Every year on the eve of Dec. 6, children in Germany put their boots in front of their doors to have them filled with gifts overnight. Dec. 6 is Saint Nicholas Day, which commemorates Saint Nicholas of Myra, who had a reputation as a bringer of gifts. If a child has been good the whole year, Saint Nicholas puts gifts into the boots, but if a child has been bad, he only leaves a piece of coal. Even though the day is not a holiday in Germany, it is celebrated as a well-liked tradition, which encourages children to be good and help others in need.

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