Sinterklaas
The Feast of Sinterklaas, or St. Nicholas, is an age-old, primarily Dutch and Flemish annual event. On 5 December, young and old, Christian and non-Christian, celebrate the eve of Saint Nicholas’ feast day nationwide, and without any religious overtones,.
The legend of St. Nicholas is based on historical fact. He lived from 271 A.D. to 6 December 342 or 343. Archaeologists have even dug up his 4th century tomb in the town of Myra, near the city of Anatolia in present-day Turkey.
This is the story of Sinterklaas:
All Dutch children know and believe that Sinterklaas (the name is a corruption of Sint Nicolaas) lives in Spain. Exactly why he does, remains a mystery, but it is what all the old songs and nursery rhymes say. Whatever the case may be, he spends most of the year in Spain, writing down all children’s good and bad behaviour in a big red book, while his helper Black Peter (Zwarte Piet) stocks up on presents for the next December 5th. In the first week of November, the steamship with Sinterklaas, his white horse, his helpers (Zwarte Pieten), and all the presents on board sets out for the Netherlands. Around mid-November they arrive in a harbour town - a different one every year - where they are formally greeted by the Mayor and a delegation of citizens. Their parade through town is watched live on television by the whole country and marks the beginning of the ‘Sinterklaas season’.
This is a very busy time for Sinterklaas and his Pieten. At night, Sinterklaas rides on his white horse across the rooftops and listens through the chimneys to check on the children's behaviour. Piet jumps down the chimney pots and makes sure that the carrot or hay the children have left for the horse in their shoes by the fireplace is exchanged for a small gift or some candy.
On 5 December, the Dutch celebrate pakjesavond, which is when everyone gets a present (children even more than just one).
In the weeks and days before pakjesavond (pakje is Dutch for wrapped parcel), most Dutch people are very, very busy buying present and making witty poems to go with their presents and thinking up spectacular ways of wrapping them. This is the essence of Sinterklaas: lots of fun on a day when people are not only allowed but also expected to make fun of each other in a friendly way.
When around smaller children who still believe in Stinterklaas, the presents are generally delivered in a basket (most of the time by your helpful neighbours, who has to make sure that no one sees him!) at the front door. All children will believe that it was Sinterklaas who brought the presents, and that he just had to leave in a rush to bring presents to other families. Sinterklaas is such a delightful event for young and old alike. Sinterklaas is much more popular in the Netherlands than Father Christmas (de Kerstman).
Carnaval
This is a yearly event celebrated in the south of the country, mostly Brabant and Limburg. It takes place in February, 6 weeks before Easter, and it lasts for 4 days. During Carnaval, most people dress up and party. Most of the schools organise their own Carnaval parties, but the city centre is also one big party place. Each city organises its own big Carnaval Parade.
Lichtjesroute
In English, this means ‘the route of lights’. This event takes place in Eindhoven every year to commemorate the liberation of Eindhoven in the ‘Eindhoven way’. In 1945, just after the Second World War, the citizens of Eindhoven lit the city with candles and light bulbs. Since 1984, this tradition has been repeated every year in a contemporary way through the design of a 22 km illuminated route through Eindhoven. Every year, several dozens of volunteers use hundreds of thousands of light bulbs, LEDs, and gas-discharge lamps to entertain 200.000 people who drive, walk, or cycle along the light route. Kilometres of cable, innumerable lamps, and lots of time and sponsors are necessary to make this magnificent event happen. The designs of stylised subjects and themes never cease to amaze the visitors with the beauty of light.
Kermis / Fun Fair
Kermis is a yearly event in every city and village. There are many attractions in the city centres such as roller coasters, merry-go-rounds, and all kinds of fun attractions. The Kermis normally lasts a week. You do not have to pay an entrance fee, just the fee for the individual attractions. Everybody is welcome and the setting is great. In the summer time, from July until August, there is a Kermis every week in or nearby every big city. The biggest and most popular ones in this area are in Tilburg, Eindhoven, Weert, and Maastricht.
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