The Legend of Sinterklaas

Sinterklaas in the Netherlands

Every year mid November Sinterklaas (Sint Nicolaas - Saint Nicholas) arrives in Holland on his steamer from Spain. Accompanied by his horse and his helpers, the Zwarte Pieten (Black Petes), Sinterklaas brings along a lot of presents. The majority of the presents will be given to good-behaving children on Pakjesavond (presentnight) on the 5th of December. Together with the toys Sinterklaas also brings sweets like "speculaas" (spicy ginger cookies) or "pepernoten" (spicy ginger nut-size), "taai-taai" (mild anise in fancy doll shapes), sugar candy, almond marzipan and chocolate letters. Pepernoten and sugar candy are thrown into the crowd by his Zwarte Pieten wherever Sinterklaas makes his entrance.

From his arrival onwards to Pakjesavond children all over Holland are allowed to put their shoe in front of the chimney in the evening. They sing special Sinterklaas songs and may put a carrot or some hay in their shoes for the horse. Sinterklaas rides his white/grey horse over the rooftops all night and Zwarte Piet climbs down the chimney to put little presents in the children's shoes.

Not just for children

When older children or even grown-ups get together to celebrate Sinterklaas, they follow some other traditions. Well in advance, they draw each others' names, and they buy gifts for the person they have drawn. The identity of the giver is not disclosed. Small gifts are hidden in elaborate wrappings, symbolizing something with special meaning for the recipient. The gifts are accompanied by poems which are full of puns making fun of the recipient.

Where did he come from

Saint Nicholas (271 AD - 6 December 343 AD) was the Bishop of Myra (Anatolia, nowadays situated in Turkey) for the Greek Orthodox Church. Early 1100 the worshipping of Saint Nicholas went from Europe to Iceland and Russia. Along the coasts of the North Sea, the Baltic and the big rivers of Europe Saint Nicholas churches were build for sailors. There they and their families prayed for a save journey. Being legendary for his kindness and generosity, he was adopted by many groups as their patron saint.

According to the legend Saint Nicholas offered dowries to very poor girls thus enabling them to get married. Wanting to keep his good deeds quiet, rather then giving the dowries he threw them over the wall at night, were they landed in the girls' shoes. It is believed this is where the custom of putting small presents in childrens' shoes originated from. As is customary with legends mystery remains. Several stories of the origin of Zwarte Piet exist. How did he get his black skin? One story is that he got his face blackened from going down the chimney, in another story Piet originates from the Moors, the sea-faring Dutch met in Spain and North Africa in the seventeenth century.

It is a fact that up until today Piet always wears typical clothes from the seventeenth century - a velvet jacket, a cap with colored feathers and a white starched collar. The same kind of clothing is worn by the Jack on the standard Dutch playing cards that can be used inside our own Jack and can be seen on our dutch cover!

The journey continues

In the 1600's the Dutch brought Sinterklaas to the American colonies. English speaking children pronounced his name "Sainty Claus," and over the years it evolved into Santa Claus. Recent years show a reversed movement with Santa Claus entering the Netherlands on the wings of American film and fastfood industry. Nevertheless Sinterklaas is still firmly in the saddle, and allthough some families with no or older children share gifts under the Christmas tree, the believe is still strong with the younger.