In Dutch tradition we are all anxious what he has to solve this time.
The television shows us the latest problems every day.
always troubles........his horse is sick ....lost.....homesick.
his steamer is lost , broken , still in Spain , in a storm.
Black Peter ....lost , sick , homesick ,in a storm .
It never is without troubles, sorrow and hardship.
But in the end all is well.
Everyone will get a present and a rhyme.
In the rhyme is explained why this gift is so special and just for you.
It zooms in to all your faults and mistakes you made this last year .
It is presented in the dark on your doorstep..... .with a big bang on the door or a rattle on a window and no one to be seen..........No neighbor (as he ducks away behind the hedge ), not your friend (who runs back to his car......
You yell `Thank you Sinterklaas` and bring the bag in to unwrap and to read your rhyme.
You drink your hot chocolate and eat your special candy and enjoy the day.
And Sint he will go back with his steamer ,black Pete´s and horse to Madrid.
And next year there will be problems , rhymes and presents all over again.
and sometimes it even gets worse like these bloopers.
Our Jerome Nicholas is named after two saints .Saint Jerome and Saint Nicholas.
In mid-November Dutch television broadcasts the official arrival of St. Nicholas and his helper Zwarte Piet live to the nation. Coming by steamer from Spain, each year they dock in the harbor of a different city or village. Wearing traditional bishop's robes,Sinterklaas rides into town on a white horse to be greeted by the mayor. A motorcade and a brass band begin a great parade which leads Sinterklaas and his Piets through the town.
Sinterklaas Arrives in Castricum, the Netherlands Photo: P Van Trigt
Used by permission
Nearly every city, town and village has its own Sinterklaas parade. He usually arrives by horseback, but occaisionally he comes by boat, carriage, moped, or helicopter.
In the following weeks before St. Nicholas Day, December 6, Sinterklaas goes about the country to determine if the children have been well-behaved. He and his Zwarte Piet helpers visit children in schools, hospitals, department stores, and even at home. Bakeries are busy making speculaas, molded spice cookies, for the season.
During this time children sing Sinterklaas songs and put their shoes next to the window or door, or, by the fireplace or heater, along with a nice drawing, a wish-list and a carrot or hay, and maybe a saucer of water, for the horse. If St. Nicholas happens by while checking on their behavior, the next morning children may find chocolate coins or initial letter, candy treats, pepernoten, and little gifts in their shoes. Everyone hopes for sweets, not coal or a little bag of salt. In some families he may stop by every night, but usually just once or several times—and not if the children have been naughty that day or forgot to sing their songs!
The Dutch celebrate Sinterklaas on December 5th, St. Nicholas Eve, with festive family parties when gifts and surprises are exchanged. In the Netherlands, unlike other places, adults as well as children join in the fun. As the Dutch like an element of surprise, a small gift may be wrapped in a huge box, or it may be hidden and require following clues to discover where it is.
Shop windows are filled with Sinterklaas, toys and gifts
Photo: J M Rosenthal/SNS
Used by permission
Gifts are prettily wrapped in special Sinterklaas paper or they may be hidden, for example, in a potato or an old sock. Each gift, anonymously signed "from Sinterklaas," comes with a clever rhyme that may point out a person's shortcomings in a humorous way. (For the less creative, there are books with suggestions for making rhymes and packaging disguises.) Originality, not value of the gift, is what counts.
Children sing traditional Sinterklaas songs while waiting for the saint to appear. A knock comes on the door and a black gloved hand appears to toss candies and pepernoten inside. Children scramble to gather up the treats. A large burlap bag, "de zak van Sinterklaas," also appears filled with gifts. At the table, decorated with speculaas and other sweets, guests may find their initial in a chocolate letter at their places. Food is apt to include hot chocolate, Bishop's wine, and letter banket.
Sinterklaas, designed by Ron Hendriks
St Nicholas Center Collection
Child's Sinterklaas Backpack
St Nicholas Center Collection
Dutch Pencil Topper
St Nicholas Center Collection
The Dutch feast of Saint Nicholas is about giving, for "it is in giving that we receive." The fun is in trying to surprise people, to tease in a well-meaning way, to make a good joke, to produce a rollicking rhyme. The gift itself is just a bonus, as the fun is in the doing.
Sinterklaas is the most important tradition for the Dutch, a 2008 Centre for Dutch Culture survey found. Celebrated the evening of December 5 with traditional tasty foods, it is the main time for family gift-giving. The second ranked tradition is decorating a Christmas tree, followed by Queen's Day, April 30. Blowing out birthday candles and eating raw herring were also in the top ten.
Dutch Sinterklaas Surprises
These are no ordinary presents!
Sinterklaas Comes to Texel
Sinterklaas—One Family's Experience
Living in the Netherlands, emigrating to the USA
Sinterklaas Official National Entry—with Photos
2012: Official National Entry in Roermond, Saturday, November 17, will be telecast live on Dutch national television.
Sinterklaas Arrival in Amsterdam
2011: Sinterklaas will arrive in Amsterdam on Sunday, November 13
Dutch Chocolate Letters
Sinterklaas Goes Green! De Groene Sint Deventer—A Unique Sinterklaas TraditionMore Sinterklaas Visits in the Netherlands
Saintly and Generous: Saint Nicholas and the Low Countries
How Sinterklaas traditions developed
Six to Eight Black Men by David Sedaris
An American humorist tries to understand Dutch Sinterklaas traditions
"Sinter Claes" in Amsterdam
The iconic stone tablet in Dam Square
American G.I.s Assist Sinterklaas
A true story from World War II
Airplanes, not by Steamboat
The RAF plays Sinterklaas
Sinterklaas op bezoek
Exhibit at Museum Catharijneconvent Utrecht
St. Nicholas Monuments in the Netherlands
Statues and images in public places
Links
List of Sinterklaas Arrivals, many with web links
An interesting Dutch Sinterklaas site, with information and many images
Dutch Sinterklaas Wrapping Paper, featuring Madelein Duijvestijn's collection of around 4300 giftwraps
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