SaintNickHatch

Saint Nicholas Day. In parts of northern Europe, particularly the Low Countries and some German-speaking areas, St. Nicholas Day has remained a time when children are given special cookies, candies, and gifts. In many places, children leave letters for St. Nicholas and carrots or grass for his donkey or horse. In the morning, they find small presents under their pillows or in the shoes, stockings, or plates they have set out for him.


Holly and Evergreen Wreaths. Hanging a circular wreath of evergreens during mid-winter (Winter Solstice) goes back a very long time. Early Romans gave gifts of green branches at New Year's, bestowing the wish for health and vigor upon friends and family. In classical Roman time, the branches were shaped into wreaths, symbols of joy, victory and power/status. Holly, Ivy and other greenery such as Mistletoe were originally used in pre-Christian times to help celebrate the Winter Solstice Festival and ward off evil spirits and to celebrate new growth. When twisted into a circular shape, an evergreen wreath symbolized perfection and unity and also the warm, enduring sun. During early Medieval times holly wreaths with their sharp, pointed leaves, represented the crown of thorns worn by Christ on the cross, with the little red berries symbolizing drops of blood. During the 16th Century among Northern and eastern Europeans, Christmas wreaths were formed from a variety of pines and firs, with evergreens symbolizing eternal life. Today, when a wreath is hung on a door or a window, it is an invitation to the spirit of Christmas to enter the home and bring luck, and suggests that the Christmas spirit dwells within.


Sources
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Saint-Nicholas-Day
https://www.whychristmas.com/customs/hollyandivy.shtml
https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/25/nyregion/wreaths-carry-many-meanings-and-messages-into-christmas.html
https://time.com/5482144/christmas-wreath-origins/
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