December 6, 2012 - Saint Nick

For those of you with a Dutch or Deutsch heritage, let me start off my wishing you "Happy Saint Nicholas Day!. I hope old Saint Nick left you all sorts of goodies and nothing that resembles big black, lumps of coal. For those of you who did not grow up in households that celebrated December 6th, let me make a slight digression and tell you that : In Holland Sinter Klass and in Germany, Saint Nick's visits are made on the anniversary of the historical Saint Nicholas' death on Dec. 6. Children in these countries are supposed to leave bundles of hay for Saint Nick's horse and their shoes outside the front door. In the morning they are greeted by scores of sweets, nuts and gifts if they've been good little boys and girls - or lumps of black, disgusting, coal, if they've been bad little boys and girls. I won't broach the delicate subject of asking what you found in your shoes this morning. I have cats, so what I find in my shoes some mornings isn't in either of the categories described above. It doesn't matter if you've been naughty or nice or good or bad, we have a sleigh-full of new books for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!