Santa Claus and the Dutch Tradition: Sinterklaas

It's almost 5 December, Dutch people know what's gonna happen! 

A tall men dressed in red with a staff surrounded by a bunch of jumpy black men comes to Holland. And they will put gifts in your shoe.

Sinterklaas!

This man:

For the ones who don't know this man called 'Sinterklaas'... I 'll make you understand! But first I have to tell you something about the history. Because he isn't what you think he is!!
If you don't know Sinterklaas, one hint: Santa Claus has something to do with this man!!


To go back in history, around the year 280 the bishop Nicolaas van Myra was born. He was bishop in Turkey and helped the poor. He was killed on 6 December, we celebrate the birthday of Sinterklaas on the 5th of December.

Germanic God Wodan

To make this story even more interesting, there is Wodan, a Germanic God. He was the god who reigned the sea. This was a big man with (also) a staff, hat and a cape who flies around on a horse with eight legs. He had two slaves and had two ravens on his shoulder to tell him about what's happening with the human beings on earth.




If you put those two stories together you'll see the beginning of Sinterklaas!
The men with a hat, cape and a staff, who puts gifts in the shoes of children. Sinterklaas his birthday is celebrated on the 5th of December and on that day he comes with a lot of gifts.

He comes by boat to Holland, that's a tradition derived from Wodan who reigned over the sea.
The black men called 'pieten' who are helping him are the ravens and the slaves of Wodan put together.
And Sinterklaas always rides over the rooftops with Americo, his white horse just like Wodan and his horse fly around.

But why do we put our shoes at the fireplace to get a gift!?? That goes back to giving an offer to the gods. Children put their shoes at the fireplace for Sinterklaas with a carrot and a letter for the horse and Sinterklaas. Long ago people made offers to the gods at fireplaces to make sure that Satan wouldn't come into their houses through the chimney.

Well that's it for Sinterklaas, but now you're wondering about Santa Claus right?
Sinterklaas is brought to America by the Dutch and Geman people. Santa Claus is just a weird translation for Sinter Klaas.

Santa Claus is really a very good marketing job from Coca Cola. I know some people know Santa Claus came from Coca Cola but very little might know that Coca Cola picked up the idea of the dutch tradition Sinterklaas.

So if you're planning to celebrate Sinterklaas AND Santa Claus, make sure that you are aware that you're celebrating the same holiday twice!!


Happy Holiday(s) ;]