Leave out your shoes?

Leaving out your shoes on the night of Dec 5th has become a fun tradition in many of our families. We usually find candies, oranges, and other small treats stuffed within our shoes, at our house. It is kind of a sneak peek for Santa's official visit. So, for one night of the year it is OKAY to leave your shoes out!

Here is some background for those of you who may want to start this in your homes:

"In Germany and other countries in central Europe, many children put a boot, called Nikolaus-Stiefel, outside the front door on the night of December 5-6.

St. Nicholas fills the boot with gifts, and at the same time checks up on the children to see if they were good. If they were not, they will have a tree branch (rute) in their boots instead. Sometimes, a disguised Nikolaus also visits the children at school or in their homes and asks them if they "have been good" (sometimes ostensibly checking a book for their record), handing out presents on a per-behaviour basis. (taken from Encyclopedia)"

Hope your families have a Happy Sinter Klaas Visit!