It is that time of the year again when we set out our wooden shoes and wait for St. Nick to bring cookies. This has been a tradition that my family has taken part in long before I was born. Since we have been married I have shared this tradition for the past few years with Andy and his family. The cookie recipe is a family secret so only a few of us have it in our possession. No worries, we still share the cookies we make... and in our house, you better make sure you know which cookie is yours otherwise it may be gone... never to be recovered!
Here is the story of St. Nick or Sinterklaas and the tradition that we have come to love!
Sinterklaas is a traditional Winter holiday figure in the Netherlands, he is celebrated annually on Saint Nicholas' eve (5 December Originally, the feast celebrates the name day of Saint Nicholas, patron saint of Amsterdam, children and sailors. the Dutch celebrate at the 5th of December the birth day of Sinterklaas. He is the basis of the mythical holiday figure of Santa Claus in the United States. Sinterklaas is his usual name. The more formal name is Sint Nicolaas or Sint Nikolaas. The Dutch write Sinterklaas.
In the Netherlands, Saint Nicholas' Eve (5 December) is the chief occasion for gift-giving during the Christmas season. In the Netherlands, most children receive their presents on this evening. For Dutch children it is customary to put their shoe in front of the fireplace on the evening of 5 December, then go to bed. In modern times, they may put them next to the central heating unit. They leave the shoe with a carrot or some hay in it and a bowl of water nearby "for Sinterklaas' horse", and the children sing a Sinterklaas song. The children then wake up and find the presents around the shoes on the morning of the 6th.
Typical Sinterklaas treats traditionally include: hot chocolate, mandarin oranges, pepernoten, letter-shaped pastry filled with almond paste or chocolate letter (the first letter of the child's name made out of chocolate), speculaas (sometimes filled with almond paste), chocolate coins and marzipan figures. Newer treats include kruidnoten (a type of shortcrust biscuit or gingerbread biscuits) and a figurine of Sinterklaas.
Instead of presents we bake traditional St. Nick cookies or gingerbread like cookies.
Here are some pictures of our St. Nick's Day. What are your family Christmas traditions? What is your favorite childhood Christmas memory?
Our shoes ready for St. Nick!
Tucker ever got his own gingerbread treat! Wow, that St. Nick is the best!
Cookies! YUM.
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