What Sinterklaas Arrival Means in The Netherlands
Sinterklaas, or Saint Nicholas, is the patron saint of children, and his tradition in the Netherlands dates back to the 3rd century. The arrival of Sinterklaas is the moment that opens the Dutch winter holiday season: from the day he lands in the country until 5 December, children and adults alike follow his movements, sing his songs, and prepare for the main gift-giving evening.
According to tradition, Sinterklaas lives in Madrid, Spain. Each year he travels to the Netherlands by steamboat, landing at a different Dutch harbour, and then continues inland on a horse named Amerigo. He arrives simultaneously in many local cities and towns, where children gather to welcome him, and he stays in the country until 5 December — in one observed case, in a villa in Vaals — visiting schools, hospitals, and malls during his stay.
When the Arrival Takes Place
The annual arrival takes place on the second Saturday of November. Sinterklaas arrives in the Netherlands from Spain by steamboat in mid-November, and his journey and time in the country are followed on the Sinterklaasjournaal, a daily television programme. The season he opens runs until 5 December, celebrated as Sinterklaas' birthday with Pakjesavond ("present evening"), an evening of presents, poems, and sometimes handmade crafts. On 6 December, Sinterklaas departs the Netherlands for Spain.
Origins and the Figure of Sinterklaas
The Dutch tradition centres on Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children, and reaches back to the 3rd century. Sinterklaas is depicted as an elderly man with long white hair and a beard, dressed in bishop's attire: a white alb, a long red cape, a red mitre, white gloves with a large ruby ring, and a long staff. He carries a big book that records each child's activities over the past year.
He is accompanied by his helper, Zwarte Piet ("Black Peter"), who wears colourful court-style clothes with faces painted black — explained as soot from the chimneys used to deliver presents.
Customs and Traditions
Excitement and preparation begin weeks in advance. Schools teach children about the arrival and about Sinterklaas songs, and a daily Sinterklaas programme airs on national TV depicting trials and misfortunes during the trip preparations, with a new problem each day resolved the next.
The best-known domestic custom is the shoe. From the moment Sinterklaas arrives, children put out their shoes — by the fireplace or the door, or on the windowsill — with a drawing for Sinterklaas and a treat for his horse; these may be exchanged for a small gift by the next morning. Children leave a carrot and hay for the horse and snacks for Sinterklaas. The traditional belief is that good children get presents in their shoes, while naughty children get a smack from a broom; some stories say Zwarte Piet puts naughty children in his bag and takes them to Spain. In practice, parents eat the left items and fill the shoes with candy and gifts.
The season culminates on 5 December, St. Nicholas' Eve (Sinterklaasavond), when children receive all their presents.
Public Festivities and the Arrival Event
The arrival is marked in many places with a Sinterklaas parade. Sinterklaas rides through the city on horseback, accompanied by helpers who hand out sweets and sing songs. Because he arrives simultaneously in many local cities and towns, children gather in each place to welcome him.
A local arrival event — observed in Vaals on 10 November — gives a sense of how these celebrations unfold. It was held at a local resort, with children of all ages gathered. Zwarte Piets entertained the children, raised suspense about whether Sinterklaas would arrive, and distributed candy and pepernoten, while the children sang Sinterklaas songs while waiting. Sinterklaas arrived in a horse-drawn carriage carrying presents. He disembarked, walked to a hall, greeted and blessed nearby children, and sat on a throne on stage, where he was welcomed by those attending. Helpers and children sang and danced to Sinterklaas songs, and children received pepernoten and presents. A photo shoot with Sinterklaas was available for the children.
Food and Drink
Pepernoten are the signature treat of the season: small, round, gingerbread-like cookies available only during this period in the Netherlands. Candy is also distributed to children at arrival events and parades.
Religious and Civic Observances
Sinterklaas is rooted in the figure of Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of children, and his costume is that of a bishop, so the tradition carries a religious origin even as it is celebrated publicly. The arrival itself is a civic occasion as much as a religious one: it is marked in many places with parades, and Sinterklaas' stay includes visits to schools, hospitals, and malls. The arrival is also followed nationally through the daily Sinterklaasjournaal on television.
Regional Variations and Related Customs
Sinterklaas arrives at a different Dutch harbour each year, and he arrives simultaneously in many local cities and towns, so the arrival is celebrated locally in many parts of the country rather than in a single national event. The observed celebration in Vaals, held at a local resort, is one example of how an individual town marks the day.
Two related Dutch customs with regional variation fall on other dates. On 11 November, Sint-Maarten (Saint Martin's Day) is celebrated with regional variation, with light at the centre; common customs include lantern parades and children going door to door singing Sint-Maarten songs in exchange for sweets or fruit. On 6 January, Driekoningen (Three Kings) is similar to Sint-Maarten but linked to Christianity — the three kings, or wise men, who visited Jesus — with children going door to door dressed as one of the three kings, sometimes carrying a large star.