Sinterklaas

“Zie ginds komt de stoomboot uit Spanje weer aan.

Hij brengt on Sint-Nicolaas, ik zie hem al staan.

Hoe huppelt zijn paardje het dek op en neer,

Hoe waaien de wimples al heen en al weer”

Dutch celebrate Sinterklaas in December 5th. People sing the song of "Zie ginds komt de stoomboot".

History

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.

Sinterklaas gathering

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 Zwarte 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 Zwarte Piet will have bundled them into his sack to take back to Spain .

A child said that he would be happy if Sint and Zwarte Piets take him back to Italy, so that he would be naughty... :)

Peopla may hire actors as Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piets and invite them to come home and gathering party at home.Children get presents from parents and relatives, and adults exchange present in the evening party. Various cakes and sweets presents in this celebration, such as: pepernoot, spekulaas with amandel, chocolate letter, spoorbanket, marziepan, etc. Allemal is lekker! When Sinterklaas and Piets go away and party ending, people will sing this song: "Dag Sinterklaas".

“Dag, Sinterklaasje,

Daag, daag, daag, daag, Zwarte Piet.

Dag, Sinterklaasje,

Daag, daag, luister naar ons afscheidslied”