Playing Sinterklaas kapoentje only with   

         Sinterklaas Kapoentje
        Gooi wat in mijn schoentje,
        gooi wat in mijn laarsje
        dank u, Sinterklaasje. 

Sinterklaas 5 december

Who was born in the year 364 and is still alive today? Who lives in Madrid,but travels to Holland every year BY BOAT? Who wanders, despite his age, on the roofs of  the houses at night? 
If you have answered "Sinterklaas" on either of these questions, you may consider yourself well-integrated into Dutch culture and society. Congratulations! But, who is this man? 

Sinterklaas (Saint Nicolas) was born in Myra in Western Turkey. The story of this saint did not end with his dead and burial. He became a guardian of merchants, sailors and children. This explains why the celebration of his birthday is mainly a childrens' event (and also for merchants, by the way, who profit greatly from the Sint Nicholas happening!). 

Each year, Saint Nicholas arrives by steamer in a Dutch little port and this event is broadcasted live on television. The saint himself speaks Dutch fluently, but his black servants, the so-called 'zwarte pieten', usually speak with a strong accent. Originally, thes servants represented 'the devil' -held together with a chain by Saint Nicholas, but nowadays the 'zwarte pieten' are real children's friends, who are always handing out peppernuts and other sweets to children. 

At night, Saint Nicholas makes tours on the roofs of the houses on his white horse. He drops presents in the chimneys, which fall right into the shoes of obedient, nice children. The children have placed their shoes close to the fire, often filled with straw or carrots for the saint's horse. They sing a few songs before going to sleep, because they know that He likes singing children more than anything. 

On the evening of the saint's birthday -5 December- a basket or bag full of presents is placed in front of the frontdoor. A helpful neighbour knocks at the door, and the children run to their presents. Sometimes Saint Nicholas has time to hand out the presents in person, and in this case you will often hear those smart little children remark 'does he not look like uncle Jan, dad?'-because in reality it is uncle Jan- and then dad replies: 'Yes, that strikes me too. He has the same nose and eyes.' 

At the age of about eight years the children are told the truth: Sinterklaas does not exist and the carrot for the horse was the same carrot that the child had to eat himself for dinner next day. Recovered from this shock, the children may from now on participate in the adult's way of celebrating Saint Nicholas: hiding the presents in an unrecognisable outfit and writing nasty poems. 

You may wonder if there is any connection between the Dutch Sinterklaas and the American Santa Claus. Well, there is. Santa Claus is simply an adaption of Sinterklaas. On the way to America he has traded his horse for a reindeer and made some changes in his appearance. Have a nice Sinterklaasavond!