A time for giving! Helvetia Community Hall First Saturday in December. Noon until 6:30

Celebration Schedule

Starting at Noon: Preparing an Old-Fashion Tree with the Children's Handmade Ornaments. Cooks Gathering in the Community Hall Kitchen to begin baking their holiday favorites for their families and friends.

3:00: Expo of Making Swiss traditional Christmas Sweets. Children Making Swiss Favorite Grittibanz: Bread People For St. Nicholas. The Right Family Game, a wonderful way for the children to exchange gifts

6:00 Santa Arrives to pass out goodie bags to the Children.

Some light refreshments will be provided throughout the day. Pack a holiday lunch with goodies to share, bring children with unwrapped gifts in hand, and help us celebrate Saint Nicholas in the spirit of giving.

Sponsored in part by the Helvetia Farm Women, a West Virginia Community Education Outreach Service, in cooperation with the WVU Extension Service increasing knowledge and understanding. HelvetiaWV@msn.com 304.924.6149

More Information:

Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time, the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young.

Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God.

Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships. In German-speaking countries including Switzerland, the beginning of December is the time for the most distinctive children's festival of the year.

Sankt Nickolaus Eve is a time of festivities and a time of whispers and giggles. Shops are full of may shaped biscuits, gilt gingerbreads -- sometimes representing Sankt Nickolaus, of sugar images, toys and other little gifts. In many countries including America, these holiday festivities attributed to the gift-giving Sankt Nickolaus now transferred to Christmas and Santa Clause.

Helvetia and Pickens welcome visitors to rediscover the origins of Ol' Saint Nick. The Saint Nicholas celebration will begin at Noon on Saturday with the children making ointments, Zurich-born Peter Schaeffer baking many European holiday traditional cookies and sweets, while his wife, Patricia Schaeffer (in her graceful Mrs. Santa Clause manner) will work with children to bake a holiday favorite of Swiss children called "Grittibaenz" and gilt gingerbreads.

The Helvetia Community Hall will be buzzing with cooks baking their local favorites for gift giving. In addition, as a special treat, Patricia and Peter Schaeffer will be reading the Sankt Nickolaus story in German and English for the children. The event will end with a visit from Ole Saint Nic himself passing out gifts and goodies to the children.

304.924.6149 or HelvetiaWV@msn.com.