St. Nicholas Celebration

for Church, School, Diocese, or Other Group

A comprehensive all-day event with activities, stories, lunch, a special visitor (!), and a closing festive Eucharist. Participants bring specified items to aid those in need, thus carrying out St. Nicholas spirit. Many ideas to pick and choose to make your own special celebration. Links to resources below.

Schedule

10:00 am Arrival
Deposit books, food, new toys—whatever has been requested to help others
Important for the spirit of St. Nicholas
Individual greeting and making name tags
10:10 Welcome
Video or PowerPoint
Song: Jolly Old St. Nicholas, traditional tune, stanza 1
Sing several times so it can be sung to bring St. Nicholas in later
Jolly old St. Nicholas
On this happy day
You bring joy and happiness,
Hear us as we say,
Teach us how to be like you
Loving, showing care;
Sharing gifts, we celebrate
Joy beyond compare.
10:25 Activity Stations
12:00 noon Lunch
12:30 Activity Stations continue, if needed
1:00 Special Visit: Song and Entry
2:00 St. Nicholas Festival Eucharist
St Nicholas with Books sign
Table for book donations
Welcome
Opening welcome
Watching video
Video: St. Nicholas
Room set up
Room set up with Display Kit panels and Activity Stations

Activity Stations

Cut and Paste St. Nicholas
A simple craft, make either whole figure or just head

Craft St Nicholas
Cut & Paste St. Nicholas
Cutting

St. Nicholas Coloring Pictures
Choose from 25 to print

Coloring table
St. Nicholas Coloring pictures
Coloring
Coloring St. Nicholas Pictures

Miter-Folding
Make both small miters and miters big enough to wear!

Miter folding
Miter-folding, large & small
Miter folding
Folding a miter
Reading about St Nicholas
Reading about St Nicholas

St. Nicholas Rubbings
Three designs

St Nicholas rubbings
Making St. Nicholas rubbings
St Nicholas rubbings St Nicholas rubbings

St. Nicholas Puzzles
Four strip puzzles, available in our shop or make your own

How to be a St. Nicholas
Talk about being a St. Nicholas—a helper for others

St Nicholas Puzzles
St. Nicholas Puzzles
Be a St Nicholas
How to be a St. Nicholas!

Giant St. Nicholas Coloring Poster 

Group coloring poster
Coloring large poster
Coloring poster detail

Lunch

Lunch Table
Lunch Table
Lunch
Lunch time!

Games

St. Nicholas Coin Toss
Toss money bags into the chimney——chocolate coins are the prize!

Coin Toss Game
St. Nicholas Coin Toss
Tossing
Will he make it?
Tossing

Roll for St. Nicholas
Draw St. Nicholas with the roll of a die

Roll for St Nicholas Game
Roll for St. Nicholas
Drawing
Drawing
Drawing

St. Nicholas Visit

Sing the St. Nicholas song to beckon St. Nicholas to appear. The good saint tells his story and talks with each child as he gives out special little treats

St Nicholas enters
St Nicholas enters, as song is sung
St Nicholas Song
Singing St. Nicholas in, must be loud enough to bring the saint
Saint talking
Talking with children
St Nicholas giving treats
St. Nicholas gives treats
Giving treats

Treats

Simple treat bags filled with little St. Nicholas gifts—some candy, some information, and more.

St Nicholas Treat Basket
Treat Basket
Treat Bags
Treats can reinforce information about St. Nicholas

St. Nicholas Festival Eucharist

A special all-ages liturgy

Gathered around the font
Gathered around the Font and Advent Wreath
Gospel Reading
The Gospel Reading
Homily
The Homily

Room Set-up

Table with name tags and markers
Table for requested donations (books, toys, food, etc.)
Activity stations ready
AV equipment, as needed
Lunch preparation
“Bishop’s” Chair for St. Nicholas visit
Treat basket

Resources

Activities

Simple Cut-and-Paste St. Nicholas
Coloring Pages to print
Miter-folding
Rubbings from St. Nicholas Center Activity Kit
St. Nicholas Puzzles to make, also in in our shop
Be a Helper Like St. Nicholas cards to print
Giant St. Nicholas Coloring Poster

Games

St. Nicholas Coin Toss
Roll for St. Nicholas

AV Resources

PowerPoint: An Introduction to Saint Nicholas
PowerPoint: Now We Call Him Santa Claus
Video: St. Nicholas, three minute introductory video, St. Nicholas Activity Kit

Eucharist

St. Nicholas Festival Eucharist

Other

Treat Bags, filled with inexpensive St. Nicholas items
St. Nicholas Prayer Cards, in our shop
Be a St. Nicholas Helper cards to print
St. Nicholas information cards to print
Stickers to print for St. Nicholas chocolate coins
St. Nicholas stickers, in our shop
St. Nicholas buttons
Small candy croziers (candy canes)
St. Nicholas Napkins, in our shop
St. Nicholas Center Display Kit (wall panels)
St. Nicholas Center Activity Kit (Video, rubbings, puzzles, miter-folding)
Ready-to-Use St. Nicholas Publicity Materials, Word files to personalize
PDFs to print—signs and instructions for tables; print on heavy cover stock
Activity Station Table signs stand up with 2 5-inch easel backs
Simple Cut and Paste St. Nicholas
Rubbings
St. Nicholas Coin Toss
Instructions to print for miter-folding and Roll for St. Nicholas are on their webpages

Photos by C. Myers, the Episcopal Diocese of Western Michigan, Grace Episcopal Church, Holland, Michigan, and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Kalamazoo, Michigan.

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