‘Sinterklaas is coming to town’ - Second attempt

Two weeks before St. Nicholas Eve (December 5^th) Sinterklaas arrives
and
the feast has started

Every year around the holiday season people go crazy in the Netherlands to celebrate ‘Sinterklaas’. Everyone knows who ‘Sinterklaas’ and ‘Zwarte Piet’ are. Sinterklaas is actually like the Dutch version of the American Santa Claus.

He looks like a bishop and holds a crosier. Sinterklaas, Zwarte Piet and his horse Americo deliver presents to the children. Although, the feast is created for children, I have to admit I’m crazy about it too. However, the kids get most of the presents so why would I celebrate the feast as well? It’s because of the fun and especially the food.

People abroad often wonder why the helper ‘Zwarte Piet’ (also know as Black Peter) is black in the story and not white. People wonder why Black Peter is Sinterklaas’ helper. In history Black Peter was a slave. The blackface makeup provides stereotyping. Many people believe that continuing the feast with Black Peter would be very offensive. For these reasons it’s called racism but before I’m going to write more about the feast I want to let you know it isn’t. Black Peter is black because he has to go through the chimney to stock the shoes of the children. In my opinion, we all need to stop looking for stuff and building up a grudge.

Last St. Nicholas Eve

December 5^th of this year I was with my family to celebrate the feast. My sister has two children, which make this feast a big happening. She bought a lot of candy and that’s what makes it even more fun. I think it‘s just like Christmas; you love spending time with your family nevertheless, good food makes it even more fun.

Celebration

There are different types of celebration. Many people celebrate the feast with their (or other) children. Someone in the room sneaks away to knock on the door so the children in the room will believe that he really exists. When they walk to the door they will find a poem. One person reads the poem out loud and after that the children have to find a b
a

u
g full of presents in the house. The party begins and the children have the time of their life.

Not everyone is celebrating the feast with children. Students for example, they just disguise themselves and go to clubs and bars to drink with each other and to have fun.

The feast isn’t complete without candy. For example pepernoten. Pepernoten are typical for the Sinterklaas feast. In English, they are pretty much the same as ginger nuts.

Mm.. I’m getting hungry seeing this picture of ‘pepernoten’

Sint; the movie

The feast is a big happening and that’s why there is even a movie about Sinterklaas. Although the movie isn’t child friendly it does show the popularity of the feast in Holland.

Enjoy the holiday and please leave a comment below.

494 words

Boer, J.H. (5 December 2011). Caving in to misguided political correctness. Vancouver Sun. Editorial, P. A12.

Holiday Gift Giving Around the Globe. (2 December 2009). Prince Rupert Daily News. Winterfest 2009, p. 16.

Larsen, V. (17 December 2008). Cooking up tradition during the holidays. Marin Independent Journal. Food; Lifestyle.

New West record. (25 november 2011). Sinterklaas celebration called racist. Geraadpleegd op 20 maart, van: http://www.royalcityrecord.com/life/Sinterklaas+celebration+called+racist/5765360/story.html

(IS NIEUWE BRON!!)