The 5th of December it's Sinterklaasavond (or Pakjesavond) in The Netherlands. It is a sort of Santa Claus evening (or Presents evening). They celebrate the birthday of Saint Nicolaas. It is a traditional day about a very old man arriving each year from Spain with white beard and hair, a red cape always riding a white horse. He arrives mostly by boat. He has a lot of helping men, called Pieten. They have very colored dresses and faces. They arrive in most of the cities and villages in The Netherlands, often by boat. They deliver presents to the small children, when they did well last year. Otherwise you have the chance they will take them with them to Spain. The story tells also the presents come in the house because they are thrown in the chimney.
When children are getting older, then the are told that it's just a fairy tail story. But then they still celebrate and buy gifts to each other, within the familie, with friends or on school. Then you have a chance to make a surprise (a nice special packed present) or poem for some one you bought a gift for. While celebrating you eat a lot of special sweets, such as gingerbread, almond bar, chocolate letters and speculaas (spiced biscuits). There are special TV program (already weeks before), telling the events of this year around Sinterklaas and the Pieten. All the shops and houses are decorated with Sinterklaas stuff, they will change it on the 6th of December. It is not done to prepare for Christmas with Christmas Decorations (as you can see in a lot of surrounding countries) before Sinterklaas has left the country, on the 5th of December. So I will prepare for Christmas tomorrow.
When you are in The Netherlands the 5th of December (or the weeks before), have a look around, maybe you can meet them....
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