St. Nick’s Day Shoes: The Fun Tradition of Filling Shoes with Gifts

St. Nick’s Day Shoes: The Fun Tradition of Filling Shoes with Gifts

As shoemakers, we love traditions and lore that center around shoes. Saint Nicholas Day, December 6th every year, is one such tradition. It’s a sweet holiday about giving to others, and our owner Tricia loves to celebrate it with her kids. The holiday has evolved into many modern-day formats. The traditional custom is to set shoes out the evening before St. Nick’s Day. Then they are filled with little gifts and treats in the night. (Bonus points if your St. Nick's Day Shoes are Softstar barefoot kids shoes!)

The Origins of Saint Nicholas Day

Historians trace the beginnings of Saint Nicholas Day back to a bishop named Nicholas from the third-century AD in Europe. This bishop was especially known for his selflessness and care of the needy and sick and his generosity toward children. His wealthy parents died young, and Nicholas used his inheritance to help others in need. Many sources say he died on December 6 in AD 343 and that he was canonized as a saint within a century of his death. Over the years, his life spurred many tales and legends. Eventually, traditions sprang up to celebrate him and his spirit of giving.

One legend says that St. Nicholas helped families in need of money by tossing bags of gold into their homes through an open window. In at least one case, the gold apparently landed on some winter shoes and stockings that had been laid out near the fire to dry. That led to the custom of children putting out shoes or stockings at night for Saint Nicholas to fill with gifts.

The figure of jolly ol’ St. Nick eventually morphed into the modern-day Santa Claus and then became affiliated with Christmas. But some families in Western countries still celebrate St. Nick’s day as its own holiday, especially in Europe.

Clogs used as St. Nick's Day Shoes
Clogs used as St. Nick's Day Shoes

St. Nick’s Day Shoes

Each family who wishes to celebrate Saint Nicholas Day can make it special and unique to them. While it’s originally a Catholic tradition, today, Catholic, Protestant and secular families alike take part in these customs. Here are some ideas from various cultures that participate:

  1. Many children set out shoes filled with carrots and hay for St. Nick’s horse hoping to get small gifts in exchange. (In some stories, it's a donkey). Sometimes a wish list accompanies the carrots.
  2. Common treats to leave in shoes, boots or stockings left out for Saint Nicholas are fruits, nuts, chocolate, candies, cookies, coins, poems, riddles and small gifts. Some say these treats should be shared with friends and family in keeping with the spirit of giving they symbolize.
  3. The placement of the shoes varies by culture. Sometimes it's only a single boot. Kids might leave them by the fireplace, on a windowsill, outside the front door, or outside their bedroom door.
  4. In some cultures, the house is cleaned spotless on December 5 in preparation for St. Nick’s arrival. The shoes left out are carefully cleaned and polished.

Other St. Nick's Day Traditions

  1. Nicholas Day is known as a “feast day,” and countless recipes have sprung up in association with the holiday. Browse these St. Nicks recipes for desserts, breads, cookies and more.
  2. In towns or cities with Dutch heritage, there’s often a St. Nicholas Day parade in which a costumed St. Nick tosses candies to kids along the route.
  3. What might you do in your community to help a family in need? Find something to do to focus on the act of giving instead of the act of receiving.

If your family celebrates St. Nick’s Day, we’d love to hear about your traditions. Please comment below with your stories. If anyone out there takes a photo of Softstars being used as St. Nick's Day Shoes, please share it with us! Tag us in the photo if you share it on Instagram, or submit it to our Fan Photo contest!

9 Comments

  1. Ann Stokman
    Love this article on celebrating St. Nick’s Day.
    Reply
  2. Natasha Spiteri
    Natasha Spiteri
    This has been a tradition of mine since I was born in Germany. St Nick used to parade through the streets handing out chocolates to the children. We carried the tradition on throughout my childhood when leaving Germany putting our shoes by the front door on the 5th night and waking up on the 6th morning with them filled with chocolates. I now do this with my children and have passed my tradition onto friends xxx
    Reply
    1. Elf Ian
      Wonderful! Thank you for sharing, Natasha and schöne Ferien! (Hope that's close!)
      Reply
  3. Cheryl Belangee
    Cheryl Belangee
    I love this tradition. My parents taught us this. I share it with my granddaughter.
    Reply
  4. Jennifer Ranke
    This has been a tradition in my family for 8’generations that we know of. It has morphed a bit overtime as my grandfather would recall Geri g an orange in his shoe. The gifts have become a bit more elaborate than just chocolates these days, but the tradition lives on and we celebrated it with my 2 yr old grandson again this year. He makes the 8th generation.
    Reply
  5. Shelton Eastman
    Shelton Eastman
    Hi softstarshoes.com admin, Excellent work!
    Reply
  6. Marcie Greer
    We do this on New Year’s Eve. It goes back at least 5 generations. I am not sure where New Year’s Eve came from. I have tried to research it but have been unsuccessful. I love this post!
    Reply
  7. Dedra Hall
    We do something similar in our family, however, it has always been Bloodybones that we put our shoes out for. Always been told from the Jones side of our family and not sure why we leave orr showes out for Bloodybones to fill with treats on New Years Eve. Just a family tradition since at least the 1800s if not more.
    Reply
  8. Toot Waller
    I’d love to have a story book with the simple Dec 6 tradition of St Nick’s visit
    Reply

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