Let’s be clear. Mama always said Christmas was about the baby Jesus and not to get distracted with the materialistic frenzy. She also made it doubley clear, that Santa is “a load of nonsense.” Telling that to your friends at preschool is how you get the reputation of being a killjoy at 3.
Mom did, however, make a clear distinction between Santa and Saint Nicholas, who was a real person. Growing up in Germany, she celebrated St. Nicholas Day on December 6. She and her sister would would put their shoes by the door and in the morning they’d be full of little chocolates, nuts, and maybe an orange. Growing up we also put out our shoes and my mom would put St. Nicholas Day treats in them.
I’ve continued this tradition with my kids, so matter where we are living. Here are this year’s shoes. 
Shoes of years gone past.
