Sinterklaas drops by every year around mid-November, he celebrates his birthday on December 5th. We don’t mind the multi-centuries old guy. He’s pretty awesome.
1. We particularly like it when he brings our first initial in Dark, Milk, White, Hazelnut chocolate — especially when our first initial is “M” or “X” or “Z”… (Sorry Ian and Irene!)
2. The more Sinterklaas songs we sing, the more presents he’ll bring! (Just go with it, okay?)
Zie ginds komt de stoomboot uit Spanje weer aan / Sinterklaas kampoentje gooi wat in mijn schoentje, gooi wat in mijn laarsje, dank u Sinterklaasje / Hij komt, hij komt die lieve goede Sint / Zie de maan schijnt door de bomen…
Our personal favorite is in Papiamentu: Mi kurason ta bati budim, budum… Mi pianan ta tembla rèkètèkètè… Ma tog mi ta kontentu ta luna di Sanikolaaaas! (My heart beats boodeem, boodoom… My legs tremble rèkètèkètè… But I’m still happy because it’s time for Sanikolaaas!)
3. We enjoy the mandatory exaggerated knee “tremble” (fast “butterfly” knees) when we get to “mi pianan ta tembla rèkètèkètè”
4. It’s the only time of year when it’s perfectly reasonable to throw food all over the floor. Kruidnoten a.k.a Pepernoten a.k.a “Pepper Nuts”… Sinterklaas’ breadcrumbs!
Sinterklaas helped himself to some cold beer. Good man.
5. We’re abusively addicted to milk, dark, white chocolate-covered pepernoten… Trust us, once you pop, you can’t stop.
6. We don’t mind when teeny tiny human-shaped Taai Taai (rhymes with “I”; means “tough tough”) get stuck in deep crevices of our teeth… until the following year.
7. Tiny little shoes filled with grass and carrots (for Sinterklaas’ steed) are SO cute!
Mimi and D include artwork!
8. Adorable believers are the BEST:
“See… we have a Sinterklaas table at home. But this year we had to move the hamster to my room because last year the Pieten made a big mess of our living room; messed up all of our DVDs, threw stuff around… So now I’m extra cautious, don’t want them to scare our hamster, he might escape!” (gotta love his parents!)
9. We can’t sleep on December 5th… We stay up trying to catch the sound of horse hoofs, a glimmer of Pieten climbing through our windows…
10. Our Sinterklaas traveled with a few multi-colored Pieten (Petes) this year!
We’re a little disappointed in the old man… unfortunately most of his Petes still look like this:
Nice touch on the rollers. Photo by Bea Moedt.
Come on, Sint. Brown M&Ms are BO-RING. Bring on the colors!
Check out Rhinebeck’s Sinterklaas’ “Grumpuses” (half men / half beast). Source: Sinterklaasrhinebeck.com.
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