With gentle steps and a white beard, Saint Nicholas draws near to PlusKids, and the children await him joyfully.
On the day before the feast, the children did their homework seriously, filled in their worksheets happily and decorated their boots with care. We are particularly fond of this combination: the same homework, the same worksheets, but done in an entirely different spirit, because at the end of them lies something to look forward to.
Preparing for a celebration is often lovelier than the celebration itself. The day before holds all the anticipation and none of the possible disappointments, and the children live it to the full: they make plans, tell each other what they hope to get, and work on their boots with an attention they rarely give to ordinary work.
We also talked about who Saint Nicholas was and where the custom comes from, because any tradition is remembered better when there is a story behind it.
A December day exactly as it should be, with just the right amount of impatience and the work done on time.