On December 6th is the feast of St. Nicholas. He is actually the predecessor of Santa Claus who was created by the brilliant marketing of Coco Cola since 1930.
St. Nicholas lived between the 3-4 th Century originally known as the Nicholas of Myra in the Southern Turkey of the Roman Empire before the Byzantine phase of Rome. He brought people together when there was social division and civil unrest. He helped women and children who had no one and no where to go to. Later a bishop he became a saint for the quality of his life than being martyred which was the norm of the catholic period, then. Children keep a single boot outside their door on December 5th which will be filled with sweeties and gift goodies next day morning. The practice started the tradition of giving gifts on the day which later extended to Christmas and is followed by all the churches - protestants, eastern and orthodox.