Nikolaus Boot Hunt
In downtown Reutlingen
Santa Claus is coming to Reutlingen! OnDecember 4th and 5th, 2026The downtown area becomes the big boot search partyfor childrenfrom 3 to 12 years old. Design your own Santa boot and later find it filled with a small surprise in the shop windows of the participating stores.
Your boot on a Santa Claus mission
Together withRTaktiv e.V.The city marketing of Reutlingen has prepared a special participatory event for little Nikolaus fans: Your self-designed boot goes on a journey through the Reutlingen city center.
For that, you get yourself a papier-mâché boot at theTourist Informationat Marktplatz 14 and you can decorate it at home exactly to your taste. Then you bring it back to the Tourist Information. The rest is handled by Nikolaus: He fills your boot with a small surprise and secretly hides it in one of the participating stores.
On boot hunt through Reutlingen
On theDecember 4th and 5thIt’s getting exciting: Now it’s time to keep your eyes open and look for boots! Together with your family, you’ll go through downtown Reutlingen to the participating RTaktiv stores.
If you spot your boot in the shop window, you can of course take it with you and enjoy the sweet St. Nicholas surprise.
What are you waiting for?
Secure your free ticket now & join in!
Your Questions, Our Answers
Who is the promotion intended for?
- All children aged 3 – 12 years can participate in the campaign.
How can I register my child for the event?
- Since we can only distribute a limited number of boots (250 pieces), registrations must be made with the city marketing office from November 5th to 12th. Please use our online registration starting November 5th.
- If you cannot register online, you can also register on-site at the tourist information.
Where and when can I pick up the Nikolaus boot?
The boot that your child paints must be picked up on November 16th and 17th at the Tourist Information Reutlingen at Marktplatz 14.
Please note the current opening hours of the Tourist Information:Mon–Sat, 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
When picking up the papier-mâché boot, you must show your booking confirmation.
How long does my child have to paint the boot?
Your child takes the boot home and can decorate it there. You have time to do this from pickup on November 16th or 17th until November 25th.
Your child is free to design it as they like. Acrylic paint is best suited for decorating the papier-mâché boot in colorful ways.
Where do I return the boot?
- You must return the boot on November 25th and 26th between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM at the Tourist Information center at Marktplatz 14.
How do I know where my child's boot is hidden?
When you pick up, you will receive a slip with a number. Each number is unique. This way, you know which boot belongs to your child.
Additionally, the note is colored. The color shows you in which stores the boot might be hidden.
To help you find the boot again, the stores are color-coded. Depending on the color of the tag attached to the boot and handed to you, you can see which store is relevant. The colors are the same as the colors of the stores on the flyer.
From what age can my child start searching?
Since St. Nicholas Day falls on a Sunday this year, you are allowed to pick up your boot a little earlier.
- On December 4th and 5th, the boots will be in the shop windows of the participating actors, and you can start searching.
I found the shoe in the shop window, now what?
When your child has found the boot, you go into the store and show your number, that is, the slip that was handed out when the boot was dropped off.
If the number matches the number in the shop window, you will get your boot filled by St. Nicholas back.
Where can I find my boot?
All participantsRTaktiv e.V. member companiesYou will find it in the flyer.
Who is behind the Nikolausaktion?
StaRT – City Marketing & Tourism Reutlingen GmbH
RTaktiv e. V.
Do you have any questions?
Tourist Information Reutlingen
StaRT City Marketing and Tourism Reutlingen GmbH
T 07121 93935353
E tourismus@start-reutlingen.de