This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. Please improve the article by adding references. See the talk page for details. (September 2007)

Sinterklaas in 2007

Sinterklaas (also called Sint-Nicolaas in Dutch (pronunciation (help· info)) and Saint Nicolas in French) is a traditional holiday figure in the Netherlands and Belgium, celebrated every year on Saint Nicholas' eve (December 5) or, in Belgium, on the morning of December 6. The feast celebrates the name day of Saint Nicholas, patron saint of, among other things, children. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Image File history File links Nl-Sint_Nikolaas2. ... is the 339th day of the year (340th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 340th day of the year (341st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organising a liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more saints, and referring to the day as the saints day of that saint. ... For other uses, see Nicholas. ...

It is also celebrated to a lesser extent in parts of France (North, Alsace, Lorraine), as well as in Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Romania, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and in the town of Trieste and in Eastern Friuli in Italy. Additionally, many Roman Catholics of Alsatian and Lotharingian descent in Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.A celebrate "St. Nicholas Day" the morning of December 6. The traditions differ from country to country, even between Belgium and the Netherlands. (Region flag) (Region logo) Location Administration Capital Regional President Departments Nord Pas-de-Calais Arrondissements 13 Cantons 156 Communes 1,546 Statistics Land area1 12,414 km² Population (Ranked 4th)  - January 1, 2006 est. ... Elsaß redirects here. ... (Région flag) (Region logo) Location Administration Capital Regional President Departments Meurthe-et-Moselle Meuse Moselle Vosges Arrondissements 19 Cantons 157 Communes 2,337 Statistics Land area1 23,547 km² Population (Ranked 11th)  - January 1, 2006 est. ... For other uses, see Trieste (disambiguation). ... Friulian Coats of Arms Friuli (Furlan: Friûl, German: Friaul, Slovenian: Furlanija) is an area in northeastern Italy, comprising the major part of the autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia. ...

In the Netherlands, Saint Nicholas' Eve, (December 5) is the chief occasion for gift-giving. The evening is called sinterklaasavond or "pakjesavond" ("presents' evening"). Traditionally, presents are ingeniously wrapped, and are therefore called surprises. Also, presents are traditionally accompanied by a poem from Saint Nicholas.

Contrary to popular belief, Sinterklaas is not the basis for the North American figure of Santa Claus. It is often alleged that during the American War of Independence, that the inhabitants of New York City, a former Dutch colonial town (New Amsterdam) which had been swapped by the Dutch for other territories, reinvented their Sinterklaas tradition, as Saint Nicholas to be a symbol of the city's non-English past.^[1] The name Santa Claus is derived from older Dutch Sinte Klaas. However the Saint Nicholas Society was not founded until 1835, almost half a century after the end of the American War of Independence.^[2] Moreover, a study of the "children's books, periodicals and journals" of New Amsterdam by Charles Jones revealed no references to Saint Nicholas or Sinterklaas ("Knickerbocker Santa Claus," New York Historical Society Quarterly, October 1954). A typical depiction of Santa Claus. ... The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the American War of Independence, was a war fought primarily between Great Britain and revolutionaries within thirteen of her North American colonies. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... This article is about the settlement in present-day New York City. ...

Sinterklaas

A chocolate letter, typical Sinterklaas candy

The Sinterklaas feast celebrates the name day of Saint Nicholas (280-342), patron saint of children. Saint Nicholas was a Greek bishop of Myra in present-day Turkey and became the patron saint of children based on various legends that include resurrecting children from death and saving them from prostitution. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (768 × 1,024 pixels, file size: 266 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to nl. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (768 × 1,024 pixels, file size: 266 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to nl. ... Events The Chinese Jin Dynasty under Emperor Wu of Jin China unifies China by conquering the Kingdom of Wu, ending the Period of the Three Kingdoms. ... Events Invasion of Goguryeo by Murong Huang of the Xianbei. ... For other uses, see Myra (disambiguation). ...

Sinterklaas has a long white beard, wears a red bishop's dress and red mitre (bishop's hat), and holds a crosier, a long gold coloured staff with a fancy curled top. Sinterklaas carries a big book with all the children's names in it, which states whether they have been naughty or nice in the past year. This article is about the ceremonial head-dress; see also mitre (disambiguation). ... Crosiere of arcbishop Heinrich of Finstingen, 1260-1286 A crosier (crozier, pastoral staff) is the stylized staff of office carried by high-ranking Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican and some Lutheran prelates. ...

The temper of Sinterklaas usually also differs in the Netherlands and in Belgium. In the Netherlands Sinterklaas is a nice, forgiving person who likes rascals. In Belgium, on the other hand, Sinterklaas is less forgiving (like in the Netherlands used to be). In Belgium Sinterklaas is quite severe and takes naughty children back to Spain when they were not nice. He also rides a white horse called over the rooftops.

Zwarte Piet

Main article: Zwarte Piet

Zwarte Piet

Sinterklaas is assisted by many mischievous helpers with black faces and colourful outfits, modelled after 16th century Spanish clothing. These helpers are called Zwarte Pieten (Black Petes) in Dutch (see below for names in other languages). During the Middle Ages, Zwarte Piet was a name for the devil.^{[citation needed]} Having triumphed over evil, it was said that on Saint Nicholas' eve, the devil was shackled and made his slave. Although the character of Black Pete later came to acquire racial connotations, his origins were in the devil figure.^{[citation needed]} This racialisation is reflected in the reworking of the characters' mythos. From about 1850, Pete was said to be an imported African servant of Saint Nicholas.^{[citation needed]} Today however, a more politically correct explanation is given: Pete's face is said to be "black from soot" (as Pete has to climb down chimneys to deliver his gifts). Nevertheless, the tradition has been accused of being racist, and attempts have been made to introduce Coloured Petes, who are coloured blue, red, etc., instead of black. This phenomenon of "Coloured Petes" was introduced nationally in 2006. The explanation given for this was that "Sinterklaas passed through a rainbow with his boat".^[3] This was met with lot of criticism, it being "too politically correct". In 2007 all Petes were just black. In Suriname, a former Dutch colony where people are darker than most Belgians and Dutch people, Zwarte Pieten are still often colored. Zwarte Piet, together with Sinterklaas In the folklore and legends of the Netherlands and Flanders, Zwarte Piet ( (help· info)) (meaning Black Pete) is a companion of Saint Nicholas (Dutch Sinterklaas) whose yearly feast in the Netherlands is 5 December and 6 December in Flanders, when they distribute presents to all... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (480 × 640 pixel, file size: 122 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to nl. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (480 × 640 pixel, file size: 122 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to nl. ... Zwarte Piet, together with Sinterklaas In the folklore and legends of the Netherlands and Flanders, Zwarte Piet ( (help· info)) (meaning Black Pete) is a companion of Saint Nicholas (Dutch Sinterklaas) whose yearly feast in the Netherlands is 5 December and 6 December in Flanders, when they distribute presents to all... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... For the game, see: 1850 (board game) 1850 (MDCCCL) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday [1] of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... World map showing location of Africa A satellite composite image of Africa Africa is the worlds second_largest continent in both area and population, after Asia. ...

Traditionally Saint Nicholas only had one helper, whose name varied wildly. "Piet" or "Pieter", the name in use now, can be traced back to a book from 1891^[4]. The idea that Sinterklaas has not one but many helpers was introduced by Canadian soldiers who had liberated the Netherlands during World War II and helped organise the first post-war Sinterklaas celebration.^{[citation needed]} Year 1891 (MDCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

In other regions where Sinterklaas is celebrated, like southern Belgium or Northern France, Saint Nicholas has different companions. Krampus (2003 Perchtenlauf in Woelfnitz, Austria) The Companions of Saint Nicholas (or Father Christmas) are a group of closely related figures who accompany St. ...

Arrival

Kruidnoten, small, round ginger bread-like cookies

Sinterklaas traditionally arrives each year in November (usually on Saturday) by steamboat from Spain, and is then paraded through the streets, welcomed by cheering and singing children^[5]. Invariably, this event is broadcast live on national television in the Netherlands and Belgium. His Zwarte Piet helpers throw candy and small, round ginger bread-like cookies, kruidnoten or pepernoten, into the crowd. The children welcome him by singing traditional Sinterklaas songs. Sinterklaas also visits schools, hospitals and shopping centres. After this arrival all towns with a dock have their own intocht van Sinterklaas (arrival of Sinterklaas). Local arrivals usually takes place on Sunday, the day after he arrives in the Netherlands or Belgium. In places a boat cannot reach, Sinterklaas arrives by train, bus, horse or even carriage. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,704 × 2,272 pixels, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,704 × 2,272 pixels, file size: 1. ... Zwarte Piet, together with Sinterklaas In the folklore and legends of the Netherlands and Flanders, Zwarte Piet ( (help· info)) (meaning Black Pete) is a companion of Saint Nicholas (Dutch Sinterklaas) whose yearly feast in the Netherlands is 5 December and 6 December in Flanders, when they distribute presents to all... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Ginger snap. ... For other uses, see Train (disambiguation). ... Autobus redirects here. ...

Shoe

Traditionally, in the weeks between his arrival and the 5th of December, before going to bed, children put their shoes next to the chimney of the coal fired stove or fireplace, with a carrot or some hay in it "for Sinterklaas's horse", sing a Sinterklaas song, and will find some candy or a small present in their shoes the next day, supposedly thrown down the chimney by a Zwarte Piet or Sinterklaas himself. However, with the advent of central heating children put their shoes near the boiler or even just next to the front door.

Typical Sinterklaas candy is the first letter of the child's name made out of chocolate, speculaas (a type of shortcrust biscuit), chocolate coins, a figurine of Sinterklaas made out of chocolate and wrapped in painted aluminium foil, and coloured marzipan shaped into fruit, an animal or some other object. Speculaas: Ship, Farmhouse, Elephant, Horse Speculaas (/spekylas/, Spéculoos in French) is a type of shortcrust biscuit (AE: cookie), traditionally baked for consumption on St Nicholas Eve (December 5). ... Fruit shapes molded from marzipan Marzipan is a confection consisting primarily of sugar and ground almonds. ...

Children are told that Black Pete enters the house through the chimney, which also explains his black face and hands, and would leave a bundle of sticks (roe) or a small bag with salt in the shoe instead of candy when the child had been bad.

Children are also told that in the worst case they would be put in the gunny sack in which Black Pete carries the presents, and be taken back to Spain, where Sinterklaas is said to spend the rest of the year. This practice, however, has been condemned by Sinterklaas in his more recent television appearances as something of the past. Typical of that time was also the fact that the saint would have the names of every child written down in either his "golden book" (if a child had been good), or his "black book" (if a child had been bad) - very much like Odin's ravens reporting everything in the world to him. The standard joke would be that initially Sinterklaas would not be able to find the name in the "golden book", trying to scare the children. With modern views on child psychology, these practises have been abandoned as well. For other meanings of Odin, Woden or Wotan see Odin (disambiguation), Woden (disambiguation), Wotan (disambiguation). ...

Sinterklaasavond

Traditionally Saint Nicholas brings his gifts at night, and Belgian and many Dutch children still find their presents on the morning of December 6th. Later in The Netherlands adults started to give each other presents on the evening of the 5th; then older children were included and today in that country sometimes even the youngest on the evening of December 5 (Saint Nicholas' eve), known as Sinterklaasavond or Pakjesavond (present evening). After the singing of traditional Sinterklaas songs, there will be a loud knock on the door, and a sack full of presents is found on the doorstep. Alternatively - some improvisation is often called for - the parents 'hear a sound coming from the attic' and then the bag with presents is "found" there. Some parents manage to "convince" Sinterklaas to come to their home personally.

Presents are often accompanied by a simple poem, saying something about the child or with a hint to the nature of the present.

When the presents are too bulky in size or when the quantity of presents is too large, they have to be sneaked into the house while the kids are distracted.

Another aspect of "Pakjesavond" is writing small poems for gifts to adults. When children grow too old to believe in Sinterklaas, they are introduced to a different form of entertainment on Pakjesavond night, December 5th. People will write small personal poems for friends and family usually accompanied by a small gift or candy. This way it is also entertaining for parents and other adults. Students usually write teasing and embarrassing stories for each other. But this is expected and are received in good spirit.

Sinterklaas in different countries

Zwarte Piet, together with Sinterklaas In the folklore and legends of the Netherlands and Flanders, Zwarte Piet ( (help· info)) (meaning Black Pete) is a companion of Saint Nicholas (Dutch Sinterklaas) whose yearly feast in the Netherlands is 5 December and 6 December in Flanders, when they distribute presents to all... Zwarte Piet, together with Sinterklaas In the folklore and legends of the Netherlands and Flanders, Zwarte Piet ( (help· info)) (meaning Black Pete) is a companion of Saint Nicholas (Dutch Sinterklaas) whose yearly feast in the Netherlands is 5 December and 6 December in Flanders, when they distribute presents to all... Krampus (2003 Perchtenlauf in Woelfnitz, Austria) Knecht Ruprecht, companion of Father Christmas or Saint Nicholas, is also known as Servant Ruprecht, Farmhand Ruprecht, Pelzebock, Pelznickel (Nicholas in furs), and Schmutzli in Switzerland, sometimes associated with Saint Rupert. ... The Dutch version, called Zwarte Piet Knecht Ruprecht, companion of Father Christmas or Saint Nicholas, is also known as Servant Ruprecht, Farmhand Ruprecht, Pelzebock, Pelznickel (Nicholas in furs), Zwarte Piet or Zwarte Peter in the Netherlands and Flanders, Black Peter, and Schmutzli Samichlaus in Switzerland, sometimes associated with Saint Rupert. ... Krampus (2003 Perchtenlauf in Woelfnitz, Austria) The Companions of Saint Nicholas (or Father Christmas) are a group of closely related figures who accompany St. ... Krampus (2003 Perchtenlauf in Woelfnitz, Austria) The Companions of Saint Nicholas (or Father Christmas) are a group of closely related figures who accompany St. ...

References

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Sinterklaas

• Santa Claus
• Saint Nicholas
• Culture of the Netherlands
• Culture of Belgium