Nikolaus - an unknown German holiday

Every year on the 5th of December my mother would run through the house and ask me "Did you clean your shoes yet?" or "Why haven't you cleaned your shoes yet?" or "When will you clean your shooo-oooes?". And every year I would clean them very thoroughly on just that one day because if they are not clean then St. Nikolaus wouldn't put any sweets in them.

St. Nikolaus comes over night to every door and puts a sweet into the shoes. Originally it was a dish the family would put out. It goes back to St. Nikolaus who was famous for giving children and families who were not able to afford food some fruits and vegetables.

Traditionally it is only that, fruits and some sweets. Yearly I would find an orange in my shoes along with a chocolate father Christmas and I would love it. Of course the tradition has changed and these days kids would find PlayStation games or - depending on their parents - a PlayStation in their shoes. It has grown into a second Christmas by now.

Even though we live in the UK now and my children are more British than they are German, they still will find some sweets in their shoes tomorrow morning. They will not have to clean them though, I don't want to.