St. Nicholas - Dutch Folklore and Santa Claus

Next month, Tuesday December 5, the Dutch will celebrate their feast of Sint Nicolaas, with poems, marzipan, ginger biscuits, hot chocolate, and with presents for the children.

The history of Saint Nicholas is a colorful and storied one: he lived from 270 to December 6, 343 AD, was the Greek Bishop of Myra - located in modern day Turkey - and he was a Christian saint known for his miracles and secret gift-giving. Saint Nicholas attended the First Council of Nicaea, which was the first effort to attain consensus in the Church through an assembly representing all of Christendom. Later on Saint Nicholas became an important figure for Italians and Greeks, honored in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Church. Throughout Europe he is celebrated for his generosity, especially towards children.

In the Netherlands, Saint Nicholas became a figure of folklore, who would visit the Netherlands every November traveling by steamboat from Spain, riding a white horse and joined by.... 

December Quote of the Month: 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house / Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse"

"Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house / Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse"
— Clement Clarke Moore, 1837

Just in time for holiday celebrations, all of us at Cosimo are very excited to announce our Quote of the Month!

The Night Before Christmas, originally published as A Visit from St. Nicholas on December 23, 1823, in the Troy Sentinel, became America's favorite Christmas poem. After the poem was published anonymously, it was attributed to Clement Clark Moore in 1837. However, scholars have debated the identity of the author of this poem and some believe it was written by Henry Livingston, Jr., (1748-1828), a New York farmer who also wrote poetry.

The Night Before Christmas has had a great influence on the American notion of Santa Claus and on its tradition of Christmas gift-giving, which, before the poem, had been inspired by the Dutch figure of St. Nicholas. This unique edition of the famed Christmas poem, features the original engravings, from 1849, by T.C. Boyd.

This American classic is a great gift for the Christmas season as well as for collectors of traditional American literature.

December Classic of the Month: The Night Before Christmas: A Visit from St. Nicholas

It wouldn't be December without a Visit from St. Nicholas!

The Night Before Christmas, originally published as A Visit from St. Nicholas on December 23, 1823, in the Troy Sentinel, became America's favorite Christmas poem. After the poem was published anonymously, it was attributed to Clement Clark Moore in 1837. However, scholars have debated the identity of the author of this poem and some believe it was written by Henry Livingston, Jr., (1748-1828), a New York farmer who also wrote poetry.

The Night Before Christmas has had a great influence on the American notion of Santa Claus and on its tradition of Christmas gift-giving, which, before the poem, had been inspired by the Dutch figure of St. Nicholas. This unique edition of the famed Christmas poem, features the original engravings, from 1849, by T.C. Boyd.

This American classic is a great gift for the Christmas season as well as for collectors of traditional American literature.

The Night Before Christmas, Now Available from Cosimo!

"'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house / Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse"
 - From The Night Before Christmas

Just in time for holiday celebrations, all of us at Cosimo are very excited to announce a new Classic we have added to our catalog.

The Night Before Christmas, originally published as A Visit from St. Nicholas on December 23, 1823, in the Troy Sentinel, became America's favorite Christmas poem. After the poem was published anonymously, it was attributed to Clement Clark Moore in 1837. However, scholars have debated the identity of the author of this poem and some believe it was written by Henry Livingston, Jr., (1748-1828), a New York farmer who also wrote poetry.

The Night Before Christmas has had a great influence on the American notion of Santa Claus and on its tradition of Christmas gift-giving, which, before the poem, had been inspired by the Dutch figure of St. Nicholas. This unique edition of the famed Christmas poem, features the original engravings, from 1849, by T.C. Boyd.

This American classic is a great gift for the Christmas season as well as for collectors of traditional American literature.

December Classic of the Month: The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum

Cosimo is celebrating all things Christmas this month by curling up by the fire with a cup of hot cocoa and our Classic of the Month, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus by L. Frank Baum!

How did Santa Claus invent the first toy? Why does he travel by night and enter homes via chimney? How did he come to travel with eight reindeer? Beloved writer L. Frank Baum introduces us to a fantastical Father Christmas raised by a fairy queen among the magical denizens of an enchanted forest, a mortal among immortals who outwits evil Awgwas in his quest to share gifts and spread love around the world. First published in 1902, this is a beautiful, mythic tale, one that will charm children of all ages.

About the Author
Beloved writer Lyman Frank Baum (1856-1919) was the creator of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and author of 13 other Oz novels; plus 41 other novels, 83 short stories, over 200 poems, and at least 42 scripts.

Classic of the Month: The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus

"The sweet generousness of his work caused a few selfish folk to sneer, but even these were forced to admit their respect for a man so gentle-natured that he loved to devote his life to pleasing the helpless little ones of his race."

Our Classic of the Month is The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, a wonderful 'history' of Santa Claus from L. Frank Baum, the author who brought us the beloved tale The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus provides an unusual and fanciful origin story for Santa, suggesting that Neclaus was abandoned as a baby and adopted by the fairy queen Necile (Neclaus meaning "Necile's Little One"). Baum's Santa is a mortal living among fairies and other fantastical creatures.

 As an adult he returns to the human world to discover it is full of dark things like poverty and war; as a result of what he has witnessed, Neclaus makes it his mission to gladden the hearts of the world's children. He settles in the Laughing Valley of Hohaho and brings toys to all children (both good and bad) because

"He knew that the best of children were sometimes naughty, and that the naughty ones were often good. It is the way with children, the world over, and he would not have changed their natures had he possessed the power to do so."

This wonderfully unique version of the Claus story weaves traditional tales of Santa Claus with epic battles against evil creatures. Readers learn the origins of Santa's first toy, how he found his reindeer, and why the first stockings were hung by the fireplace. Interwoven with these charming stories are lessons to learn about kindness, humanity, and charity.

Originally published in 1902, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus continues to charm and inspire children every year. It has been reproduced for television and film, and was even turned into a graphic novel by well-known artist Mike Ploog.

This wonderful book is available in affordable paperback at Amazon and Barnes & Noble online.

Holiday Selections for the Book Worm

As the holidays approach, we'd like to offer some suggestions for the Book Worm in your family.

You can check out our Classic Holiday Books page here, but we'd like to make some additional suggestions for the various types of literature lovers in your family.

FOR THE READER WHO LOVES CHRISTMAS STORIES:

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, by L. Frank Baum


From the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum, comes a charming work that imagines Santa Claus was raised by a fairy  queen in an enchanted forest. This wonderful paperback tale explains why Santa travels at night, enters homes by chimney, and how Santa ended up traveling with the eight reindeer we know so well. [B&N/Amazon]

FOR THE READER WHO LOVES FAIRY TALES:

Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm, by Jacob Grimm & Wilhelm Grimm

Any fairy tale lover will enjoy this replica of an 1886 edition of tales by the Brothers Grimm. This lovely addition features 53 of their beloved stories, translated by Lucy Crane and featuring line drawings by her brother, William Crane. These wonderfully creepy tales are available in hardcover and paperback. [B&N/Amazon]


FOR THE READER WHO EMBRACES THE SUPERNATURAL:

Mothman and Other Curious Encounters, by Loren Coleman

This haunting book details encounters with strange and wondrous creatures, including thunderbirds, lizardmen, and the infamous Mothman. It even includes extensive appendices that detail areas of the US that suffer from "high strangeness"--an affinity for supernatural phenomena and unusual occurrences. Mothman is a great introduction to cryptozoology scholarship, and one of many unique cryptozoology titles available at Cosimo in paperback or digital formats. [B&N/Kindle/Amazon/ePub formats]

FOR THE READER WHO LOVES AMERICAN HISTORY:

Abraham Lincoln: A History (10 volume set), by John M. Hay and John G. Nicolay

Our large collection of American history books includes many works by and about the American Presidency.

 This incredible 10-volume set (available by individual volume or set) details Lincoln's life and administration as told by his personal secretaries, Hay and Nicolay. These replica volumes are available and hardcover or paperback, and feature the original illustrations. History fans can read the whole series or select volumes based on particular interest, including his childhood, early legislative practices, or the Civil War. (Contact us directly for a discounted full-set price.) [Amazon/B&N]

For more suggestions visit our shop to browse by interest.