Picture of Sinterklaas waving to the audience from his steamboat (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Sinterklaas waving to the crowds from his steamboat

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The arrival of Sinterklaas is a big thing for Dutch youngsters, as the old saint makes his way through the cities by boat and on a white horse.
On December 5 is the big event: upon a knock on the front door, kids will find a big basket outside, full of presents. Often, presents are wrapped in a special way, or completely hidden in a "surprise", and always accompanied by a poem. Usually, the poem has a message, it can be teasing, admiring, or stimulating the receiver. The poem should be read aloud. In November, Sinterklaas officially arrives in the Netherlands, allegedly from Spain and not from Turkey, although no one knows why. He arrives on a steamboat, with a lot of Zwarte Pieten or Black Petes, and in the city centre, he mounts his white horse to parade through the city. The main event is in Amsterdam, although Sinterklaas has similar entries in all cities and towns in the country. Parents with kids flock the streets, cheer the old man, while the kids hold up their plastic bags hoping to get sweets and candy.
Read more about: Sinterklaas entry

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