Tradition says they all have to clean their boots and put it at the door, so Santa will come and drop the sweets in their boots !
I have such beautiful memories of my grannie, who was playing Santa Nicholas role ! I always found chocolates, marshmallows and mandarins in my boots and I was so happy…yes, I was good, never found a stick!
Since I became a mom, I’ve been playing Santa Nicholas for all the family, including my hubby! Tradition has been changed a little bit…now we, adults, want to be children for a day and receive sweets from Santa Nicholas too!
It was such fun to get ready ! The children were so thrilled while cleaning their boots with their little hands and making it shine… and so were we ! After they were going to bed, me and hubby were having lots of fun when droping the sweets in their boots .In the morning, we were reliving the excitement through our kids’ sparkling eyes, when seeing the presents !
One year, we decided they weren’t so good and had to be taught a lesson, so each got a long, silver stick in their boots…how disappointed they were, poor kids…no need to say we felt miserable!
Today, as I’m writing this article, is Santa Nicholas’ Eve and I’m about to go and drop the presents …oh, I forgot to mention about my dog ! He doesn’t get any sweets because he has no boots… but still, he is a part of our celebration, somehow …he now plays the role of Santa Nicholas for me, so funny !
Posted by Dutchlady1 (from Naples, FL) on December 12, 2007 at 8:00 AM:I'm so happy to see someone write about this wonderful holiday which I also experienced as a child in Holland. I liked it a lot better than Christmas.
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Posted by victorgardener (from Lower Hudson Valley, NY) on December 12, 2007 at 10:22 AM:
Great to learn about that, Adina! Sounds like fun. Congrats on your article.
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Posted by melody (from Benton, KY) on December 12, 2007 at 11:47 AM:
Good job!
Your articles and perspective helps us see things from a world-wide point of view, making us truly a 'global garden'
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Posted by Dea (from Frederick, MD) on December 12, 2007 at 12:18 PM:
What a fun read Adina! Your dog is so funny :)
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Posted by adinamiti (from Bucuresti
(Romania)) on December 12, 2007 at 12:47 PM:
Thanks guys,I'm so glad you 've enjoyed it!
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Posted by Tammy (from Barto, PA) on December 12, 2007 at 9:32 PM:
Adina- its so interesting to hear about the traditions from folks
around the world. I really enjoyed your article (and those pictures
of Boss too!)
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Posted by Sharran (from Calvert City, KY) on December 12, 2007 at 11:10 PM:
Great article Adina, so fun to read and learn about new things. Fun to see Boss, too.
Thank you for a job well done.
Sharon
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Posted by Kathleen (from Panama, NY) on December 13, 2007 at 7:07 AM:
Adina, what a neat article. My grandfather's mother was a Dutch lady and, though we didn't celebrate St. Nicholas Day, he always knew when it was.
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Posted by adinamiti (from Bucuresti
(Romania)) on December 13, 2007 at 3:15 PM:
Tam,Sharon, thanks, your appreciation means so much for me!
Kathleen, like our DG Dutchlady in Holland,we enjoy this custom so much ! Our kids used to get up so early on St.Nicholas day, just to see what Santa had brought ! Even adults enjoy looking in their boots to find some presents ! I think I 'd be very dissapointed if I didn't have any chocolate in my boots on Santa Nicholas day...of course, I'm the one who puts the presents and , lately, my DS too !
Adina
This message was edited Dec 13, 2007 3:15 PM
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Posted by mrs_colla (from Marin, CA) on December 16, 2007 at 8:50 PM:
Sinterklaas just came to my house too, Mattie has been a very good boy!!!
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Posted by adinamiti (from Bucuresti
(Romania)) on December 17, 2007 at 5:51 AM:
Glad to hear that! Is Sinterklaas another Santa Nicholas ?
Adina
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Posted by mrs_colla (from Marin, CA) on December 17, 2007 at 12:17 PM:
No, the same man, translated name.
And we took it a step further, if the child hadn't been "good", Zwarte Piet, Sinterklaas's helper would put the child in the big bag!
Never happened to me though !!!! ;-)
Christie
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Posted by adinamiti (from Bucuresti
(Romania)) on December 17, 2007 at 4:19 PM:
Christie,thanks for clearings,that is so interesting! Which country is Sinterklaas coming from? You must 've been a good child!LOL
Adina
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Posted by Islandshari (from Kwajalein
(Marshall Islands)) on December 17, 2007 at 4:45 PM:
Adina - a lovely story told with humor and love...thank you so much for sharing!
Yokwe,
Shari
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Posted by mrs_colla (from Marin, CA) on December 17, 2007 at 5:37 PM:
He is from Spain, and comes on a steamboat and a horse.
Hmmm, have I been good or have my parents been too forgiving...?
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Posted by adinamiti (from Bucuresti
(Romania)) on December 17, 2007 at 5:37 PM:
Shari, your appreciation means so much, thanks!
What does "yowke" mean?
Adina
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Posted by adinamiti (from Bucuresti
(Romania)) on December 17, 2007 at 5:39 PM:
LOL, Christie ! Nice to hear about Spain tradition! Steamboat and horse?! Where from does he come?
Adina
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Posted by Islandshari (from Kwajalein
(Marshall Islands)) on December 17, 2007 at 6:26 PM:
Adina, the meaning of yokwe is:
Traditional use = "Your beauty is like the rainbow"...meaning inside and out...from all viewpoints.
Modern use = "Love to everyone"
the Marshallese equivalent of "Aloha", used as hello, goodbye, good luck, I love You...lots of things...
I like the word, the sentiment and I'm on a mission to get lots of people to use it traditionally - I think that looking at the beauty of things from all sides, is a great ability to aspire to.
Happy Holidays!
Shari
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Posted by mrs_colla (from Marin, CA) on December 17, 2007 at 6:59 PM:
Adina; he uses a steamboat to get to Belgium from spain, and then he uses his horse to go to each house!
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Posted by adinamiti (from Bucuresti
(Romania)) on December 18, 2007 at 3:36 AM:
Shari, sorry I've misspelled the word ...I think it's great what you're trying to do! Maybe people will use "Yokwe" like they use "Aloha" now!
Yokwe to you too!
Christie, what a wonderful tradition and modern too ! Kids must be so excited when waiting for Sinterklaas! Is he droping the gifts in children's boots too?
Adina
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Posted by mrs_colla (from Marin, CA) on December 18, 2007 at 1:09 PM:
He climbs up on the roof with his horse, and then Zwarte Piet ( Black Pete) climbs down the chimney to deliver them. That is why all the helpers are black, it's not a racial thing, it's from climbing down the chimney!
The 2 weeks before Sinterklaas they receive candy and exotic fruit, like mandarins, in their shoe.
The 5th of December, they put a dinnerplate on the table, and after going through the chimney, Zwarte Piet fills the plates.
Doesn't make much sense now I'm typing it like this..... :-)
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Posted by adinamiti (from Bucuresti
(Romania)) on December 18, 2007 at 3:32 PM:
How cool about the helpers being black from the chimney! So your Sinterklaas brings twice more presents than ours and has a help ! I remember my grannie used to put mandarins in my shoes too !
Adina
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