St. Nicholas (270-343) was the Bishop of Myra (now in southwest Turkey). Famous for his pastoral care, many legendary stories of his charitable deeds became the basis for the imagined figure of Santa Claus. The most common way to celebrate St. Nicholas Day is to leave shoes out for St. Nicholas to place small gifts in. Socks are fine, too. Traditionally, the gifts are simple, little items that bring a lot of joy to children. If you wish to celebrate this tradition, leave shoes by the door on the evening of Dec 5. In the morning, the shoes will be filled with small delights (small candies or candy canes, spare change, foreign coins). 

• Consider making some St. Nicholas inspired treats and cookies.
• Listen to these Saints Alive Hallow podcasts for children about St. Nicholas Part 1 and Part 2.

St. Ambrose (339-397), was a Bishop and Doctor of the Church. He is the patron saint of beekeepers, candlemakers, and wax refiners (as well as many other things). We usually see bees and honeycombs depicted with St. Ambrose because of a legend that several bees hovered over his head when he was an infant. The bees left Ambrose unharmed with honey atop his head. His parents interpreted this as a divine sign and foretelling of his ability to speak with a "honeyed tongue." He became celebrated for his scholarship, service to the unfortunate, oratory skills, leadership of the people, and defense of the Church. He is a founding force of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition and has been named a Doctor of the Church. Consider making this honeycomb cake in honor of St. Ambrose.

St. Lucy (d. 304) was a virgin and martyr. Her name is derived from the Latin word “lux” which means “light.” She was born in Sicily, and filled with the light of faith, she dedicated herself exclusively to God and refused marriage. When she was assaulted, she refused to give in, and when tortured, she faced her hardships with immense courage and gave awesome witness to her faith. The holidays are a time of great temptation, particularly overindulgence in food, drink and other pleasures. St. Lucy is an inspiration for us to live honor­ably, as in daylight (see Romans 13:12-14), without yielding to sin.

Listen to the Saints Alive Hallow podcast for children about St. Lucy

St. John of the Cross (1542-1591) was a Carmelite priest from Spain who is best known for his long poem, “The Dark Night of the Soul,” a reflection on loneliness and suffering. He did his best to reform the Carmelites but was harshly criticized for his efforts. John believed that his sufferings were his participation in the Cross, and that the Cross is the route to union with God. For some, December is a particularly dark time, and the best way through the low spots is to stay firmly united to Jesus, the light who conquers the darkness (see John 1:5).

St. Peter Canisius (1521-1597) was born in Nijmegen, Holland, educated at the universities of Louvain and Cologne, became a Jesuit priest, and was one of the leading theologians of the Catholic counter-reformation. He was a consultant at the Council of Trent, and then spent the next 30 years as the “second apostle of Germany,” teaching and strengthening the Catholic faith with his new catechism published in 1555. Peter remained true to the Church and its doctrine at a time when many had grown lax or left for other denominations. His memorial is timely in our increasingly secular and pluralistic culture. The Church is our home, and Jesus is the path to eternal life.