Sinterklaas
The sinterklaas festivities draw on the hudson valleys dutch heritage but with some modern day twists.
Sinterklaas. Is st nicholas day a public holiday. Sinterklaas is the most important tradition for the dutch a 2008 centre for dutch culture survey found. The saintly man arrives each year in mid november on a steam boat filled with gifts and together with his helpers all referred to as piet peter.
The best taaitaai and pepernoten are delivered to you no matter where in the world you might live. In the netherlands the main celebrations take place on december 5 rather than december 6. Sinterklaas the patron of children and sailors finds a welcoming community in the mid hudson valley as we re create the story through the lens of modern day america.
Sinterklaas also known as saint nicholas is dear to the hearts of dutch children. Celebrated the evening of december 5 with traditional tasty foods it is the main time for family gift giving. The second ranked tradition is decorating a christmas tree followed by queens day april 30 now kings day april 27.
St nicholas day is not a public holiday. Children make scepters and crowns for themselves at the crowns and branches workshops. He died on december 6th so his life is commemorated as the feast of sinterklass on december 5th and 6th.
It is often claimed that during the american war of independence the inhabitants of new york city a former dutch colonial town new amsterdam reinvented their sinterklaas tradition as saint nicholas was a symbol of the citys non english past. December 5 and 6 are sinterklaasst. Children are the focus becoming kings and queens for the day turning the switches of the original story into royal scepters.
The feast of sinterklaas saint nicholas was born in the 3rd century to wealthy parents in the patara region greek at the time but currently in turkey. He spent his life by giving away his wealth to the poor and doing good deeds. Nicholas eve and day in the netherlands when saint nicholas also known as sinterklaas visits children and brings them presents.
Sinterklaas is the basis for the north american figure of santa claus.