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This basket
of Dutch sweets will impress even your Dutch
friends. It includes stroopwafels, speculas, babbleaars, sprinkles,
pastilles, and Wilhelmina peppermints. Included is a pair of real
wooden shoes with your personalized message! |
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| Order on-line for speedy delivery | ||
Sinterklaas
gifts are available all year long.
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| The LEGEND of Sinterklaas Sinterklaas gifts are available all year long. | |||||
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| Children
with Sinterklaas at Nelis’ Dutch Village. |
Sinterklaas
and Zwarte Piet |
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| Our Storytime with Sinterklaas will return in November of 2010. | |||||
Mid-November marks the start of the Sinterklaas
or St. Nicholas season in the Netherlands. It begins with preparations
for the parade on the last Sunday in November. Sinterklaas, with
his white horse Schimmel and helper, Zwarte Piet arrive by boat and
lead a merry parade throughout the town. The feast day of Sinterklaas is December 6th. This is a time for exchanging gifts and making good-natured fun of each other. Throughout the Netherlands, the eve of his feast day, December 5th is celebrated nationwide by young and old. Most places of business close a bit earlier than normal. The Dutch head home to a table laden with traditional sweets and baked goods. Large chocolate letters - the first initial of each person present - is a part of each place setting. These treats share the table with large gingerbread (Tai Tai) men and women. |
Early in the
evening sweets are eaten while those gathered take turns unwrapping
their gifts. Traditionally this is the evening that
Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet ride across the rooftops of Holland
looking for and rewarding good children with small gifts and candies. In anticipation of the visit, children place carrots and oats for Sinterklaas’ white horse Schimmel, in their wooden shoes by the door.The following morning, gifts from Sinterklaas, many with hilarious poems attached, are opened and the poems read aloud. A day of feasting follows. This tradition of a St. Nicholas celebration is credited with being the basis of our Santa Claus tradition here in the United States. |
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