Often the true meaning of Christmas passes us by
The
night the holy star appeared bright in the sky
Christmas
celebrates the birth of Christ the savior
But
others are also remembered at this time of year
St
Lucia’s day is on the thirteenth day of December
In
fourth century Sicily Lucia was a virgin martyr
Lucia
means “light” very apt for a Christmas saint
She
is also called upon to cure any eye complaint
St
Thomas’s day is on the twenty first of December
The
shortest and darkest day in our modern calendar
Traditionally
the poor would all go out “thomasing”
For
wheat flour and other Christmas “goodening”
Not
the first saint you’d associate with Christmas
He
is perhaps better known as “doubting Thomas”
Because
he at first questioned Christ’s resurrection
He
is patron saint of the carpenter and stone mason
On
the twenty-six of the month St Stephens day falls
Boxing
Day or the feast of Stephen in hallowed halls
Chosen
by the disciples to help spread Christianity
He
was put to death by the zealots for his profanity
The
most famous Christmas time saint of all must be
St
Nicholas the Bishop of Myra now a part of Turkey
He
was a very shy man and the kindest man to know
When
he threw coins through a poor family’s window
They
landed in a stocking hanging over the fire to dry
So
that’s where it all began if you ever wondered why
