Funny stuff. Thanx!
Oh.Mon.Dieu.
I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
So I will just go cower somewhere and hope Sinterklaas never ever decides to vacation in Canada.
Just wanted to say that I *love* your blog. It's always good to hear about other people's experiences of living in the Lowlands.
Keep up the great work! 
That Black Peter scared the crap out of me when I was a kid.
You're having us on. Just making it up as you go along, aren't you?
*snigger*
Excellent description of a good Dutch tradition. It fills the gaps that I left in mine (see http://koosfernhout.blogspot.com/ ).
Your reader Keith needs to watch out: Sinterklaas does not suffer non-believers lightly!
Ah... but will the two ever meet?
Aisling - You're safe. Canada is under Santa Claus jurisdiction.
Kelly - Thanks Kelly
Ellen - They scare the crap out of me now.
Keith - Not at all. check out the wiki links in the post and don't forget to be a good boy this year.
Koos Fernhout - And he does not like it when you say his name three times in the mirror (ok, I made that bit up)
ChickyBabe - Maybe in a Battle Royal
Something more sinister. Ha. That reminds me I need to write about the Zwarte Pieten. They've been horrifying me with their offensiveness for the past few days. Again.
Santa Claus= sinterklaas + a lot of coca cola marketing
from wikipedia:
Images of Santa Claus were further cemented through Haddon Sundblom's depiction of him for The Coca-Cola Company's Christmas advertising. The popularity of the image spawned urban legends that Santa Claus was in fact invented by Coca-Cola. Nevertheless, Santa Claus and Coca-Cola have been closely associated, and Coca-Cola's annual Christmas ad campaigns on the back cover of Life and other magazines established Santa's coat colors as red and white in American popular culture.
Poster Jan, what does Coca-Cola involvement with Santa Claus have to do with anything? What's the big deal? A major corporation (evil it may be) revived a character after the war or the Dutch way of racist tradition? Dutch people always pull this out like it's an insult. Santa was invented for commercialism, Christmas stopped being about religion for most people a long time ago. Last I checked there is just as much commercialism with Sinterklaas
Plus I love diet coke anyway
I think I'll stick with good 'ol Santy Claus, thank you very much. 
BlondebutBright - and they might never stop
Jan and Angel - I heard Sinterklass works for Pepsi :p
Roxanne - You don't want to threaten the kids with a trip to Spain? :p
OK.. let me just say you are funny and clever, and a very talented artist!
This is a great blog!!!
Jennifer
http://goodnessgraciousness.blogspot.com
AH! I love it how you describe this weird little country that I still enjoy living in.
@ellen: It was actually Sinterklaas that scared me most. The Zwarte Pieten were great fun and athletic and they had load and loads of sweets! But Sinterklaas would have this huge book with info about all of us and then he'd make you sit on his lap...and then he'd ask you whether you had been a good girl over the last year...AAAAARRRGHHHH! OF COURSE NOT!!!! Tell me of one kid that's always good! No, it was the weird white beard that freaked me out, not the nice pitchblack gymnasts...those were fun!
I was scared by Santa Claus when I was little AND I was always a good little girl.
I have been confused lately with this black-faced, prince-looking image popping up all over tv and ads I get in the mail. My American sensibilities are crying out: RACISM!! But, oh well, we're in the Netherlands so it isn't racism. I love this country!
I know how you feel, I am about to be bombarded with St.Nicolas for the first time, with little knowledge other than 'Presents...December 6th...Candy...Shoes'
I hope they skip the whole beating me with twigs and dragging me to Spain...I think that would violate my Student Visa...
(it's not intended to be offensive) Seesh sure fooled me. Wow!
Well Stu, my darling. I am here to say so long. I leave in 28 hours and I fear I won't be able to be on the computer for a while. I'll still read your blog, obviously, when I can, but I may ot always comment 
Au revoir!!!
Jennifer - Thank you
Tamara - I think he has something living in that beard
Dragon lady - He is a little scary since he can get into anyone's home at any time he wishes
James & Rose - The don't understand that a load of blank guys running around doing all the work while one white guy sits on a horse looking pritty might be a little offensive.
Good luck Aisling. I hope your trip goes well.
I just came accross your blog while looking for info on sinterklass. I crown your blog hi-larious. Or I guess I should say "lekker." I am invaliding Utrecht myself and hoping that I can develop Xmen powers to defeat bike thieves. I look foward to your future tales.
Thanks Jendalynn. It's good to know there are other expats helping with the invasion
Hi Stu, I thought I'd left a comment but see that I must have just thought about it, although I see my Dutch half, Koos has been here
I'm still annually in awe of all this Sintaklaas stuff, and when I first saw the zwarte pieten I was gobsmacked - literally, so your last poiny is something I often bring up in conversations with my cloggie friends, but they just look at me in a bemused fashion as if they just don't get it..lol
When they don't get it I resort to, "Ok, who would win in a fight? Santa or Sinter?"
thank god my kids have grown out of 'saint nicolas' - and it would be a day later in belgium. we try and keep up with other things though.
the sweets in the shoes always confused me and my sister! why the shoes??
oh dear sweet jesus, save me from this sinterklass character x_x
bullets 5 and 6 are especially disturbing.
Father Christmas predates the Santa Claus character, and was first recorded in the 15th century,[18] but was associated with holiday merrymaking and drunkenness. Santa Claus is a variation of a Dutch folk tale based on the historical figure Saint Nicholas, or Sinterklaas, who gave gifts on the eve of his feast day of December 6. He became associated with Christmas in 19th century America and was renamed Santa Claus or Saint Nick.
(for more click Homepage (Wiki reference))
BTW great blog, man!
zoe - Why? Don't you want your children singing Sinterklass songs all month? :p
marycub - All I can think of is it had something to do with clogs
bill - Yeah. It would not be my first choice of a way to travle to Spain.
C - It's amazing how complex it all really is.
We are having our SINTERKLAAS feast this very evening (december 02) ...
Man, I can hardly wait.
Let's see, what did I asked for?
- socks (black or gray, nothing bling-bling)
- a bottle Aged Tawny Port
- A Terry Pratchett
(That's the 'getting' part.)
Here's the 'giving' part:
Bought 7 small presents, wrote 6 poems, made one very nice gift
"Dank U Sinterklaasje"
Thur
a7676a d309f0ef21
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