Christmas in Holland - Prettige Kersfeest!

Christmas traditions in Holland have been in the spotlight and under scrutiny this year, and in years past, but I'll get to that later. Let's start with the happy stuff! Families in Holland celebrate what they call St. Nicholas' Day on December 6th, with celebrations on St. Nicholas Eve.

On St. Nicholas Eve a meal is shared and for dessert there might be a letterbanket, or a letter cake. This is a cake made in the shape of the first letter of the family's last name. In some instances everyone might receive a small personal cake in the shape of their first initial. Gifts are also shared on St. Nicholas Eve. Gifts are meant to be surprises, the giver not necessarily known. They are signed Sinterklaas (Santa) and are accompanied by a poem or verse that the giver has written. Gifts might also be hidden around the house with clues about their locations, or hidden within another object. The whole idea is mystery and surprise. That night children leave out shoes filled with hay and carrots for Sinterklaas' horse, and hope that they will have toys in their shoes in the morning.

Sinterklaas is a bishop who arrives in Holland by boat, and is greeted by many when he arrives in the harbor of Amsterdam. He comes on his white horse and with his helper, Zwarte Piet. The mayor meets him and leads a procession through town. Both Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet live in Spain, and Piet spends the year keeping a list of things children have done in the past year, be it good or bad. Good children receive presents, bad children might be chased by Piet with a stick. Old songs even warn that bad children will be put in a sack and taken back to Spain.

On December 26th the Dutch celebrate Second Christmas Day, which is spent eating out at a restaurant and maybe seeing a Christmas musical or concert. Some children leave out stockings on Christmas Eve, but most only receive gifts on St. Nicholas Eve.

The reason for the recent upset over Holland's Christmas traditions is Zwarte Piet himself, as his name translates to Black Pete. Many are outraged over what they perceive as blatant racism dating back to Holland's days as participants in the slave trade. Piet was originally portrayed as a jester for the amusement of children, and today is still cartoonish with a black painted face, an afro and bright red lipstick. Attempts have been made to change the tradition, even changing the color of Pete's face from black to another color such as green or rainbow colored. But overall, the Dutch have stuck to their old ways.