will always be a relevant and highly desirable gift. By giving their children money in an envelope, parents thus strengthen their confidence in their abilities, as well as the freedom to choose to spend the money on what they specifically want. Just don’t blame the child later for not spending this money on a book or some kind of “developmental device”, but buying himself some kind of fashionable device. Even if a child bought a truly useless thing, then this is his choice, which should become his feeling about values and all subsequent expenses and purchases.
