This Saint Nicholas unit study for homeschool families explores the history, legends, and traditions of the 4th-century Christian bishop who inspired the modern figure of Santa Claus. This mini unit study is designed for one day of learning, often celebrated around St. Nicholas Day on December 6th.

Learn about the historical figure of Saint Nicholas with this free Christmas unit study for homeschool families. This is an open-and-go unit study focused on historical learning, paired with a selection of festive holiday activities for children, including a Christmas carol, poetry, classic art pieces featuring both Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus, and copywork sheets for children. This unit study is a simple way to add depth and learning to your Christmas homeschool activities, while creating beautiful and meaningful ways for families to learn together.

In this blog post:

• Free Christmas unit study: The Story of Saint Nicholas [Printable PDF]
• Historical study of Saint Nicholas: From Saint Nicholas to modern Santa Claus
• Learn about Saint Nicholas with carols, poetry, art study, and more

Free Christmas unit study: The Story of Saint Nicholas [Printable PDF]

This unit study invites you to gather your family and celebrate beauty and delight by learning the historical story of Saint Nicholas of Myra, with connections to festive carols, stories, poetry, art, baking, and more. It’s about family; it’s about Him. It’s about connecting hearts to the heart of Christmas–to the truth of Jesus coming to earth to seek and save the lost.

This guide is designed for the whole family to use together and was created for children in Kindergarten-5th grade, but it can easily be adapted for preschoolers and middle schoolers as well.

This is a standalone unit study that teaches children about the true story of Saint Nicholas and how it influenced the tradition of Santa Claus. As you learn about who Saint Nicholas was and how he helped others, this study invites you to read other stories about Saint Nicolas and the holiday tradition of giving, considering how to help others during the holiday season.

This unit study includes:

• One-day unit study (21-page printable PDF)
• Christmas book list featuring picture books about Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus, and the tradition of giving
• One-day unit study guide with a menu of activities to pick and choose from
• Saint Nicholas historical summary
• Scripture selection
• Christmas carol selection
• Read-aloud Christmas poem
• Two fine art pieces, featuring both Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus
• Template to create a Giving List
• Speculoos Cookie recipe
• Scripture and poetry copywork in primary and intermediate lines

Grab the free Saint Nicholas Unit Study below.

Historical study of Saint Nicholas: From Saint Nicholas to modern Santa Claus

The modern-day Santa Claus tale of a figure who gives generously to others is derived from Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4th-century Christian bishop. Saint Nicholas was known for his humble gestures of secretly giving to those in need in his community during the time he lived. 

Over time, the tradition spread to new places, with the celebration of Saint Nicholas Day on December 6 in Europe. On the eve of Saint Nicholas Day, children traditionally place their shoes by the fireplace and wake up to find them filled with fruit, candy, and gold coins.

This tradition spread to the United States in the 18th century, inspiring depictions and poems of the modern-day Santa Claus that are still popular today. Though the tale has been embellished over time, the practice of giving to others has spread across the world for centuries because of Saint Nicholas’s kindness towards others. 

Pair with your homeschool history lessons during the holiday season, use independently, or add depth to a holiday Advent study like A Connected Christmas

Learn more about the history of Saint Nicholas in The Story of Saint Nicholas Unit Study [Printable PDF].

Learn about Saint Nicholas with carols, poetry, art study, and more

As you learn about Saint Nicholas, enjoy a selection of festive activities children will love, including a Christmas carol, poetry, and classic art pieces featuring both Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus. Encourage charity towards others by creating a giving list, then bake Speculoos cookies together, the traditional cookie of Saint Nicholas Day. Use Scripture and poetry copywork sheets to give children an opportunity to learn as you go through the study together. We’ve also included a list of our favorite children’s books about Saint Nicholas to read together.

This study is an easy addition to a Christmas unit study like A Connected Christmas, or to read in connection with a book study guide like A Christmas Carol Book Study or The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Book Study.

Will you teach your children the history of Saint Nicholas? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Meredith Qualls has worked for Treehouse Schoolhouse since 2023, where she helps develop curriculum and writes about motherhood and home education. She was homeschooled in the 90s, has a master’s degree in journalism, and previously worked in traditional print newspapers.