On the last day of the year, I sit contemplating what resolutions to make for the forthcoming year.  Ugh!  I hate resolutions, and wish to avoid the typical ones, like:  lose weight, exercise more, read at least one book a month, etc, because my prior experience dictates that they will fail.  Alas, one cannot change a life style by a mere promise to change.  The only New Year’s resolution I ever kept was “To make no resolutions for the year.”  I nailed that one, without one slip up.  

I do not stand alone.  People are notorious for making New Year’s resolutions that they never keep, though starting with the best of intentions.  For example, every January 2, my gym is full of pudgy people hugging and puffing on the treadmills, making it difficult to use a machine without standing in line.  By the end of January, however, many machines open up — solid proof of broken resolutions.  Over the years, I have collected some words of wisdom to which I refer annually, when contemplating making my list of New Year’s resolutions:

—  “Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account.”  Oscar Wilde (1854—1900)

—  “May all your troubles last as long as your New Year’s resolutions.”  Joey Adams, American actress (b 1968)

—  “This New Years I’m going to make a resolution I can keep:  no dieting all year long.”  Melanie White (unknown)

—  “Many people look forward to the new year for a new start on old habits.”  (Anonymous)

 After my usual year end contemplation, I revert to my favorite New Year’s resolution:  “To make no resolutions for this year.”  Truly, I expect no difficulty in keeping it.  And so, I end this year with my all time favorite New Years resolution quote:

— A news years resolution goes in one year and out the next. (Anonymous)

As a young child, I always looked forward to December 6, when St Nicholas would enter our house, under cover of night, and fill our hung stockings with fruits and candy, or an occasional lump of coal, reserved for those who were naughty during the past year.  It wasn’t much, but added some merriment in early December.    

Historically, St Nicholas lived in the 4th century, in Asia Minor (where Turkey is today).  He came from a wealthy family, became a bishop in the church and devoted much of his life to helping people less fortunate than he.  The legend says that to help a needy family, he had dropped gold coins down a chimney which fell into a stocking, which had been hung up to dry.  Much later, European countries followed the custom of hanging up stockings every December 5, so St Nicholas could fill them with goodies.  Dutch children would put out their shoes for the same purpose.  (whychristmas.com) 

As a child, my home did not have a fireplace or mantle, so we hung the stockings from a shelf between our living and dining rooms.  The stockings were small, so the gifts were too.  I recall receiving candy and fruit, usually an apple or an orange.  But the unwanted item — a lump of coal, always found its way into my stocking.  Coal epitomized that the bearer had not always been good over the year.  Coal brought guffaws around.  My siblings fooled the good saint, as they never received any coal.

With our children, we continued the practice, but coal was no longer available, so the “better be good or else” never happened.  The goodies included fruit and candy, as before, but added some toys or crafts.

When our grandchildren arrived on the scene, the stockings were hung from a real mantle over a functional fireplace, and the stockings became larger, so the contents expanded over time, ultimately exceeding the storage capacity of the stockings.  Now, wrapped presents were stacked on the floor under each hung stocking, which also multiplied as our family expanded.  Where is that lump of coal when we need it?

Our St Nicholas stocking day continued when our oldest grandchildren attended college, as an elf assisting St Nicholas to mail the stocking and present fillers to their dormitory.  

The spirit of St Nicholas continues.