Today is the feast day of Saint Nicholas, and this morning, the kids left one shoe upstairs in the hallway as they went down to the gym for an extended Advent assembly. Then, by magic of course, when the assembly was finished and the kids returned upstairs, there was a handful of treats in their shoes.
There are a couple things worth mentioning. First, we thank you for sending your children to school with clean socks. Second, there is a distinct, unreplicable smell of a hallway where approximately 75 sneakers have just been slipped off. I’m simply sharing this fact. Unfortunately it’s the type of smell that goes unnoticed if you’ve been standing there too long, the kind that makes you fear for what other smells you’ve been around too long to notice.
Third, let’s spend a moment on the fact that we put things in their shoes that they almost immediately put in their mouths. Sure, the candies are wrapped, but I’m guessing that not all the wrappers can’t stand up to some of the super-strength-shoe-sweat we have going on. This is all to remind you of the lengths a student will go for a little bit of chocolate, just in case you needed reminding.
The feast of St. Nicholas--and the treat-filled shoes--is a tradition practiced all over Europe. In some traditions, St. Nicholas leaves treats under the kids’ pillows. In others, kids leave gifts for St. Nicholas’ horses in their shoes, such as a little bit of hay or some carrots, and he in turn will leave treats. That one got me thinking...
Perhaps the kids should leave something in their shoes for the teachers’ proverbial horses, like sweet notes of gratitude. Or air fresheners. Just a thought. Happy St. Nicholas Day!
-Signing off, Schoolyard Eagle Eye