Never Too Old

In 2016, I wrote a column for The Herald-News on how our family's St. Nicholas tradition began.

And the tradition is indeed a cherished one for ALL members of the household, complete with the hanging up of stockings, giving of gifts, and putting together little stockings for adult children and grandchildren outside our immediate household, too.

If you think that the feast day is only for children, consider the words from this blessing prayer for candy canes, which, along with chocolate gold coins, always are added to our St. Nicholas stockings.

The prayer is from Prayers From the Domestic Church, a book we used until it fell to pieces from so much, well, use. Fortunately, the St. Nicholas Center has the prayer online. 

Here is the excerpt that always stands out to me, especially the last line:

We rejoice that you are the holy bringer of gifts

and that so many have been delighted

through your great generosity.

Help us to be as generous of heart.

So, no, the celebration isn't for just for children. I don't think we grow out of celebrating the feast day of St. Nicholas. I think we, if we follow God's lead, we grow to fit into it.

My youngest three adult children still have their original stockings from babyhood. But they may retire them after this year since the fabric is so worn, it's separating from itself. But the enjoyment of the day is what matters, not the actual stockings or the gifts.

May anyone reading this today feels some of that joy and is forever rich in the gifts that matter.