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St. Nicholas day is not something that I celebrated as a child. My daughters happened to have these amazing kindergarten teachers who introduced us to the custom. Since then, I've felt obligated to keep up the tradition with the kids. This is the first year that I've planned ahead and purchased anything more than those standard gold coins from the drugstore, and it has made all the difference. Each coin in the colorful bags has a different classical religious image. Some of the Christ child alone, others of Mary with Jesus. Rather than tearing into them, the kids spent so much time admiring each image and went off to school talking about the birth of Christ, and how we should sing happy birthday to Jesus. It made a difference; the kind of difference that I want to make for my kids in small measures throughout this season.
The chocolates, recommended by Grace, are from Emmanuel Books. The only digital element used on these pages is AE hand-drawn holiday brushes and stamps.
