St. Nicholas Day celebrated in Emden

[December 07, 2011]  EMDEN -- While the jolly old elf, Santa Claus, is a most popular fellow, he is the kindly descendent of a man who began the tradition of giving to others and caring for children. The Emden Historical Society sponsored a program on Monday night to celebrate the eve of a traditional German event, St. Nicholas Day, Dec. 6.

The program was initiated and hosted by Emden resident Sylvia Klokkenga as a way to acknowledge the community's strong German heritage and to share the true story of a man who would become St. Nicholas. Several residents of Emden, Ill., with family lineage dating back to the early settlers can trace their ancestors to Emden, Lower Saxony, Germany.

The event drew several children, their parents and others from the community who learned the true story of St. Nicholas and how some of our traditions began. Terry Bredenberg, of Pekin, added to the German holiday with accordion music and by speaking the language to the children and assisting Sylvia in singing the German version of several Christmas carols.

Nicholas of Myra was born to wealthy parents and was a happy child, but he was orphaned at an early age. He gave his riches to others and became a priest and eventually a bishop. His kind heart and ability to miraculously rescue people from harm led to his sainthood less than 100 years after his death.

One popular story provides a good example of the link between Nicholas and current Christmas traditions. It is said that he gave bags of gold to a poor man's daughters, allowing them to have dowries for marriage -- saving them from being sold into slavery. Since he dropped the bags into their shoes at night, it became tradition to set shoes or stockings out to receive gifts -- leading to our practice of hanging stockings "by the chimney with care."

In the Netherlands, children put apples and hay in their own shoes, as gifts for St. Nicholas' horses. It is hoped that he will accept the offerings and exchange the food for tokens of his appreciation -- gifts for the children. The children in Emden were asked to line up their shoes in the same way. At the end of the program, giant gingerbread men were given as treats, but not in their shoes!

On Monday night the children learned a traditional German dance, sang Christmas carols in a different language, and learned the English and German versions of a children's prayer.

Before the program, Sylvia Klokkenga said: "The majority of Emden residents are descended from immigrants of northern Germany. This program was organized to offer some insight into German traditions. We didn't know how it would go over, but I hope the children enjoy the lessons of St. Nicholas."

By the end of the program, the response seemed to say the audience -- children and adults -- will look at Christmas traditions differently this year.

[By MARLA BLAIR]