Sinterklaas

Sinterklass (St. Nicholas) arrived Saturday November 15 with his assistants, The Zwarte Piets (The Black Petes). St. Nick arrives with his assistants by boat to all the dutch towns that have canals. He arrives by horse if the town doesn't have a canal. The Zwarte Piets are St. Nicks mischievous helpers. The all have special talents. There were Piets that were good with a kayak. The most impressive Piets were the ones who were doing gymnastic stunts on a barge while it was floating down the canal. Following 100 Piets, the man in red sailed in on a big boat named the Madrid. St. Nick and the Piets all live in Spain and visit The Netherlands from November 15 until his birthday, Dec. 5. While they are visiting they visit houses and leave little presents for the good kids. If you are bad, then you get a bag of salt in your shoe. The kids are supposed to sing a song saying how good they were the past year, write a little rhyme, and leave some carrots for St. Nick's hoarse.

After he arrives via boat, there's a parade through town to the city center. The Black Piets give away small bags of little brown cookies called pepernoten. There were lots of little kids dressed up like a black Pete. The black Petes all have black faces, curly black hair, big poofy hats, pants, and shirts. Some kids were dressed up like St. Nick. St. Nick is like the US's Santa, but he's dressed in a more of a priest outfit. He has a big red bishop hat, red cape, and a white cassock.

In a big ceremony, St. Nick is welcomed by the mayor and the city council. Then St. Nick and the Zwaarte Piets gets busy visiting all the dutch people.