My lovely Kyiv shines bright in its pre-New Year decorations. St. Nicholas Day comes soon. It is celebrated all over the world. He is Mikolai, Miklas, Joulupukki, St. Nicholaus, Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Père Noël, Sinterklaas in other places. But for me, Mykola the Miracle-Maker sounds somehow more respectful and elevated.
It's to think of St. Nicholas Day gifts for the close ones. A friend of mine always bakes amazing cookies for that day, then decorates them and paints multicolored sugar frosting images on its chocolate-covered surface. She then packs the cookies into handmade little bags with ribbons and Christmas wishes, and puts it all in a holiday basket. On St. Nicholas Day, the hostess offers every visitor of her house to draw a gift with his or her eyes closed. The main ingredient in this is the wish. She makes them beautiful, versed, very warm-hearted and well-wishing. This whole ritual of drawing the gifts creates a celebration ambience, an expectation of the Miracle – like in our childhood years, your heart full of anticipation. The memory of it then adds festivity to our daily life.
I'd like to brad a little. My son Bohdan and I always managed to draw the best wishes of happiness. Only this year, it wasn't me who visited her, but she visited us with her St. Nicholas Day gifts and a heartwarming wish to live longer. While I have just one wish: St. Nicholas, have mercy and save us and Ukraine from all evil! Let's aspire for this with all our hearts!
I repeat over and over again a line from the song I once heard: "Who loves St. Nicholas, who serves St. Nicholas? Help this person at all times, St. Nicholas!"
