Sinterklaas is here!

After a two-week trip back to Iowa to visit family (and work in Ankeny), we returned to the Netherlands on Saturday, November 15. This happened to be the same date that Sinterklaas arrived in the Netherlands from his home in Spain. Sinterklaas is the Dutch tradition from which our American Santa Claus developed. His arrival in the Netherlands starts the Sinterklaas season, which ends on December 5, the eve of his name day.

Sinterklaas (“Sint” for short) is another name for Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children. He wears the clothes of a bishop and carries a bishop’s staff. He lives in the south of Spain most of the year, but in mid-November each year he sails his boat to the coast of the Netherlands. This year (on Saturday) he landed in Alkmere amid great fanfare. After his initial landing in the country, he quickly makes the rounds to all the towns, riding on his white horse.

Sinterklaas is always accompanied by helpers that are each called “Zwarte Piet” (Black Pete). Zwarte Piets are Dutchmen (or women) dressed up in colorful Spanish garb and wearing blackface makeup and curly black wigs. Some sources say that originally these helpers were supposed to be dark-skinned Moors from Spain; other sources say that the Piets were from Africa; some say that the Piets were devils who had been converted to good by Sinterklaas but they retained their “evil” dark coloring. As you can imagine, many people (primarily outside the Netherlands) consider the Zwarte Piet character to be racist. Some modern parents explain that Zwarte Piet is dark from going down chimneys and getting covered with soot.

We were fortunate to see Sinterklaas and his entourage arrive in downtown Helmond on Sunday on our way home from church. The whole town turned out for the event! First, there was music, including a chorus of children wearing Zwarte Piet clothes:

Then, a group of Zwarte Piets showed up, shaking hands and handing out oranges:
There was a ragtag marching band of Zwarte Piets:
And some Zwarte Piets on Segways, accompanied by police:
Finally, Sinterklaas came down the road! He's a lot thinner than the American Santa Claus.
After arriving amid great cheering, Sint got off his horse, climbed up on stage, and addressed the crowd, with the help of some local radio celebrities. Then children could line up to go on stage and shake his hand.

That was about as much excitement as my jet-lagged brain could handle.

Sinterklaas will continue to make the rounds at holiday parties and department stores until December 5. In the weeks before then, children can put their shoes out by the fireplace (or heater) with a carrot or hay for the horse, and Sint may visit and leave them a treat, such as chocolate coins or marzipan shaped like little fruits. Naughty children receive salt, or if they’re really bad, Piet takes them back to Spain in a gunnysack.

December 5 is the big gift-giving day here in Holland. On that evening, families gather together and Sint leaves a bag of presents on the doorstep, each accompanied by a poem about the recipient.

Christmas (December 25) is more of a religious holiday here, with less commercialism and hype, although that has been changing in recent years. It will be interesting to see how a Dutch Kerstmas compares to the American Christmas we’re used to.