Sinterklaas A Dutch Holiday

[HoRuS 0]

Today 5th december, we in Holland celebrate SinterKlaas, translated Saint Klaus (SantaClause / typo?). He was some Turkish guy who gave to poor children all kinda presents with his Turkish sidekicks, Zwarte Piet (Black Pete's) who were black from the chimney dust.On this day all children get presents, wich their parents buy and wrap in and that Saint guy gets away with the credit lol. Allthough I don't really mind this, it bugs me that children get lied to that this man is still alive and gives them presents. When they reach a certain age, their parents or friends suddenly tell them that he is allready dead for like 400 years wich brakes their harts, do we teach our children to lie??? Also the real peoples were all Turkish, but now they are shown as a white Catholic Saint wich owns like a 1000 African Slaves. Hmmm kinda weird eh?Anyways, allthough this day is great for those children who still believe in him, but I have mixed feelings about it and in a few weeks the other guy comes along, Santaclaus, wich we in Holland call De Kerstman... Economy, economy, economy

[FLaKes 0]

This is one of the things I like about the Xisto community. Its the huge diversity with people from all over the world, sharing experiences, technology, helping each other, and teaching each other about cultures. If it wasnt for this I would never have been aware of SinterKlass. Before reading I was thinking about a synthesizer or something related. Thanks for sharing.In Mexico we celebrate Christmas, on the night of 24, just like most other countries, and instead of Sinterklass, we celebrate the 3 wizard kings day. Its on January 6, when the day comes Ill give a description about it just like you did.

[wassie 0]

lol i exually also wanted to make a topic about sinterklaas, but you beat me :Pso what did you get from sinterklaas? i got a 2,5' 40gb exstern harddisk.

[HoRuS 0]

Haha :PHe gave me nothing lol, he gave all presents to my son, wich were quite a lot.Only what I got was pepernotuuuuhhh Guess Ima bad boy

[wariorpk 0]

I was just thinking about this. Why on Earth do parents lie to their children about things like this. I mean it does not benefit any one. In my opinion people should not lie to people on purpose even if it is something like this because there is no reason to tell such a lie.

[HoRuS 0]

This happens because it's a good stimulation for the economy, just like Christmas.In these months there is no other way to get people to spend a lot of $$$ other then let them buy present in someone elses name. Plus I think it's a way to teach people to lie, since our whole civilization is based on lies.

[Nani Cheri 0]

Hello! Well I live in Holland too, but I don't celebrate Sinterklaas. But what I really do like and it's like an obsession for me every year: Pepernoten (Peppernuts). This is a...well...you can call it candy. 'Peppernuts' doesn't contain 'pepper' but 'biscuit spice': a mixture of gember, cinnamon, kardemom and koriander seed. 'Peppernuts' are small bits 'pepper biscuits', which 'Black Pete's' distribute or scatter with 'Sinterklaas'. Because they look like the nuts in the scatteredgoods, they call them: pepper-nuts !!But they are so tasty, and they smell so good. Once I baked them, but I couldn't get my hands off of the paste. Here is a receipt for anyone who like to try to bake them: :PPeppernuts:125 grammes self-rising barge flour50 grammes pale brown brownsugar35 grammes Brio1 tea spoon 'stroop' (like when you heat sugar very long it gets all slimy but sweet, you put this on your pancakes!)1/2 tea spoons 'speculaas' spice1/2 tea spoons salt 2 spoons milk Heat the oven for on 200 Degrees Celsius. Mix everything in a bowl and knead well until the stuff lets of you hands. Role grove balls from the paste. Butter a baking tin and lay balls in it. Do not press them to hard! Barge the peppernuts ready in 20 minutes. Turn off the oven, but leave the peppernuts just to cool down before you get them out of the oven.I hope I translated my Dutch well, so you understand what to buy in the store if you wanna make them.

[msdeeva 0]

This happens because it's a good stimulation for the economy, just like Christmas.

In these months there is no other way to get people to spend a lot of $$$ other then let them buy present in someone elses name. Plus I think it's a way to teach people to lie, since our whole civilization is based on lies.

211468[/snapback]

I'm an American, and I tend to agree with this sentiment. I read a book awhile ago that went into depth on the background of Christmas, santa clause, and sinterclaus, etc. I found it interesting to note that much of the celebration came from the desire to boost the economy. It makes perfect sense. Why else would children go around believing some fat man in a ridiculous outfit gave them their presents instead of their hard working parents. At the same time, how do you raise a child into believing the truth from the beginning without making them an outcast. Perhaps it's getting better in the states, with the "acceptance" of various religions and holidays, but it still seems like a very biased world sometimes. All you here about is Christmas this, Christmas that, Santa Clause is coming to town, blah, blah, blah. I guess I'll just have to figure it out when the time comes.

[Saint_Michael 3]

well after reading the posts made here, it shames me to say this that destroying a young mind at an early age is just wrong, kids need imagination and santa clause is one of them, children don't have to worry about the commericalization of it they just enjoy the stories and the gifts they recieve and the fantasy of it, best thing parenst can do is let the fantasy run until the kids realizes it when they catch their parents putting the gifts under the tree or find them

[msdeeva 0]

well after reading the posts made here, it shames me to say this that destroying a young mind at an early age is just wrong, kids need imagination and santa clause is one of them, children don't have to worry about the commericalization of it they just enjoy the stories and the gifts they recieve and the fantasy of it, best thing parenst can do is let the fantasy run until the kids realizes it when they catch their parents putting the gifts under the tree or find them

214458[/snapback]

You're talking about a cultural thing. If Jewish people don't tell their children about "Santa Clause" are you going to crucify them? No, you're not. If parents don't subscribe to your culture in America, they have that right. I have yet to start reproducing, and I am seriously considering changing my holiday preferences to Kwanzaa in which there is no "Santa Clause." There's absolutely nothing wrong with this. That's the beauty of living in a democratic society. Not everyone has to ascribe to the same religion, including holidays and traditions; not everyone is from the same cultural background. And heck, if I don't want some paganistic fat guy in a suit that has nothing to do with Jesus Christ getting all the credit for my family's joy, then that's my perogative.