Sint Nicolaas
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“So, I was listening to your episode about Yule. I am from the Netherlands and Sint Nicolaas, or Sinterklaas for short, is HUGE here. Not at all only for catholic children. We celebrate Sinterklaas on 5 December, Pakjesavond. Which means Package (gifts) night. All the children are nervous and the whole country celebrates. It’s like your Christmas with Santa. Same vibe. Magic, a little scary, you have to believe etc. We celebrate at school, where a dressed up Sinterklaas visits the school, we do it at home. Shops are full of decorations. It’s the biggest celebration for children. Since a few decades we’ve started doing gifts with Christmas too but that used to be only about religion and silent night. Quite holy.
We are told that Sint Nicolaas is an old man whose birthday is on 5 December and he likes to celebrate this by giving the children gifts in a big bag, like Santa. He used to actually exist; he was a holy man in Turkey. During the weeks before 5 dec, Sinterklaas comes to The Netherlands from Spain where he lives (probably because Spain then was seen as a far away country) and the children are allowed to place their shoe in front of the hearth, a few times a week. They have to sing. They get either candy, traditional pepernoten (small cookies that taste like gingerbread) or a small present. You should read about the symbolism behind all the symbols! We have salt, a sort of broom for bad kids, they get taken away in the bag to Spain, etc. We don’t do the threatening part anymore but we used to. There’s also a blackface tradition that’s finally getting kicked out. (So shameful, especially considering our past with slavery).
Also, a small connotation: I don’t think he trees here in Europe were decorated with popcorn during paganism because we didn’t have corn here.
Love your podcast! I hope I have given you some small look behind the scenes. Did you know that immigrants took our tradition of Sinterklaas to the USA and called it Santa Klaus? The name even sounds quite the same.”
walkalongnothingtoseehere via Apple Podcasts ·
Netherlands ·
12/19/23
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