I spent four years in Holland as a child. And we always set out our shoe for Sinterklaas on the eve of Sinterklaas Day. The next morning the shoe would hold a chocolate letter or coin, a mandarin orange, hot chocolate, or ginger-like cookies called pepernoten.
This Dutch version of Santa Claus arrives in the Netherlands on a steamship from Spain accompanied by his helpers Zwarte Pieten (meaning Black Petes). Sinterklaas parades through the towns on his big white horse and the Zwarte Pieten throw pepernoten and candies to the children.
I love that my children want to celebrate this day, too. And as they were falling asleep with their wooden shoes by the door, I could hear them singing,
Sinterklaas, kapoentje
Gooi wat in mijn schoentje,
Breng wat in mijn laarsje,
Dank je Sinterklaasje.
Gooi wat in mijn schoentje,
Breng wat in mijn laarsje,
Dank je Sinterklaasje.
Translation:
Saint Nic'las, my dear one,
Something in my shoe put,
Something in my stocking,
Thank you, Saint Nich-o-las!
Saint Nic'las, my dear one,
Something in my shoe put,
Something in my stocking,
Thank you, Saint Nich-o-las!
You've heard the song before... remember the little Dutch girl in Miracle on 34th Street?
Yeah, it's pretty sweet to hear lilting from the girls' bedroom on the eve of Sinterklaas Day.
Gotta love this tradition,
lib
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