That means, "Look yonder, the steamboat is coming....". Those are the words of the typical song that is sung by the children when Sinterklaas comes into our land each novemmber. The tradition goes like this: Sinterklaas (Saint Nicolas) comes from Spain on a steamboat and then disembarks and rides his white horse through the streets broadcasting candies and pepernoten (little hard cookie-like eats). He is assisted not by elves, but by Zwaret Piets (Moors from Spain)who also disperse small trinkets and candies. After visiting all the cities and towns in Holland, he disappeares (to no one knows where) to look-over his big book of good and bad deeds of the children and then comes to visit every house on the night of the 5th of December to give them their presents. Children put out things like hot chocolate and little snacks for the Sint or carrotts for his horse. Here is a video of the arrival of Sinterklaas in the small harbour of my town. It is a bit long, but you can fast-foreward it if you get bored. If nothing else, you can see what our little harbour looks like (from an arriving boat!). There is sound if you want to hear that. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPan-v0Naio Here is the top of gift box from a couple of years ago that I used to make a cyber card. It depicts the inner habour of our town along with the Sint, steamboot, white horse etc.
It looked like a fun day for everyone. I was worried someone would fall in the water and I have to admit that first horn that was blown startled me so I turned the volume down...thank you for sharing.....Sherry
Looks like a lovely and lively tradition! Your harbour looks very inviting. I need to go and see it for myself some day.
Thanks Sjoerd I very much enjoyed seeing the arrival of Sinterklaas. What a fun tradition. Is there a video of him riding thru town on the white horse?
Sjoerd, thank you for sharing your countries tradition with us. It is a very interesting video, I enjoyed it immensely. PS, the box is beautiful, I love it. I collect old world "Santa's" now I will look for one from Holland.
Lots of boats, excited children and pretty costumes. Looks like a lot of fun for all. Thanks for sharing.
Now seeing that has definately put me in the mood for Christmas now. :-D We have nothing like it here at all sadly. It would be great to have Christmas traditions back again. I miss the Carol singers we had who visited on Christmas Eve and sang underneath the village Chrissie tree.
The Sinterklass and his "spanish elves" are so colorful and your town looks very picturesque. I enjoyed the trip! Thanks, Sjoerd. GG
Well Toni, I couldn't find one of the Sint on his horse in my cith, but I did find one of them in another city. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9aogFl6EBI It isn't really good but it gives you an idea of how full the streets get and how exciting it is for us. Yes Droopy, you really should. Thank you all for your nice reactions.
Sounds like a much more reasonable man than the overachieving Santa Claus, trying to flit around the whole world an all that. Very cool tradition!
I love learning about the traditions of others. Learn a little more where the traditions came from that we celebrate here. I wish that tradition was stronger here. Too much hurry and hustle and bustle. Used to be about being together with family and spending a nice day having Ham/goose and snacking on whatever delightful sweet confections mom and dad would throw together and sometimes let us help with. I think it is time to stay home and have a nice little family eat too much candy and cookies, drink too much hot chocolate with marshmallows, warm huddle type christmas again.
Well, f4a--there's alot to say for a cozy gathering at home. Sometimes Sinterklaas comes to visit the children at night at home when everyone is still up. The children must come and stand before Sinterklaas as he reads from his "Big Book of Deeds". He reads out all the good and bad things the child has done over the past year. Then the child must recite a poem or sinf one of the typical songs for the Sint and then they receive their gifts and Sinterklaas departs.... chuckle. I remember once that my little niece was so nervous that she sang this one song for Sinterklaas and couldn't remember the last line of the song, so she just kept singing the verse over and over and over and over until it came. hahahaha what an evening. Poor thing. Her great uncle was playing Sinterklaas and he had difficulty keeping it together as the poor girl kept trying to get the song to end right. Oh my... that was so funny.
I love different traditions. And Santa comming to town on a steam boat is about as cool as it gets...lol. Thats great! And your harbor looks so inviting and pleasant, no wonder santa makes it there every year. I would too!
Heh heh heh...thanks Biita. It's amazing if you stop and think that so many ships left from our little harbour (and others) to sail to the ends of the earth in the 16 and 1700's for the VOC, or (East-India Company).
