• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Free Bonus
  • About

Boulder Locavore® logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Free Bonus
  • About
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • Free Bonus
    • About
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Holiday » Christmas » St. Nicholas Eve {December 5}: Put Your Shoes Out!

    LAST UPDATED: August 17, 2022 • FIRST PUBLISHED: November 30, 2019 By Toni Dash 24 Comments

    St. Nicholas Eve {December 5}: Put Your Shoes Out!

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    St. Nicholas Eve - chocolate santas

    St. Nicholas Eve is December 5th! Be sure to put your shoes out to see what he will bring!

    red boots with candy canes and christmas ornaments

    When I was in elementary school I loved learning about all the international personas of Santa Claus.

    The varied forms he takes with different names and visual appearances, were totally enchanting and heightened the magical feeling of Christmastime.

    What is St. Nicholas Eve?

    In many places in the world, St. Nicholas or Sinterklaas is viewed to be the gift giver during the Advent season.

    His feast day, St. Nicholas Day, is December 6th.

    On the eve of his day, on December 5, he pays nocturnal visits with his side kick Black Peter (or Zwarte Piet), his alter ego wielding coal for ne’er-do-wells who have not been so nice over the past year.

    Children leave their shoes out in the hopes to find small gifts on the morning of December 6th.

    The spirit of St. Nicholas Eve and day is one focused on giving over receiving, remembering those less fortunate and that St. Nicholas loved children.

    St. Nicholas
    Photo credit: Gaby Kooiman, CC BY-SA 3.0

    When is St. Nicholas Eve?

    December 5 is St Nicholas Eve. On that night children (but I say everyone should join in the fun!) put their shoes out (typically outside but due to voracious squirrels in our ‘hood, we make it an indoor thing) in the hopes of some sweets in the morning.

    What Goes in Shoes for St. Nicholas Eve?

    Some examples of what one might find in their shoes:

    Oranges or tangerines are often found (as well as in Christmas stockings) as they symbolize the gold balls St. Nicholas would throw to the children.

    I suspect as well before current day globalization of food, citrus fruits were scarce in winter therefore making them a prized treat.

    A bowl of oranges on a table

    Candy croziers, or candy canes, are shaped after bishop’s or shepherd’s staffs and are given out as a reminder of the care St. Nicholas had for people.

    handful of candy canes with gray wool gloves

    Gold coins, real or in chocolate, symbolize coins thrown through a window by St. Nicholas to free servant girls.

    gold coins

    Mixed nuts in shell

    bowl of mixed nuts

    Often little toys or sweets are included too. I loved this DIY article on how to turn any brand chocolate Santa into a St. Nicholas!

    St. Nicholas Eve - chocolate santas

    Additional ideas include:

    • Chocolate St. Nicholas figures
    • Spiced Speculaas Cookies
    • Windmill Speculaas Cookies
    • These St. Nicholas cookies even made Oprah’s Favorite List!

    Feast of St. Nicholas on St. Nicholas Day (December 6)

    December 6 is the Feast of St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas Day is the day of the real saint’s death.

    Many traditional foods are served. Speculaas, are a special ginger cookie typically done in beautiful molds though does not have to be done so.

    Speculaas Cookies for St. Nicholas Day

    This fun Speculaas Cookie recipe provides some additional background about St. Nicholas and the feast as well on their website.

    St. Nicholas Around the World

    The customs and traditions regarding St. Nicholas vary in countries around the world.

    To learn more on the specific traditions, this list by country gives specifics on how traditions are celebrated.

    Any readers who actively practice this tradition I’d love to hear more about what you do in your family or home!

    [ratemypost]

     

    Originally published: December 5, 2010

    « Coconut Curry Turkey Rice Soup
    Jalapeno Turkey Noodle Soup »

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    TONI DASH
    Toni Dash head shot

    Toni Dash, is a Certified Nutrition Coach and the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of Boulder Locavore®. She has been developing easy to make, well-tested recipes since 2010. Her seasonal recipes bring excitement to the dining table for both gluten-free and gluten diners. Toni has been featured in numerous publications and on culinary websites for her creative, delicious recipes and travel features. For more details, check out her About page.

    Free Email Course

    5 FAST & EASY 15-MINUTE RECIPES
    Spending too much time in the kitchen?
    These recipes are fast, easy, and perfect for every occasion.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. jesica taylor says

      January 04, 2021 at 11:41 am

      I found this is an informative and interesting blog so I think so it is very useful and knowledgeable. I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this blog.

      Reply
      • Toni Dash says

        January 04, 2021 at 2:07 pm

        Thanks again Jesica. I’m so glad you found it useful!

        Reply
    2. jesica taylor says

      January 03, 2021 at 4:13 am

      Thanks for sharing the blog it is a very important and interesting topic in which peoples are receiving great information and very helpful Thanks.

      Reply
      • Toni Dash says

        January 03, 2021 at 10:55 am

        So glad you found it helpful Jesica!

        Reply
    3. jesica taylor says

      January 02, 2021 at 10:31 am

      This is my first time visit to your blog and I am very interested in the articles that you share. Thank you for sharing such useful information!

      Reply
    4. Douglas Cannell says

      July 14, 2020 at 8:49 am

      In my family we were told to put our shoes in front of the fireplace and when we retrieved them the next morning, they would be filled with small candies! ( like bite size snickers and the like! Though back when we were growing up that specific candy, didn’t exist)!! Their were 7 kids in my family, so 14 shoes covered the front of the fireplace! It was an amazing start ( more or less ) to the holiday season for us all.

      Reply
      • Toni Dash says

        July 14, 2020 at 9:32 am

        I love the image of all the shoes!

        Reply
      • Lauren says

        December 03, 2022 at 8:09 pm

        We always put our shoes particularly our bedroom slippers in front of the fireplace. St. Nicholas comes and also leaves his elf. So this is when we begin our not-so-trouble elf on the shelf. He mainly sits in different places each day to watch over the kids.
        St. Nicholas fills the slippers with one small toy or a book and a few pieces of candies. Then he takes the kids Christmas lists.

        Reply
        • Toni Dash says

          December 04, 2022 at 4:30 am

          I love that he takes the Christmas lists! So much more civilized than all the ‘have you finished your shopping yet?’ Posts I’m seeing already.

    5. Sue Hill says

      December 05, 2014 at 5:18 am

      My kids grew up with the tradition of St Niklaus and still today get German Spekulatius in their Advent boxes. A couple of years ago I was in a school in Slovakia for a week and the 18 year old students presented me with chocolate figures of St Niklaus and his little Devil assistant. I do miss Christmas in Germany but get to go into my grand children’s school to tell the little ones about Christmas traditions and show them our collection of Father Christmas/Santas from around the world. Hope you are all eating Lebkuchen while drinking the Gluehwein!

      Reply
    6. Woerd says

      December 05, 2013 at 3:49 pm

      Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet are actualy Dutch but the tradition is similar in Gemany.

      Reply
    7. nina says

      December 04, 2012 at 8:18 pm

      st.nicholas comes to night i think two or one year ago i put out my shoes and foulnd money in them thats what st.nicholas gave me

      Reply
    8. Valerie @ From Valerie's Kitchen says

      December 20, 2011 at 3:54 am

      I really enjoyed reading about the tradition of putting the shoes out. Funny how these things carry through the generations in bits and pieces. We used to always put out our shoes the night before Easter so the Easter bunny would put an Easter egg in them. And, he always did!

      Reply
    9. Kiri W. says

      December 05, 2011 at 2:12 pm

      I love the Dutch version of the holiday, but having grown up in Germany, I never understood why Spain, and why on a boat! For us, Sankt Nikolaus comes on the roofs, looking like a proper bishop, accompanied by a devil-like creature. Coals for naughty kids, chocolates and nuts for the good ones 🙂

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    About Toni Dash

    Toni Dash BoulderLocavore.com Head Shot

    Welcome! I’m Toni. I’m a Certified Nutrition Coach and my goal is to MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER with delicious, well-tested recipes and travel tips! More About Me …

    AS FEATURED ON….

    BoulderLocavore.com Featured By Press

    Easy Dinners

    • Instant Pot Jambalaya Instant Pot Jambalaya Recipe: Quick & Easy Comfort Food
    • Instant Pot Smoked Paprika & Garlic Chicken Legs with lime wedges on a pewter platter Instant Pot Smoked Paprika & Garlic Chicken Legs
    • Korean BBQ Chicken title image Easy Korean BBQ Chicken recipe
    • Instant Pot Corned Beef Brisket title image Instant Pot Corned Beef Brisket: an Easy One Pot Meal
    • Shrimp Salad title image Shrimp Salad Recipe
    • Green Chile Stew title image Hearty New Mexican Green Chile Pork Stew

    TRENDING RIGHT NOW

    • Instant Pot Corned Beef Brisket title image Instant Pot Corned Beef Brisket: an Easy One Pot Meal
    • Apple Cookies in basket with title Cinnamon Sugar Apple Cookies recipe
    • cilantro lime rice title image Easy Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe
    • Korean BBQ Chicken title image Easy Korean BBQ Chicken recipe
    • How to Make Moist Homemade Shredded Chicken Breast title How to Make Moist Homemade Shredded Chicken Breast Recipe
    • Instant Pot Jambalaya Instant Pot Jambalaya Recipe: Quick & Easy Comfort Food

    Footer

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram

    Contact | About | Privacy Policy | Disclosure Policy | Accessibility Statement | Cookie Policy


    SIGN ME UP to get FREE recipes directly to my inbox!

    Don't miss our TRAVEL SECTION!


    Copyright © 2010-2023 All Rights Reserved

    Boulder Locavore is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.