Have you heard of Sinterklaas?No it's not Santa's European cousin. Instead of riding reindeer and eating your cookies, this holiday man expects you to shine your shoes on the night of December 5th. After a quick inspection of the shoes you leave outside your door (this man doesn't do a breaking-and-entering like his North American counterpart), he will leave small treats inside your shoes. Perhaps even a chocolate version of himself.
And if you thought elves were weird, the photo is of his sidekick in some German speaking parts of Europe (Belgium, Netherlands). In Switzerland however, St. Nick's companion is called "Schmutzli" and is not a black face jester but instead looks like an ominous monk.
See: Companions of St. Nicholas
