Celebrating St. Nicholas Day

For Waldorf families, December 6th is a cherished day to celebrate Saint Nicholas, a figure whose generosity and kindness continue to inspire both children and adults.

In many homes, the eve of St. Nicholas Day brings a simple yet magical tradition: children leave out a shoe or slipper, hoping to find it filled with small treats or tokens of love by morning. This custom invites families to step away from the commercial rush of the holidays and instead embrace the joy of thoughtful giving.

Whether you’re polishing shoes, filling slippers, or simply sharing stories of St. Nicholas’ generosity, this day offers a meaningful way to bring light and warmth into the darker days of winter.

Ways to Celebrate St. Nicholas Day

St. Nicholas is, of course, the real-life inspiration for the modern idea of Santa Claus and the tradition of gift-giving at Christmas time. He was a bishop, born around the Year 240 AD in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey), and he was known for his acts of generosity, kindness and secret gift-giving. One story that's commonly told in Waldorf early childhood classrooms is about St. Nicholas boarding a ship and bringing a boatload full of food and supplies to needy children and families. Most importantly, St. Nicholas was a real human being and serves as an example of generosity and the idea that it is better to give than to receive.

Traditionally, the celebration of St. Nicholas involves children leaving a shoe out on the night of December 5th, the eve of St. Nicholas' day. In days past, children would polish their shoes for St. Nicholas but, of course, most kids today don't have shoes that require polishing. As you can probably guess, this is where the tradition of Christmas stockings came from.

Typically, shoes might contain a "clementine" orange, or a tangerine, in the toe. Also, chocolate “gold” coins. There are stories of St. Nicholas leaving coins in people's shoes, which is how this tradition started. Additionally, one might find small treasures in the shoes, like a polished stone, small seashells or even some small toys, similar to what you would put in a child's Christmas stocking.

Here are a few of our favorite little toys to put in a St. Nicholas shoe:

Magic Music Wands 

Wooden Dreidel (Hannukah is right around the corner!)

Pocket Baby Waldorf Dolls

Stockmar Modeling Beeswax

Maileg Santa Mouse

Silk Skytails

Maileg Cozy Christmas Play Set

We're sure you can think of many more ideas!

We hope this gives you an idea for a new tradition you might start in your family. If you try celebrating St. Nicholas Day this year, let us know how it goes in the comments below!

We hope your days are filled with engaging fun and heaps of family laughter and love, and a few crafternoons spent together. Share your play, crafts, reading, learning or anything magical with us on Instagram @bellalunatoys and use our hashtag #bellalunatoys for a chance to be featured on our feed or stories.