St. Nicholas Gift Giving Shrine

Use a St. Nicholas shrine to collect gifts for the needy. St. Michael Catholic Church in Cranford, New Jersey, has this shrine in the main church narthex. Parishioners are invited to help someone less fortunate by taking one of the blessed candles home, purchasing the gift listed on the candle label, and returning the unwrapped gift, labeled as on the candle, to the church by St. Nicholas Day, December 6th.

The large red candles are for supermarket gift cards to provide a Christmas dinner. The white votive candles each list a gift requested by a person sponsored by three different local charities. The candles are grouped by charity. Signs give basic information, tell about St. Nicholas, and identify the charities.

The candles are to be lit at home any time during the season in honor of St. Nicholas.

The shrine is put in place in mid-November to allow three Sundays for gift collection. On gift collection day, church youth help with the gifts and St. Nicholas visits, greeting everyone as they enter worship.

From St. Michael Roman Catholic Church, Cranford, New Jersey. Used by permission.