St. Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 6th. In Switzerland, he's called "Samichlaus" or "Santiklaus", depending on where you're from. On that day St. Nicholas comes to your house to visit. If you've been good, then you receive gifts. If you've been bad, then he threatens to stuff you in a sack and take you to the Black Forest to peel carrots for a year.
On various occasions, my Grandfather Louis E. Ringger would tell us a story about St. Nikolaus Day from his youth:
As a young boy, Grandpa (Louis) was in fact stuffed in the bag by St. Nicholas. As he was being hauled down the stairs, he squirmed and managed to retrieve his pocket-knife. He sliced a hole in the bag and tumbled out, while St. Nicholas crashed down the stairway. Louis scrambled back up the stairs into his apartment and slammed and locked the door. The next morning, he noticed his dad limping around the house.
My (second) cousin says this story would make a great Swiss children's book. Anyone want to help? Simeen?
No comments:
Post a Comment