Dec 5th – Generosity

Actor Matthew Mesler as St. Nicholas

Today is Saint Nicholas Eve.

The tradition for tonight is to give food or money anonymously to people who are less fortunate.

(More about Saint Nicholas at the bottom of this page)

In addition to the more conventional ways of giving, I’d like to encourage you to look for anonymous ways to give to people who don’t receive any institutionalized forms of assistance, such as “the working poor.”

+ Have a family discussion about how you can help someone in a respectful and anonymous way.

Do you want to help someone you know, or complete strangers? If you choose to help someone you know, don’t share the “who” information with younger children. They’ll be so excited that they’ll talk, and your giving will no longer be anonymous. Teenage children are generally mature enough to be included in the discussion of who you can help, and how you can do it anonymously. In fact teenagers can be wonderfully creative and resourceful, and will probably have some great ideas on ways to be stealthy. 
Many grocery stores sell gift certificates, and you can buy bus and rail passes and prepaid gas cards. Some utilities allow you to contribute to someone else’s electric bill. And, of course, cash in an envelope is an easy way to give anonymously. You can also give anonymously to organized charities.

If you don’t want to give money, you can invest a little time. Again, if you live with others, have a discussion and choose together as a family. Offer 2 or 3 choices to keep things focused, but remain open to new ideas, too. You can do this on your own or volunteer your time with a local charity. Most organizations that assist people would be delighted to have you help out for a few hours.

However you decide to give, get your children involved. Giving cleanly, with no expectation of reward, builds a child’s sense of self worth, compassion and personal power. Even very young children can help with simple tasks such as filling a box or bag with food for others, or choosing a coat to give to someone else. If you have a family, make this a fun family activity, a.k.a. “Operation Ninja Nick.”

St. Nicholas (Saint Nikolaos, San Nikklaus, Sinterklaas, Sint Nicolaas, Sint Nikolaas, Saint Nicolas, Sankt Nikolaus) lived in Western Europe and Turkey in the the 4th century. He is the model for the modern day Santa Claus / Father Christmas / Père Noel.

He was known for his generosity and kindness to children and to the poor. It is told that he came by people’s houses late at night when all were asleep and left coins, nuts, fruit, and toys he had carved in the shoes that had been left outside the door. Other legends have him tossing gifts of food and money into the houses of the poor through open windows.

In some stories, Saint Nicholas travels on a donkey named Mistletoe. On the evening of December 5th, children leave out shoes filled with hay and carrots for St. Nicholas’s donkey. In the morning, they may find that the hay is gone, and in its place is a tangerine, candy cane, nuts or chocolate “coins” wrapped in gold foil.

In the spirit of St. Nicholas, many people give anonymously to help others on the night of December 5th.

Thanks to Mike who shared a link to a video of a man giving out 100 bills. You can find that link in the comments section of the calendar page.

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