Arielle Achenbach is delighted to find a big candy bar in her shoe Friday at Saint Dominic Academy in Lewiston. The activity, which is part of St. Nicholas Day on Dec. 6, commemorates the day he died in 343 AD. After learning about the actual St. Nicholas, children left their shoes in the hallway for St. Nicholas to leave them treats. The holiday honors his tradition of tossing bags of gold coins through windows and into the shoes of poor families. According to the Catholic church, St. Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors and children. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Penelope Wronski shows off her king-size Kit Kat bar to her friend Friday in the hallway at Saint Dominic Academy in Lewiston. Dec. 6 commemorates the day St. Nicholas died in 343 AD. After learning about the actual St. Nicholas, children left their shoes in the hallway for St. Nicholas to leave them treats. The holiday honors his tradition of tossing bags of gold coins through windows and into the shoes of poor families. According to the Catholic church, St. Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors and children. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Eli Harris jumps with excitement after seeing the candy left in his shoes Friday in the hallway at Saint Dominic Academy in Lewiston. Dec. 6 commemorates the day St. Nicholas died in 343 AD. After learning about the actual St. Nicholas, children left their shoes in the hallway for St. Nicholas to leave them treats. The holiday honors his tradition of tossing bags of gold coins through windows and into the shoes of poor families. According to the Catholic church, St. Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors and children. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal