No we don't have halloween here nor thanksgiving, but we have something else you don't have!!!
Sinterklaas, a dutch peculiarity
In the fourth century a.d. St. Nicholas (in dutch called "Sinterklaas" or "Sint Nicolaas) was the bishop of Myra, which is now situated in Turkey. According to the legend, he saved his town from starvation. He is also said to have revived three dead children, and to have offered gifts of dowries to poor girls. Some sources say that he died on the sixth of December in 343. In 1087 his relics were taken to Bari in Italy. It is unclear why, according to the Dutch tradition, he comes from Spain. Possibly it has something to do with the fact that St. Nicholas was the patron of sailors. In the 17th century Holland was famous for its navigation. Maybe by contact with Spanish sailors this myth began. It could also explain why St. Nicholas has "zwarte (black) pieten" to help him because the Moors dominated Spain for several hundreds of years. (Another explanation for "zwarte piet" being black is that he has come down the chimneys so often [see below] that he can't wash the dirt off.)
His legendary gifts of dowries to poor girls led to the custom of giving gifts to children on the eve of his feast day, 6 December. The companions of St. Nicholas show the victory over evil. Together with his "pieten" he visits children to punish the evil ones and to reward the good ones. The worst punishment is to be taken to Spain in "zwarte piet's" bag out of which the good children get the sweets (called "pepernoten", "taai-taai", or "schuimpjes") and presents. A less radical punishment is to get the "roede" (rod) instead of presents. Nowadays there are not much evil children any more...
A few weeks before his feastday St. Nicholas comes to Holland on his steamer with all his "pieten" and the presents which they prepared in Spain during the year. This event can be seen on Dutch television. From his arrival in Holland till his feastday the children can put their shoes in front of the fireplace. During the night St. Nicholas visits all the houses by travelling over the roofs on his horse, traditionally a white/grey (called "Schimmel" in dutch), and "zwarte piet" enters the houses through the chimney to put little presents in the children's shoes. Sometimes the children put straw, carrots and water near the shoe for the horse.
On the eve of his feast day St. Nicholas visits all children. After knocking on the door he gives them a bag full of presents (if they were good children). Early in the morning of 6 December, when he has visited everyone, he leaves and goes back silently to Spain, to come back next year.
Make your own pepernoten:
1 1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. water
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons of speculaaskruiden*
a pinch of salt
Knead all ingredients into a soft ball. Butter two baking sheets. Form about ninety marble-sized balls and place them on the sheets. Flatten each ball slightly. Bake about 20 minutes in a moderate oven (350 F / 180 C), they will be dark brown, very hard and crunchy when cooled.
* Speculaaskruiden:
You can buy them ready-mixed in the Netherlands or you can try making your own. They consist of:
cinnamon
powdered cloves
nutmeg
powdered coriander
allspice
aniseed
powdered ginger
powdered cardamon
mace
The proportions are a matter of taste, as are the spices you use, and each baker has his own "secret" blend. The trick is to be careful with the very strong spices, and leave out the ones you don't like!
A little story from Sinterklaas
Sing along with Sinterklaas
Sinterklaas, a dutch peculiarity
In the fourth century a.d. St. Nicholas (in dutch called "Sinterklaas" or "Sint Nicolaas) was the bishop of Myra, which is now situated in Turkey. According to the legend, he saved his town from starvation. He is also said to have revived three dead children, and to have offered gifts of dowries to poor girls. Some sources say that he died on the sixth of December in 343. In 1087 his relics were taken to Bari in Italy. It is unclear why, according to the Dutch tradition, he comes from Spain. Possibly it has something to do with the fact that St. Nicholas was the patron of sailors. In the 17th century Holland was famous for its navigation. Maybe by contact with Spanish sailors this myth began. It could also explain why St. Nicholas has "zwarte (black) pieten" to help him because the Moors dominated Spain for several hundreds of years. (Another explanation for "zwarte piet" being black is that he has come down the chimneys so often [see below] that he can't wash the dirt off.)
His legendary gifts of dowries to poor girls led to the custom of giving gifts to children on the eve of his feast day, 6 December. The companions of St. Nicholas show the victory over evil. Together with his "pieten" he visits children to punish the evil ones and to reward the good ones. The worst punishment is to be taken to Spain in "zwarte piet's" bag out of which the good children get the sweets (called "pepernoten", "taai-taai", or "schuimpjes") and presents. A less radical punishment is to get the "roede" (rod) instead of presents. Nowadays there are not much evil children any more...
A few weeks before his feastday St. Nicholas comes to Holland on his steamer with all his "pieten" and the presents which they prepared in Spain during the year. This event can be seen on Dutch television. From his arrival in Holland till his feastday the children can put their shoes in front of the fireplace. During the night St. Nicholas visits all the houses by travelling over the roofs on his horse, traditionally a white/grey (called "Schimmel" in dutch), and "zwarte piet" enters the houses through the chimney to put little presents in the children's shoes. Sometimes the children put straw, carrots and water near the shoe for the horse.
On the eve of his feast day St. Nicholas visits all children. After knocking on the door he gives them a bag full of presents (if they were good children). Early in the morning of 6 December, when he has visited everyone, he leaves and goes back silently to Spain, to come back next year.
Make your own pepernoten:
1 1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. water
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons of speculaaskruiden*
a pinch of salt
Knead all ingredients into a soft ball. Butter two baking sheets. Form about ninety marble-sized balls and place them on the sheets. Flatten each ball slightly. Bake about 20 minutes in a moderate oven (350 F / 180 C), they will be dark brown, very hard and crunchy when cooled.
* Speculaaskruiden:
You can buy them ready-mixed in the Netherlands or you can try making your own. They consist of:
cinnamon
powdered cloves
nutmeg
powdered coriander
allspice
aniseed
powdered ginger
powdered cardamon
mace
The proportions are a matter of taste, as are the spices you use, and each baker has his own "secret" blend. The trick is to be careful with the very strong spices, and leave out the ones you don't like!
A little story from Sinterklaas
Sing along with Sinterklaas
VIEW 3 of 3 COMMENTS
I had my very first *spanking* which lead to an emotional release, I do feel infinitely better
This is a fascinating bit of history that I wasn't aware of. I'm originally from South Africa, and Afrikaans - which means I am of Dutch descent. (as you most likely know.)
It seems as if in South Africa, Sinterklaas gradually just become equated with Father Christmas .. because I always understood the two names to be interchangable in Afrikaans.
And Sinterklaas therefore visits children on the eve of Christmas Day - according to how the legend was abbreviated and changed. Strange how a story and legend rich in detail becomes stripped down like that.
Anyway, thank you for writing this up.
(Or at least cutting and pasting it.