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I don't know what to ask for sinterklaas (this is the same as X-mas but only in holland)

This is him: [url="http://www.sinterklaas.nl/"]http://www.sinterklaas.nl/[/url]
(wait a few seconds)

But because I'm a spoiled boy (man, whatever) I don't know what to ask!

Any cool/handy/fun/... stuff idea is more then welcome!!!

Ask for 1.000.000$ and donate them to me

Ask for your own moter scooter. Even if you have a car, a motor scooter will be faster on many occasions, and Holland has such sensible street layouts in many places--with a third lane for motorcycles and scooters.

Since I got some spare time, I'll explane what Sinterklaas is.


A couple of days ago they arrived from Spain (where he lives) in Holland with there steam boat.

Every year Sinterklaas comes to Holland to celabrate his birthday, 5 December.

He has his Zwarte Pieten (=Black Piet, there is a Piet for everything, like the smurfs a Packing Piet, Assistant Piet etc.) to assist Sinterklaas to deliver all the presants, because he is to old to climb on rooftops himselve, his Piet's put the presants in the chimny.
Sint rides his white horse on our roofs.

Good kids get presants (like from Santa Clause), but bad kids get "The roe" that is a couple of sticks tied together. REALLY bad kids are taken back to Spain in the bag where the toys were in.

Also, every year the Sinterklaas brings Pepernoten (can't explane) and Chocolade letters.

Families do "surprise" too.
The names of all family members are put in a bag and everybody picks one without looking.
Everybody buys a presant for the one they picked and put this in a funny construction that fits with the other (like a hockeystick when he/she plays hockey).
This is fun because the family has quality time together and everybody tries to guesse who everybody has picked.

Well, thats about all I can think off, other members from Holland can fill me in if I forgot something!

Good kids get presants (like from Santa Clause), but bad kids get "The roe" that is a couple of sticks tied together. REALLY bad kids are taken back to Spain in the bag where the toys were in.

I got a good laugh out of this. Clearly the tradition started back somewhere during the rebellion against Spain, back in the 17th century. As I recall, the Dutch didn't mind the Spanish killing and plundering; that was part of warfare at the time. But when the Castillians raped the women and shot the kids, that was it. The Spaniards never understood that the Dutch prized family above all. Turned 'em from a nation of disunited burghers fighting a war into a nation of diehard guerilla fighters overnight.

Originally posted by Rob-hin:
<STRONG>He has his Zwarte Pieten (=Black Piet, there is a Piet for everything, like the smurfs a Packing Piet, Assistant Piet etc.) to assist Sinterklaas to deliver all the presants, because he is to old to climb on rooftops himselve, his Piet's put the presants in the chimny.

Good kids get presants (like from Santa Clause), but bad kids get "The roe" that is a couple of sticks tied together. REALLY bad kids are taken back to Spain in the bag where the toys were in.
</STRONG>

Do you think that Mr. Sleep, Fable, etc are 'Moderaten Pieten' to Buck Sinterklaas? I like the idea of little moderator smurfs running around SYM. I don't know, just call me twisted.

Maybe Buck could start a program of sending everyone he bans to Spain? He might get people actually trying to get banned during the tourist season....

Actually Rob-hin, thanks for sharing your traditions with us. I find them very interesting. Its always good to get new perspectives.

Here is a picture of Zwarte Piet and Sinterklaas. (has anyone noticed how mutch Sinterklaas and Santa Klause sound the same?)
[url="http://home-1.filternet.nl/~fn002597/foto_2.htm"]http://home-1.filternet.nl/~fn002597/foto_2.htm[/url]

It's a funny picture if you don't know the tradition about it I think.

[ 11-22-2001: Message edited by: Rob-hin ]