Guess who’s coming to town!

St. Nicholas will visit St. Mary’s Episcopal Church during the annual St. Nicholas Day Fair on Saturday, December 3.

St. Nick will be making his appearance between 11 a.m. and noon at the fair. Born in the third century, St. Nicholas  was revered for his works of kindness and generosity to children (especially those in need). Accordingly, he will be distributing gifts and treats during his limited time at St. Mary’s. By the way, St. Nicholas also had a deep concern for sailors and ships (making him an ideal saint to visit Shelter Island). 

The St. Nicholas Day Fair also features crafts, gift items for sale, a silent auction (prizes include tickets to the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Verdi’s “La Traviata,” cases of Prosecco and red Rioja wine, a Shelter Island cruise, religious art, and jewelry), a raffle, café and St. Mary’ famous cookie walk.

Island resident Lorna Laspia recently wrote a remembrance of how the cookie walk tradition began.

“The cookie walk had a nostalgic start in an old formidable church in Grand Rapids, Michigan when parishioner remembered the English queen’s annual ‘walk about’ for her subjects,” wrote Ms. Laspia. “Soon, the event came to be a day of socializing and receiving a ‘few sweets’ too.”

“In Grand Rapids all seniors are invited in for coffee and cookies are served. After the socializing, they can buy decorated tines of cookies (for a pittance) to take home as gifts for friends, as many seniors can’t do very much shopping.”

Hours for the St. Nicholas Day Fair at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church (26 St. Mary’s Road) are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with the café open from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For more information, call Jane Babinski at (631) 749-1097.