Rense Haveman
Well-Known Member
In the Netherlands and the Flemish part of Belgium we celebrate the name day of St. Nicolas, at the 5th of December. I know, the 6th is St. Nicolas, but like Christmas, it's celebrated the night before...
St. Nicolas is the serious, kind and not so infantile nephew of Father Christmas, or Santa Claus. At the eve of the 5th families gather together, eating chocolate and 'pepernoten'. There are a lot of presents involved. The ritual is: write your name on a note, throw them all in a hat, pick one (check to ensure you didn't pick yourself), and buy a present for the one you picked. Write a poem for the one you picked, in which you tell all his or her sins and misbehavings of last year, as well as his/her good sides, in a humorous and kind way. Wrap your gift, together with the poem, and heap them all. In the evening of 'Sinterklaas', the poems are read loud, and the gifts unpacked.
Yesterday (yes, late), we had Sinterklaas with the family of my wife. Here some snapshots...

Wietse and Maaike by Rense Haveman - too busy yet...., on Flickr

Maaike and Anne-Mirthe by Rense Haveman - too busy yet...., on Flickr

Matthea and Annemien by Rense Haveman - too busy yet...., on Flickr

My father-in-law and Anne-Mirthe by Rense Haveman - too busy yet...., on Flickr

Anne-Mirthe and me by Rense Haveman - too busy yet...., on Flickr

My mother-in-law by Rense Haveman - too busy yet...., on Flickr

Annemien by Rense Haveman - too busy yet...., on Flickr
St. Nicolas is the serious, kind and not so infantile nephew of Father Christmas, or Santa Claus. At the eve of the 5th families gather together, eating chocolate and 'pepernoten'. There are a lot of presents involved. The ritual is: write your name on a note, throw them all in a hat, pick one (check to ensure you didn't pick yourself), and buy a present for the one you picked. Write a poem for the one you picked, in which you tell all his or her sins and misbehavings of last year, as well as his/her good sides, in a humorous and kind way. Wrap your gift, together with the poem, and heap them all. In the evening of 'Sinterklaas', the poems are read loud, and the gifts unpacked.
Yesterday (yes, late), we had Sinterklaas with the family of my wife. Here some snapshots...


Wietse and Maaike by Rense Haveman - too busy yet...., on Flickr

Maaike and Anne-Mirthe by Rense Haveman - too busy yet...., on Flickr

Matthea and Annemien by Rense Haveman - too busy yet...., on Flickr

My father-in-law and Anne-Mirthe by Rense Haveman - too busy yet...., on Flickr

Anne-Mirthe and me by Rense Haveman - too busy yet...., on Flickr

My mother-in-law by Rense Haveman - too busy yet...., on Flickr

Annemien by Rense Haveman - too busy yet...., on Flickr