Happy Sinterklass everyone

[MadAmster]

Sinterklaas is a Dutch character who lives in Spain and arrives in Holland by steamboat every November. He looks very much like Santa Claus, grey hair, long grey beard, red cape and hoodie, he also carries a bishop's mitre and travels around on a white horse delivering presents to the children on his birthday, December 5th.

Tonight is champagne, table grill and joy in the Netherlands. Now our kids are adult we don't do the presents bit any more but a party is always a party.

If you can't treat someone else today..... treat yourself

[MadAmster]

Excuses...... just realised I should have pu OT in the title. My apologies. Is there a way to Edit the title?

[Andy_Faber]

Excuses...... just realised I should have pu OT in the title. My apologies. Is there a way to Edit the title?

Don't worry about the OT on this one.

He sounds like a dude.

[ramAnag]

Thanks MA...this sounds similar to St. Nicholas’ day in Germany, 6th December I think over there...when children’s shoes are filled with sweets. Good traditions that seem more meaningful than the monument to commercialism that Christmas has become over here.

P.S. Having taught for thirty years over here I have to admit to thinking of a few children’s shoes which would have led to this otherwise lovely tradition becoming something of a health hazard.

[roger_ramjet]

And probably in retrospect todays 45 year old Germans with Type 2 Diabetes would sooner have been given more shoes. Merry Frigging Christmas

[MadAmster]

Traditionally kids do get sweets in their shoes but they also get a "surprise" (pronounced surprease). The idea is that the present is "hidden" inside a hand made container, filled with newspaper or gunge or similar, made to look like a shoe or a tennis racket etc etc.

The fun is watching folk trying to find the gift in a box within a box, atihin a box etc.