Sinterklaas has been celebrated in different countries in Europe for hundreds of years and is not to be confused with Father Christmas or Santa Claus – the big fat jolly guy who, coincidentally, is also dressed in red with a mighty flowing beard. Instead of a red suit and black boots, he dons a long red cape, wears a white bishop's dress and red mitre (bishop's hat), and holds a crosier, a long gold coloured staff with a fancy curled top. He also carries a large book that tells him which child has been good or naughty in the past year.

The Sinterklaas feast in Europe celebrates the name day of Saint Nicholas, patron saint of children and sailors. Saint Nicholas was a Greek bishop of Myra in present-day Turkey who had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him.

According to some, the name "Santa Claus" is the American version of the Dutch "Sinterklaas." The tradition of St. Nicholas’ Eve came to the United States through the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam when the Dutch colonized what is now New York City in the 17th century.

In the Netherlands the party celebrations start early with Sint arriving on a steamboat all the way from Spain in mid-November. Although Saint Nicholas is originally from Asia Minor, some suggest that certain gifts associated with him, such as oranges and clementines, led to the misconception that he came from Spain.

Children wait for the boat to arrive, singing songs and waving flags. Most are dressed up with face paint, brightly coloured hats with feathers and flags.Once the boat docks, Sint rides through the town to the accompaniment of marching band music on his white horse and with his helpers at his side. In some cultures, the horse is named Amerigo and in others he remains nameless. The helpers throw sweets and candies to the singing and cheering children as Sint is paraded through the streets.

In the weeks between his arrival and the 5th of December, before going to bed, children sing Sinterklaas songs and put their shoes next to the chimney or outside the front door stuffed with a carrot or sugar cubes for Sinterklaas's horse. The next morning, the children rush out to see if they were left any sweets or presents in their shoes. Traditionally, children are given “chocolate letters”- first letters of a child’s first name made out of chocolate. Other goodies include chocolate coins, kruidnoten (a type of shortcrust biscuit or gingerbread-biscuits) figurines of Sinterklaas made out of chocolate and coloured marzipan that is shaped to look like various types of fruit or animals.

Saint Nicholas' Eve is the 5th of December and is called Pakjesavond or “Presents’ Evening.” Presents are given to family members, which are wrapped in elaborate and ingenious ways that make it not only about the present inside, but also about the care taken in making the presentation of the present a surprise. Presents are traditionally accompanied by a poem written in rhyming couplets from the Sint to the receiver and generally mention the good things the gift receiver has done during the year. The poems are always read aloud as presents are opened so that everyone may hear the note that was written.

To see wonderful and colorful videos of this event, you can type in “sinterklaas intocht” on YouTube.com or for fun, you can visit www.sintersite.nl which is maintained by Sinterklaas and his helpers throughout the year.

Vrolijke Kerstmis! - Merry Christmas!