Look what Sinterklaas brought yesterday. All forms of chocolate with the exception of the little bag of brown cookie things (pepernoten) over to the left. Chocolate alphabet letters of the people's names are a traditionl favourite. Sinterklaas is the one in the form of the bearded saint. (foiled chocolate statue) Here in Nederland, Sinterklaas arrives on a steamboat, sitting upon a white horse. The steamboat comes from Spain. He rides through the streets between mid-november and the night of the 4-5th december, when he brings packages. The streets are lined left and right with cheering kids and the Sint and his Moorish helpers go down the street throwing little candies to all the hysterical children. On the night of the 4th, the children are supposed to leave something for him and his stallion. Hot chocolate does nicely for the Sint and a carrot for the horse. The Sint rides over the roofs on his steed, which is no easy task, considering that most roves here are tiled. Anyway, our house shoes were filled to the bursting point and I know someone in particular that will be delight in stuffing her face with choccy for the coming days...."weeks" really IS asking too much .
ohhhh that looks so good,, i love chocolate. And i mean i love it. The box that has the trademark Verkade, the haselnut milk chocolate, I got as a gift from one of the tourist who stayed here this summer. They was from the Netherlands. They wanted one night an ended up staying for a week!!! I also got a very very good bottle of wine from them too, sorry to say I can't tell you the name, I drank it. It was so so so good. The next night i took the wine an chocolates, i made some waffles and took jam along with 4 glasses an 2 more chairs an went and sat with them for the evening sharing what they gave me with them an Kolbjørn watching the midnight sun. I was sad to see them go, they left the next day. But ohhh i do remember that chocolate an wine,,lol. Lucky you!!!
Yummy! I'd like to get my sweaty, little paws on some of that chocolate. That's an interesting tradition you're describing, Sjoerd. Never heard that before.
Oooohhh, do you get your whole name in chocolate letters or just the first initial? I noticed you did not specify how many "coming days" you would spend eating all that chocolate so I figure if it lasts until Friday you are doing better than most of us would have. In 1985 my oldest daughter and the high school jazz band spent 10 days in the Netherlands and Switzerland playing at Jazz Festivals. She brought back a Coo Coo Clock and a good sized bar of Swiss chocolate, I was very good and made that candy bar last 6 months.
We have chocolate Santa Claus's here at Christmas time but I no longer buy them as the children have all left home now. We also had advent calenders for them each year with a Christmas shape (bells, holly etc) made of chocolate behind each little date flap. Ahhhh sometimes I wish I could go back in time over the festive season as it was sooooo much more fun when they were little.
But eileen, I've still got my advent calendar with choccies in it. I'm never outgrowing that! And yes, I even had one before the children were born. I might be awfully childish, though, but who cares?
lol,, thats so funny because we both have our advent calendars,, i've sent 2 to america for my grandchildren an i know when my daughter gets an opens the boxes, i'm going to get an email demanding where hers and hubbys is too!!
Wow Toni, that is what I call will power - I am a total lush when it comes to chocolate, ezpecially dark chocolate. Sjoerd, I must come to visit there - if all else fails, there will always be chocolate. I have a chocolate, even if it is just a small block of chocolate each and everyday. (one 100 g chocolate slab is divided into about 18 blocks) Nowadays we decorate the Christmas tree with chocolate coins as well as the usual trimming - though that only happens on Christmas eve.
Ok Netty... just one leedl piece then. Of course I just HAD to take a little bite before sending it---"Quality Control", don'tcha know. Enjoy...
Biita: That's such a nice story. I always glow when Dutch people behave themselves outside Holland and make a good impression. I'll bet you guys will never forget the experience. Droopy: Heh heh heh... I'll just bet you would! In fact maybe I'll put the remainder under lock and key tonight while I sleep--for if an old Saint can ride his horses across the roofs of Holland, and an obese Santa can squeeze down a narroe chimney...then you could in theory sneek in here and plunder my horde of choccy. I'm sleeping with one eye open tonight. Toni: Sadly only one letter (the first letter of one's first name). :'( Oh well, there are plenty of other chocolate things that one can receive...and marzipan as well. Then there is banketstaaf and stool...Tch, the list goes on. This is a very calorie-laden time of the year. Even I gain a kilo during these days. I don't expect it to last more than a week. Ha ha ha. BTW--Swiss is also quite good. Tell me what "advent calenders " are, please. I have never heard of them.
My kids love their Advent calenders! Sjoerd - Advent Calenders are like a count down to Christmas. Everyday from the 1st until the 24th of December the kids get a chocolate from behind a numbered door on their calender.
Oh......I love chocolate...no socks filled here at our house...Have a great day...it sounds like quite a nice time for everyone.
