The Christmas season starts early in the Netherlands with celebrations beginning on the evening of December 5th. This is when children who have been good receive
. According to Dutch tradition, Saint
travels by
from the country of
. On arrival in the Netherlands, he travels by riding a
, accompanied by his black assistant, Zwarte Piet. At night, while the children are asleep, they travel across the rooftops, leaving gifts. In some versions, Zwarte Piet throws the gifts down the chimney and into the children's
which have been left by the
. In other versions, Zwarte Piet actually goes down the chimney. A traditional gift is a
letter, usually the first letter of one's name.
The following day, December 6, is this Saint's feast day. He is the
saint of children, as well as the countries of Russia and
. In the Netherlands he is called
, which is where the name
came from. The discovery of pepernoten, round
made of
, in the house is a sure sign that Zwarte Piet has been there.
After December 5th, it is customary for a Christmas tree to be erected and decorated. The Christmas tree is often decorated with kerstkransjes, which are wreath-shaped
flavoured biscuits or cookies, tied with a ribbon and hung on the tree.
The Christmas tree will be taken down by 6th January, a special day in the Christian calendar known as
, when people celebrate how a special star led the Three Wise Men - also known as the Three Kings or the
- to visit the baby Jesus after he had been born.
The Christmas season also marks the appearance of mobile carts and vans on the streets of the Netherlands. They are selling
, a type of doughnut. They are spherical in shape, but without a hole in the middle, and they often contain fruit, such as apple or raisins. Traditionally, these are eaten on
but the vendors are usually to be found from December through to early January and the Dutch enjoy them throughout the season.
December 25 and 26 are also days of celebration, as they are in many other parts of the world. The 26th is known as Tweede Kerstdag or
Christmas. The Dutch usually spend these two days with their families, playing games and watching movies, or visiting extended family. The emphasis is on family and church, not gift-giving.
To all FunTrivia quizplayers, I wish you a Merry Christmas, or as the Dutch say "Vrolijk Kerstfeest".
