Part 40: Sinterklaas

Christmas is very different for the Dutch. Instead of the massive celebration with gifts and the arrival of Santa Clause on the 25th of December, they celebrate the arrival of Sinterklaas.

Sinterklaas is a character that looks just like Santa Claus, however, there are several notable differences.

First, celebrating Sinterklaas' arrival is not a private event. It is a very public event. Kids all over the town dress up as Zwarte Piet (Black Pete) and gather at the town center to await the arrival of Sinterklaas. Community bands band together and celebrate with parades, singing, and candy.

Second, Sinterklaas is from Spain. In mid-November Sinterklaas sails a boat from Spain to Holland. He rides his horse off the boat and to meet all the kids and receive their letters.

Third, Sinterklaas doesn't have elvish helpers. He has Zwarte Piet. Zwarte Piet is a caucasian person who has shoveled coal into the boat furnaces to get Sinterklaas to Holland. By the time they arrive in Holland, Pete is completely covered head to toe in soot. Hence, the name Black Pete. There are other versions of this story, but this is the most politically correct one we've heard. Amanda already thinks elves are weird; Zwart Piet, on the other hand, is totally over the top (or freakish, as Amanda says).

Fourth, Sinterklaas doesn't come on 25-Dec. He first arrives to Holland in Mid-November and then returns on 5-Dec with gifts for the kids. Traditionally, he places the gifts in a wooden shoe by the fireplace.

Celebrating Sinterklaas was very cool. Granted Zwarte Piet is highly freakish, but after you accept that and just start enjoying the day, it is intensely fun to watch the kids go crazy. We had a great time.