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Christmas

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Original poster

Anyone else putting their boots out for St Nicholas tonight?

56 replies

LustigLustig · 05/12/2017 17:01

My DC are busy polishing their boots now.
They have been super-excited all day. We have stockings from Father Christmas on Christmas Eve too, so St Nicholas won't bring much -
apple, nuts, chocolates, and our new tradition of a Christmas jumper.

Anyone else? We leave our boots at the front door, so I might have to run down and put them out first thing in the morning - bit worried about them either being stolen or eaten by foxes (do foxes like chocolate and nuts?)

OP posts:

LillianGish · 05/12/2017 20:26

Brilliant name - did you change it for this evening? Our first year living in Berlin when the children were tiny, I knew nothing about St Nicholas. On the morning of the 6th I came downstairs and should see something hanging outside the front door on the handle through the glass. I opened the door and there was a huge sack full of toys and sweets for the kids - I literally had no idea where it had come from. It still gives me goose bumps thinking of it now - there was a light dusting of snow on the ground and I truly felt as though Santa had been. Later that day our neighbour came round and said he and his wife had left it for the kids as they didn't think we'd know about St Nicholas! It's my favourite ever Christmas memory. Love Germany, love the Germans - still miss it, especially at Christmas.

Sludgecolours · 05/12/2017 20:29

Here! (Belgium) Although we do have stockings at Christmas too!
And dd is older now so it is more symbolic than anything; just a few books and clothes along with speculoos biscuits, tangerines and a few chocolates in her boots!

Sludgecolours · 05/12/2017 20:31

That's a lovely memory Lillian!

Boots go in the fireplace here Lustig!

endehors · 05/12/2017 20:32

Yes! Though shoes by the (unlit) fire. They have tiny token gifts and chocolate letters of first name initial, and some Sinterklaas marzipan shapes.

Acopyofacopy · 05/12/2017 20:32

Shoes are ready here! I love Nikolaus, so do the kids and even English dh appreciates the Lindors...
Also, stellt die Stiefel raus!

toriap2 · 05/12/2017 20:40

I asked my 14 year old DD if she was maybe a little old for St Nicholaus. She said no, bigger feet, bigger shoes, more chocolate lol.

Lostflipflop · 05/12/2017 20:42

Yes, I am living in Germany and we do this. Sweets if they are good and sticks if they are naughty! Mine always get a mix of both!

AdaColeman · 05/12/2017 20:48

I've got my speculoos biscuits (in the shape of a bishop) all ready for tomorrow!

Original poster

LustigLustig · 05/12/2017 21:08

Lillian what a lovely memory!

We live in the UK now, but DD has a boy in her class who does it too, so they have been comparing notes (and foot sizes - DD is worried he will get more than her because he has bigger feet!

OP posts:

steppemum · 05/12/2017 21:11

No! Sinterklaas came this afternoon, shoes have been out for the last week, and this morning had chocolate letters in. Dcs are 15, 12 and 10, and we were firmly told that Sinterklaas STILL has to come in person

steppemum · 05/12/2017 21:17

we used to live in central asia, so we had 5th dec, then Christmas, and then they give presents at new year there. Add in a dec birthdya and december was chaos!

Cheesecake53 · 05/12/2017 21:21

We do! My DS wet his shoes whilst cleaning them and now they are currently under the radiator. To us comes Nikolaus amd he brings nuts, oranges, sweets and a small gift.

PeekabooPoo · 05/12/2017 21:21

I'm dutch, living in the UK - I cannot explain the concept of zwarte piet to anyone (my dh swears I'm making up this part of my childhood, despite numerous Google images)

pleasegoaway · 05/12/2017 21:24

Yes, shoes cleaned and outside (live in the UK but hope others will just ignore....).

Both children very excited and one of the ways I try to sell being half German to them

boldlygoingsomewhere · 05/12/2017 21:24

Sinterklaas is paying a visit here tonight. Shoes are ready and we've been preparing by playing traditional songs in the car on the way to/from nursery.

steppemum · 05/12/2017 21:26

peekaboo - dh has this wonderful sinterklaas costume, made by his sister. As my youngest is now 10, it is looking like it is almost in its last year.
he recently said that maybe he could be sinterklaas for any other Dutch kids living in our area. Then he suggested that dcs coudl black up and be zwarte piet.
He really couldn't understand why I said no, not ever, not in uk.
What, not even for Dutch families?
Umm, no.

AgainPlease · 05/12/2017 21:27

Yes Eastern European here (living in London). Loads and loads of chocolate for us! English DH still doesn’t quite get the tradition though.

steppemum · 05/12/2017 21:30

Do Germans call him sinterklaas too? I thought he was something different in Germany.

haveacupoftea · 05/12/2017 21:31

No...DPs boots are at the door but they're covered in cow shit

pleasegoaway · 05/12/2017 21:32

Nikolaus for Germans.

PeekabooPoo · 05/12/2017 21:38

@steppemum I'd join your sinterklaas party, and wouldn't bat an eye at your zwarte Piet DC

GlowWine · 05/12/2017 21:39

Here too, but the tradition I grew up with (northern Germany) is a plate under the bed so that's what the kids put out. He frequently brings new slippers in our house though so you still get the boots...

cowssheephens · 05/12/2017 21:43

This sounds lovely...can someone explain the tradition for me? Thanks.

reluctantbrit · 05/12/2017 21:48

DD, 10, is just going up with her boot. We are Germans and she also has two half-Germans in her class at school so there will be a lot of whispering going on.

She gets a small present, this year Christmas earrings and a new fidget spinner.

I had to wait until school was over as a child and got sweets in a plate, not a boot.

Chocolate santas are also in my bag for work tomorrow for my team at work.

steppemum · 05/12/2017 21:50

cows - this is about Saint Nicholas, who is celebrated on the 5th in Holland and the 6th in Germany (one is the anniversary of his birth and the other the anniversary of his death)

It is the origin of Santa really, but here it is not connected to Christmas.
So Sinterklaas or Niklaus brings gifts, or sweets and fruit depending on your tradition.
You put your shoe out the night before and in the morning it has sweets and fruit in it.
In Holland the kids get presents on the 5th, and not on the 25th (although that is creeping in)

So for those of us who are in Uk but have a Dutch/German parent, our kids get to put their shoes out on 5/6th December, and then stockings on Christmas Eve!

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