St. Nick 2007

It's all about the poems. Every family member gets a name and must choose a $10 gift that suits the person they are buying for. That is the easy part. Then comes the composition of a poem that is witty and well written. If it is poorly written, "St.Nick", one of the family men dragged into the red suit for the year, has an impossible time deciphering it and it is read aloud very poorly. The must speak about the item you have bought without giving away the surprise. And, in the case, of the best poems, it should be personalized.

Here is a sample from this year:

Aidan, this gift for you
Caused me some to-do

What to get for the man
Who buys some land
And then builds a house
In the country

Now he belongs to the landed gentry.
And a gift must be another entry
For the self-confident man
Who makes what he can.

That's it, I'll join him,
In making something
That is useful way out there.
But what? I just stare.
Across the street for inspiration.

I made it and he can use it,
To welcome his friends,
Or rearrange it to hide from others
He doesn't want in his borders.

It sounds confusing, I know
So I'd better go
And let the Saint make delivery.

And someone made him two sets of address numbers out of wood! I love this yearly tradition.


John was the kind soul who donned the costume this year. But he refused to wear the beard. Each man does St. Nick a little differently.

And then we spent Sunday at Mom and Dad Van Dyk's celebrating a family St. Nicks. More poems and precious gifts without the mystery. Grandma had sent along a box full of knitted things. The kids love them.