15 Free Saint Nicholas Coloring Pages (December 6th, St Nicholas Day)
There’s a version of Saint Nicholas most of us grew up with, red suit, sleigh, a workshop full of toys. But the real story starts somewhere quieter: a bishop who gave away gold in secret, through windows and into shoes, so no one would know who to thank.
These 15 Saint Nicholas coloring pages bring kids back to that original story, the one where giving isn’t about being seen. It’s about noticing someone in need and doing something about it, even if nobody ever finds out it was you.
A Note from Louisa (Founder of MyKidColors)
Growing up, we had chicken every Sunday, and the pieces had to be portioned carefully because there were so many of us. When someone asked me for a piece of mine, I said no about ninety eight percent of the time.
My reasoning was simple, they already had theirs, and mine was smaller, so why would I give it up. My twin sister gave hers away almost every time. They called me stingy, and I remember thinking they were the greedy ones.
This story is part of something bigger…
Inclusive Bible Moments Coloring Book
If your child connected with this story, they’ll love the full collection.
This isn’t just coloring.
It’s quiet, faith-filled moments where kids see themselves in Scripture.
Inside you’ll find:
- 25 hand-drawn Bible scenes rooted in real stories
- Representation that helps children feel seen and included
- Devotional-style pages that invite calm, reflection, and conversation
- Easy, print-and-use pages for busy days
Less screen time. More soul time.
At the very same time, I took tithing seriously. Our tithe book had little squares to fill in, and I loved checking that I hadn’t missed one. I was a kid who guarded her chicken and also a kid who cared about giving. Both were true at once, and I don’t think that’s unusual.
I love that Saint Nicholas gave in secret, gold tossed through a window at night, nobody meant to know it was him. That kind of generosity isn’t about looking good. It’s just quietly deciding someone else needs something more than you do right now. I’m still working on that as an adult, the same way I was still working on it over a plate of Sunday jollof rice and chicken.
Conversation Corner: 3 Questions to Ask While Coloring
Turn this activity into a bonding moment. While your child colors, try asking these questions:
- For “Gold Through the Window” (Page 3): “Saint Nicholas gave his gift secretly, at night, so no one would see him. Why do you think he wanted to keep it a secret?”
- For “Shoes by the Window” (Page 4): “This family left their shoes out, hoping and trusting something good would happen. What’s something you’re hopeful about right now?”
- For “Family by the Fireplace” (Page 15): “This family is surrounded by treats and warmth because someone thought of them first. Who is someone you could surprise with a small gift this week?”
The Collection: 15 Free Saint Nicholas Coloring Pages
We’ve organized this Saint Nicholas coloring page set into three tiers to help you teach the story of generous, secret giving, from the first quiet gift to a whole town changed by it.
For Little Hands: A Gift in the Dark (Pages 1–5)
Best for toddlers and preschoolers. These pages focus on simple, tender moments: a shoe by a window, a boy putting on his shoes, a secret gift given at night.
- Page 1 introduces Saint Nicholas himself in his bishop’s vestments, a gentle way to set up who this story is about before the action starts.
- Pages 2 & 3 show the shoe filled with gold and the secret toss through the window, the heart of the original legend.
- Pages 4 & 5 capture two children discovering their gifts, a sweet pairing for talking about gratitude and surprise.
Save any page above free as a JPG. Want the full set in one easy download? Get all 15 hand-drawn pages in the complete PDF pack for $4.99.
Passing It On: A Season of Giving (Pages 6–10)
Perfect for elementary kids. These pages widen the story from one gift to a whole community learning to give the same way.
- Page 6 shows a family gathered by the fireplace, a good page for talking about warmth and togetherness in winter.
- Pages 7 & 8 show a boy packing a gift box and a teacher handing out gifts in a classroom, both natural openings for talking about giving without expecting anything back.
- Pages 9 & 10 show a girl decorating for the season and a boy enjoying quiet time with his dog, gentle scenes for slowing down and noticing small joys.
Save any page above free as a JPG. Want the full set in one easy download? Get all 15 hand-drawn pages in the complete PDF pack for $4.99.
The Full Story & Legacy (Pages 11–15)
Designed for older kids or quiet reflection. These scenes place Saint Nicholas in his wider world and carry the tradition into a modern family celebration.
- Page 11 shows a young sailor facing stormy seas, tied to the legends of Saint Nicholas as a protector of sailors and travelers.
- Pages 12 & 13 show Saint Nicholas walking through a market and tossing gold through a window in more detailed line art, good pages for older kids who want more to color.
- Pages 14 & 15 show a family at church and a family celebrating by the fireplace, bringing the story full circle from faith to tradition.
Save any page above free as a JPG. Want the full set in one easy download? Get all 15 hand-drawn pages in the complete PDF pack for $4.99.
Perfect for Sunday School, Homeschool & Ministry Use
- Homeschool Families: Parents are pairing Page 4 (shoes by the window) with a simple family activity, leaving a small treat in a shoe overnight, then coloring together the next day while talking about what it felt like to give or receive it in secret.
- Classroom Teachers: Print Pages 6, 8, and 15 as a quick three-scene set for early finishers or a sub plan. Kids put the scenes in order and talk about how one quiet act of giving grew into a whole season of it.
- Church & Advent Program Leaders: Pages 1, 3, and 14 work well as a short three-part story arc for a December children’s service, moving from who Saint Nicholas was, to what he did, to how families still carry it on today.
- Grandparents & Extended Family: Page 15 makes a sweet page to color together over a holiday visit, a natural opening to share a family’s own gift-giving traditions or stories from when the grandparent was young.
- Parents at Home: Page 4 or Page 5 works well the night before December 6th, paired with a real shoe left out for a small surprise, then colored together the next morning while talking about the real history behind the tradition.
This story isn’t really about presents. It’s about giving without needing credit for it, so the pages that show the secret giving matter just as much as the ones that show the joy on the other end.
Real Artists. Original Illustrations.
When teaching kids about Saint Nicholas, representation matters. Our children deserve to see a family in a wheelchair decorating for the season, a boy quietly packing gifts for someone else, and faces from different backgrounds gathered around the same fireplace. They deserve to see generosity, humility, and quiet joy reflected in faces that look like them.
At MyKidColors, we collaborate with real human illustrators, not robots. Every Saint Nicholas illustration in this set was thoughtfully created to center dignity, cultural awareness, and emotional truth.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I turn these pages into a Saint Nicholas Day tradition at home?
Pair Page 4 or Page 5 with a real shoe left out the night before December 6th. In the morning, let your child open a small treat inside, then sit down together to color the matching page while you talk about the real history behind the tradition.
Can I use these for a classroom Advent or December unit that isn’t specifically religious?
Yes. Pages 6, 9, 10, and 15 focus on family, kindness, and winter warmth without leaning heavily on the religious scenes, so they work well in a general December or “seasons of giving” unit alongside the more faith-centered pages.
What’s a good group activity using the market and sailor pages?
Pages 11 and 12 make a good pair for a short lesson on how Saint Nicholas became a protector of both sailors and merchants. Have kids color one page each, then trade stories about why people in different jobs might have looked to him for hope.
How is Saint Nicholas Day different from Christmas, and is it a real Catholic tradition or more cultural?
It’s both. December 6th is his actual feast day in the Catholic Church, and the shoe tradition (page 4) grew out of devotion to him specifically, generations before Santa Claus existed as a separate figure. Many families celebrate it as a quieter, more personal lead-up to Christmas itself, distinct from the bigger holiday.
Download The PDF Pack
Long before Santa Claus, there was a real bishop who gave gold away in secret, just so a family in need wouldn’t have to know who to thank.
Download all 15 Saint Nicholas coloring pages below, and let your family’s own December 6th tradition grow from a story that’s older and quieter than most people realize.
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- 15 Free Catholic Saints Coloring Pages (St Nicholas, St Patrick & More)
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