Sinterklaas, our visitor from Spain
Great news here in Holland! Sinterklaas, also known as St. Nicolaas arrived from Spain last Saterday in his steamboat loaded with presents and accompanied by his Black Petes. On special request of my special Indonesian friend Titah, who is doing a great job working on the HIV/AIDS LN in Indonesia, I will tell something more about this mythical figure, who is not the same as Santaclaus, as often is assumed by non-Dutch….I even did some
small research to his origins :-).
Sinterklaas coming to Holland in Novembre by steamboat from Spain is a yearly event in the Netherlands, mostly for the young and still naive kids. All know that Sinterklaas will bring presents from Spain for them, that is, if they have been nice during the year. Sinterklaas keeps track of their behaviour in a book, and does who are not nice are risking several punishment, varying from not getting any presents to being hit by the ‘ roe’ - a number of small sticks being tied in a bundle’ and being taken away in Sinterklaas bag to Spain. In practice, Sinterklaas hardly makes use of such severe punshments, being a well-know friend of children
Most of it presents are divided by Sinterklaas on its birthday, the 5th of Decembre, but also before this time children make a chance to get some small ‘ appetizing’ presents. Sinterklaas uses a most unique distributing system: he travels over the roofs on a white horse, and his Black Petes will go through the chimneys to enter the houses and put small presents in the children’s shoes. Often, the childs will put a carrot for the Saint’s horse in their shoe, or a personal message.
Besides of his unique distribution system, the saint also uses a special outfit so that he will be recognised above his competitors. Like the Christmas Man, his main competitor, he is dressed in red, but being a saint, Sinterklaas is far more elegant and slim. He wears a red mitre, with a yellow cross on it, and the dress of a saint, also in red and yellow. Besides, he always wears a golden bishops-crozier. As already mentioned, he drives a white horse and is accompagnied by a number of Black Petes, which are always dressed very colourful, wear heads and are known to be a bit naughty at times. The petes also give candy and sweets to the kids.
From the moment Sinterklaas arrives until the 5th of Decembre almost any shop is paying attention to Sinterklaas. All kinds of special foods can be bought, including chocolate letters (one should give the first letter of someones name to that person), chocolate coins, chocolate cigarettes, banquette letters, speculaas, speculaas nuts, and all kind of shapes in marzipan. 
Moreover, everywhere on can here special Sinterklaas-carols. The big celbiration will be 5th of Decembre; children will be thrilled when the doorbell is rang and they find a big bag full of presents, while older people who do not believe in Sinterklaas anymore often celibrate by making poems and so called ‘ surprises’ for each other.
The background of this tradition seems to be mixed; it seems several elements have been combined, and many of the symbols come from traditions long ago. St. Nicolaas is a Catholic saint who is claimed to have saved some childs in a miraculous way during his early years.He is also the patronage of sailors, which explains why he comes yearly by ship from Spain, a country the Netherlands has some strong historical ties with. Sinterklaas used to be helped by only one Black Petes who according to some might find its origin in the Mughals which Spain occupied for several hundred years; but others claim he symbolises a conquered demon; other say Black Pete come from the Dark Raven that assisted Wodan. The white horse might be connected to the white horse of Wodan, an ancient Germanic god, rode through the air, according to the myths. Speculaas used also to be called ‘bisshops-cook, and so many symbols can be expained from former times.
Sinterklaas is not the same as Santa Claus but they have a common background. The word Sinterklaas was brought to USA by Dutch migrants, where it became a word for the Christmas Man. The quite commercial Santa Claus made its way to Uk and eventually also back to the Netherlands, where he became Sinterklaas main competitor…
