Happy St. Nicolas Day!!!

December 6th is the ever celebrated and recognized feast day of Saint Nicolas.

From a young age children are taught the story of St. Nicolas, and on the eve of his feast day they will put their shoes by the chimney and sing a song or two before going to bed. In the morning they will find that the shoes have been filled with cookies, chocolates, and other sweet treats all thanks to good ol' Saint Nic.

Where did this tradition start?, you may ask. Well readers,click, sit back, and listen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MV3-241tzo

For those of you whose French is a bit rusty, allow me to offer a brief history in English:

Once upon a time there were three little boys. They wandered far far away and became lost. They were cold, hungry, and scared . The thee boys asked a butcher to help them for the night. Turns out this butcher was an aspiring horror movie character because he lured them into a large tub and began salting them. Thankfully, Saint Nicolas stepped in to save the day! The boys were safely returned to their homes and thereafter, Nicolas became the patron protector of children.

(By the way, the butcher's name is Père Fouettard- which translates to Father Bogeyman. Coincidence? Oh, I think not...)

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