MontanaWithKids.com

Dateline: Terry, Montana
November 27, 2009
By: Bob van der Valk

Sinterklaas will be joining various festivities in Terry, Montana in the week prior to his day being officially celebrated as a holiday in the Netherlands.

The big celebration for kids is not Santa Claus around Christmas time in the Netherlands, or Holland as is it best known around the world, but a few weeks earlier. On December 5th each year the whole country stops and takes time out for family get togethers on Saint Nicholas Eve.

Saint Nicholas was a real person who lived in Myra, Turkey and was a bishop in the early Christian church. As bishop he helped children in various ways including, as the legend goes, providing a dowry for three girls whose father did not have the money to attract them husbands.

For the Dutch, Sinterklaas is not only the old man dressed up in red and while garment, who gives presents to all children, but also a generous person who gives to anyone in need.

Saint Nicholas or Sinterklaas is the origin of the Santa Claus tradition started in the U.S.A. in the middle of the 19th century.

The entry of Sinterklaas in the Holland is a big event with him standing on the bow his ship. Saint Nicholas also has a servant, he’s pictured as a black man (not very politically correct in our days, but that’s the tradition). His name in Dutch is “Zwarte Piet” (Black Peter).

Sinterklaas travels around the country on his white horse called Schimmel with his black assistants making kids happy. On Saint Nicholas Eve the celebration comes to a conclusion with children singing traditional songs such as:

“Sinterklaas kapoentje, gooi wat in me schoentje, gooi wat in mijn laarsje, dank je Sinterklaasje”.

Roughly translated it means: “Santa Claus little rascal, put something in my little shoe, put something in my little boot, thank you little Santa Claus”.

At school and other appearances around the country he comes by and sits in a big chair to read from a big red book. In it he has something written about all kids, and talks to them briefly about whether they have been good or bad before giving them a present.

Finally the big day arrives and on the night of December 5 he magically appears at every home in Holland by knocking on the front door. Kids will find a big bag outside full of presents often wrapped in a special way or completely hidden around the house. They are then sent on mission to find their Saint Nicholas surprise in a treasure hunt with little notes with hints hidden along the way.

That evening exhausted but happy children put out a shoe in front of the fireplace and put a carrot or a turnip in it for the horse of Saint Nicholas.

The next morning, they may find a gift in their shoe, boot or wooden shoe. Often, this is candy, a chocolate letter with the initial of their first name, marsepein or almond pastries.

The Saint Nicholas celebration in Holland prepares families for the Christmas Advent and helps preserve a Christmas Day focus on the Christ child.

Saint Nicholas will make two appearances in Montana this season. He will be in the Terry, Montana Festival of Lights Parade on Tuesday, December 1, 2009, which starts at 6 pm in downtown Terry. He will also visit the Badlands Cafe and Scoop Shoppe in Terry on Saturday, December 5th from 10 until 11:30 am. All children young and old are invited to join the Dutch way of celebrating the season.

A good read with the complete history of this legendary figure is the book written by Bill Bennett. In “The True Saint Nicholas – Why he matters to Christmas” , the bestselling author, radio talk-show host and former Secretary of Education William Bennett brings the Saint Nicholas story to life, and shows why it is still relevant today. Please pick it up and it will put you in the mood for the Advent season.