December Book-a-Day 5: The Baker's Dozen

Saint Nicholas Day is tomorrow, December 6th. In our family we are visited by Sinterklaas (from the Netherlands) on the night of December 5th. We eat a yummy Dutch dinner and leave our shoes out for a little treat! This book would be especially wonderful to read today or tomorrow if you celebrate Saint Nicholas Day.

Book

The Baker's Dozen: A Saint Nicholas Tale tells the old legend of an honest baker, Van Amsterdam who always gives his customers what they pay for, "No more, no less." That is until he is visited by an old woman who teaches him a lesson in generosity. With Saint Nicholas' help, the Baker will change his ways and so is born the tradition of the "baker's dozen."

The author has a version of this story as a reader's theater available on his site.

Activity

Having just made Christmas cookies yesterday, this would be the perfect opportunity to teach your children charity by sharing your delicious treats with friends or neighbors or someone who may be in need of some Christmas cheer.
Or try a craft or activity from the St. Nicholas Center. My favorite are the vintage Belgian illustrations that kids can color and cut out.