The [15] Posts of Christmas: Sinterklaas Day

Before we started to have children we decided that we still wanted to celebrate Santa, because let's face it, it's super fun!  We didn't want Santa to take away from what Christmas is really about though. 

I don't remember exactly how it all worked while I was a kid.  My mom said that I figured out the "truth" pretty early.  That being said, I still received gifts from Santa for many years.  My hubby's family worked very much the same. 

Growing up, we never opened our presents on Christmas Day.  It was usually the day before or the day after.  Christmas we'd always go to church and sometimes have our big dinner. 

Anyways, we tried to find a way to still celebrate Santa's gift giving spirit, while also following family traditions set in the past. 

Our solution was to celebrate Sinterklaas Day.

I am pure bred Dutch, first generation Canadian.  (I say that with pride as I am very proud of my Dutch heritage, wooden head and all!, although technically I am Friesian...it's very interesting when you tell a Dutch person from the Hollands that...apparently we were a force to be reckoned with.  No worries here though, I'm a pretty peaceful person, but I do have a temper = typical Friesian!)

Anyways in the Netherlands, as well as other european countries around the Netherlands (Germany and Ukraine to name two that I am aware of), children celebrate Santa on Sinterklaas Day. 

When we decided to celebrate Sinterklaas Day, we did the research.  What is it really?  Who was Sinterklaas? 

Well Sinterklaas is just Santa Claus translated.  But the story behind the Saint Nicholas truly is inspiring.  In summary, from our internet research, he was considered a saint.  Saint Nicholas was a Spanish priest that ran a church in the Netherlands for some time.  While there he was saddened by the story of some women who couldn't afford their dowry to marry.  (imagine that eh? A time where women had to pay the hubby to marry them...not sure I'd like that...St. Nick would probably be visiting me too!).

In response to how he felt, he dropped money in little baggies down the chimneys of those women after the night fires had burned out. 

(Can you see anything similar to our rosy cheeked, white bearded, red suit and black boot wearing, round belly jiggling jolly elf?)

This dowry money was a gift.  An annonymous gift from a very kind hearted, non-magical, man. 

Unlike, the North American version, Sinterklaas rides into town on his horse, and instead of elves, he has a helper named swate pieter.  Also, similarily, but in contrast to, Sinterklaas throws fruit and treats: candy, cookies, into homes and sometimes leaves small gifts in the wooden shoes of good girls and boys. 

Santa comes to deliver Lu's gift on December 5th.  She then gets to open that on December 6th.  This allows us to dedicate the rest of the month to family fun and gatherings and to prepare ourselves to celebrate Jesus' birthday.  We still do gifts on Christmas day from each other to each other, but Santa graciously has taken a step back to remember the real reason we have this holiday. 

Mondays actual post will be about the Sinterklaas feast and some "traditional" Dutch Dishes. (this post will have to be written tomorrow though, as my Lu is up and wants to play with Mommy!)