Sunday, December 6, 2015

Saint Nicholas Day


December 6. I’m still here – Krampus didn’t come to get me!  I was on high alert all day.



On a much brighter note – today is Saint Nicholas Day. Saint Nicholas lived in the 4th Century.  That was even before my human was born.  Just. He was born to wealthy parents – but they died when he was young. He was a very kind man – who liked to give away his money and help others.  There are lots of stories about good things that he did.  For example, legend has it that a man who was very poor, had three daughters.  At that time, women needed to have dowries in order to be married – but the man was too poor – so his daughters could not be married.  One night – they hung their stockings by the fire to dry them.  Saint Nicholas got on the roof and dropped a bag of gold down the chimney – to help the man.  The bag fell into one of the stockings. Can you see how this later started the tradition of Christmas stockings?!



Anyway, over the centuries, the figure of Saint Nicholas eventually became Father Christmas, Kris Kringle and finally Santa Claus.  Besides being an all around good guy – Saint Nicholas is also the patron saint of sailors, children, brewers and pawnbrokers.  Interesting combo there.



So to celebrate Saint Nicholas day, it seems only fitting that we should put up our Christmas tree.  The REAL tree.  Once upon a time, my human used to cut her tree at a tree farm.  The last time she went, she took Frodo.  I think I wrote about this last year – but it's worth repeating….An idyllic walk in the countryside searching for the perfect evergreen, was quickly aborted when Frodo ran off barking at a family who was also out tree hunting.  Not that he would DO anything to anyone.  But his barking was enough to send people scattering while my human was running to catch him shouting “He’s friendly. He’s FRIENDLY.”  By the time she caught Frodo, he had dashed through every mud puddle on the road.  That was the last time my human went tree hunting….



So now she goes to the tree lot down the road.  I would like to say I went with her – but she KNEW I would pee on every tree, and it was unlikely that kind of behavior would be appreciated.  So she went to get the tree, brought it home, dragged it out of the car, loaded me IN the car, drove me back and took the photos.  And if that isn’t crazy enough – my human bought THE first tree she looked at.  We are talking about a woman who would walk for miles on a tree farm searching for the right tree.  Yesterday she looked at first one that the tree guy held up, and she said “I’ll take it.”  I think she’s getting old.



Anyway, today is decorating day.  Which sounds like fun, but in reality means we will likely be sequestered again while she brings out the 4,582 boxes of glass ornaments.  Yup – that gate on the DFZ is definitely going to be a challenge!



Have a happy Saint Nick day! I'm certain it means we will get extra treats!





© Linda Wozniak

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