You may find it interesting that some of our Santa Claus traditions truly came from St. Nicholas Day. If your children are confused about Santa Claus, perhaps tell them the story of St. Nicholas who was a real saint who bestowed gifts onto others to demonstrate his faith.
Leaving out Shoes
The most common way to celebrate St. Nicholas Day is to leave shoes out for St. Nicholas to place small gifts in. Socks are fine, too.
Traditionally, the gifts are simply small candies or coins—little items that bring a lot of joy for children. If you wish to celebrate this tradition, leave shoes or wooden clogs by the door on the evening of December 5.
In the morning, the shoes will be filled with small delights (candy canes, spare change, foreign coins).
The Candy Cane
A traditional treat on St. Nicholas Day is Spicy Sinterklaas Cake, also known as Speculaas. These are spicy, ginger cookies, often baked in a mold the shape of St. Nicholas!
Other traditions equate St. Nicholas with Santa Claus, which means that St. Nocholas comes on the night of December 24, leaving presents for children to open on December 25.