What is the St. Nicholas Center?

Standing figure with three balls — New York Carver, Joe Chiffriller
St. Nicholas Center Collection

St. Nicholas Center is a virtual center, a website, where people can learn about St. Nicholas; it provides resources for families, churches, and schools. It also has a world-class professional exhibit and has offered display and activity kits appropriate for churches and schools.

Vision

To educate people of faith, and the wider public, about the true St. Nicholas, and why he is important in today's world

Mission

To tell the story of St. Nicholas
To encourage families, churches, and schools to observe St. Nicholas Day
To provide resources for education and celebration

Why is St. Nicholas Important?

St. Nicholas, lover of the poor and patron saint of children, is a model of how Christians are meant to live. As priest and bishop, Nicholas put Jesus Christ at the center of his life and ministry. His concern for children and others in need or danger expressed a love for God which points toward Jesus, the source of true caring and compassion. Embracing St. Nicholas customs can help recover the true center of Christmas—the birth of Jesus.

Understanding St. Nicholas as the original and true holiday gift-giver also helps shift focus to giving rather than getting, compassion rather than consumption, need rather than greed. This can help restore balance to increasingly materialistic and stress-filled Advent and Christmas seasons.

St. Nicholas is beloved throughout the world and continues to be revered in Christian tradition, especially as protector and patron of children in the West and as Wonderworker in the East. The St. Nicholas Center aims to bring Roman Catholic, Episcopal, Orthodox, and Protestant Christians together in common purpose—to help people understand and appreciate the original St. Nicholas, the only real Santa Claus.

St. Nicholas Center is a registered non-profit corporation in the State of Michigan with federal tax exempt status. The Center cooperates with other organizations around the globe that share its concern for St. Nicholas

Resources and other material on www.stnicholascenter.org are freely offered for use by churches, schools, other non-profit groups, and families. Please credit material to www.stnicholascenter.org. To use images and other material that we credit to other sources and use by permission, contact us, or the original source, to clarify availability. Please request permission before posting anything from www.stnicholascenter.org on a website or blog.

stnicholascenter.org will continue to grow and develop. The more visitors contribute, the more we will have to share. So, please tell us what you'd like and share your ideas and resources.

As a convenience for our guests we post links for supplies or items that may be difficult to find; as an Amazon Associate the site receives a small amount for purchases made through Amazon links.

For more about us

Mailing address only
St. Nicholas Center • 109 West 12th Street • Holland, MI 49423 • USA