
Sinterklaas, your favorite new Dutch holiday
Thanks to Stephan van der Meer for allowing me to use his article. For more European Santa traditions, visit https://privateguidesofeurope.com/blog/ Forget about the 25th of December, the real excitement around the Winter holiday season for the Dutchies is around the 5th of December, especially for the kids. As a tradition in the Netherlands that can be traced back to 343 AD, Sinterklaas is a legendary Dutch character certainly worth knowing about! You’ll also perhaps have heard something about the controversies surrounding the ‘Zwarte Piet’ characters. So read on to get familiar with the most anticipated, and often divisive event of the year! Who is Sinterklaas? Main guy sound familiar? The name ‘Santa Claus’ came from Sinterklaas: the authentic legend of wintertime celebrations. Dressed in striking red robes, with a long white beard, silky locks to match and a golden staff, Sinterklaas leads a procession through Dutch towns each year. Sinterklaas’ arrival