Sinterklaas
Saint Nicholas of the Christian church was a 4th century Bishop of Asia Minor (now Turkey). Very little is known about him but he was credited with miracles and over the centuries many legends have grown up around his activities. He is said to have made extensive pilgrimages and he has thus become the patron saint of sailors and travelers. According to one legend he picked up a shipload of fruit from Spain and delivered it to starving people in villages of the Low Countries. From legends such as these the Dutch tradition has arisen with the feast of this saint becoming centered primarily on children.
Today’s children are told that Sinterklaas arrives each year in November on a steamboat that comes from Spain and that he then rides at night on a white horse over the rooftops distributing gifts. In the week prior to December 5th small children, before they go to bed, now put out their shoes, usually filled with carrots for Sinterklaas’ horse and notes with gift suggestions. If the children have been good, they find next morning that Piet has replaced the carrot with sweets, for example ‘pepernoten’ (small spice biscuits), or a similar small gift. During the night of December 4th there is one last visit with the big present which children find on the morning of December 5th. However, if the children have been naughty Piet will have bundled them into his sack to take back to Spain.
The celebration
The celebration of December 5th extends in the evening to older children and adults who exchange gifts. The fun here is that this is done in a special way that often requires significant (secret) preparation before the party. The gifts that are given are usually imaginatively disguised as joke presents (surprises) which are given anonymously and which are accompanied by a rhymed poem signed “Sint and Piet”. These poems almost always poke gentle fun at the recipient and provide much hilarity at the family parties. If there are young children in the house, an arrangement is sometimes made for a “real” visit on this evening by Sint and Piet. Costumes, with or without actors, can be hired. Alternatively, a neighbor will put the sack with gifts at the door, knock loudly, and then run away before the children have recovered from their fright and can open the door.
