© 2016 Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
In Amsterdam, many years ago, on December 5, the hotel staff advised my crew to leave our shoes in the hall that night.
“Why?” we asked. “Because Sinterklaas is coming tonight and he will leave treats in your shoes,” they replied.
I learned two lessons that night. First, leaving your shoes in the hall can result in one or both missing in the morning…probably another spiteful flight attendant…definitely not Sinterklaas. The other, is that some of the Netherlands’ Christmas traditions are a bit different than ours.
Over the years, I acquired much knowledge on Dutch traditions while visiting Amsterdam during the Christmas holidays. Children leave out their shoes on December 5, the night before the feast of Saint Nicholas, in anticipation of Sinterklaas’ arrival. He rides on the roofs of their houses on his horse and his helper, Black Peter, shimmies down the chimney, leaving presents and candy in their shoes.
On one of my first trips, while shopping for a unique piece to add to my Santa Claus collection, I was introduced to Black Peter, by a Christmas Shop owner in the Flower Market. Black Peter, or Zwarte Piet, is the companion of Saint Nicholas. He is attired in colorful Renaissance attire and is portrayed as a blackamoor, a Moor from Spain. He is the helper of Sinterklaas and children are told that he keeps a book of all of the things that the children have done all year, good and bad. Good children receive presents from Sinterklaas. Bad children are put into Black Peter’s sack and taken back to Spain in order to be taught lessons on how to behave.
I loved the idea of adding something different to my collection and purchased him immediately. This has become one of my favorite pieces…one that I share the story of with my children each year. Additionally, I have visited de Bijenkorf’s department store many times to see the mechanical Zwarte Piets climb festive ropes up and down in the main hall and to take pictures with Zwarte Piet!
Dutch tradition dictates, I later learned, that Sinterklaas arrives on the second Saturday of November. Hailing from Madrid, Spain, every year he chooses a different harbor to arrive in Holland, so as many children as possible get a chance to see him. He arrives on a steam boat with many Zwarte Piet and dressed in his red robes, leads a procession through the town, riding his white horse, Amerigo.
In Amsterdam, which hosts one of the largest parades in the Netherlands, Sinterklaas’ entrance into the city is by sailing down the Amstel River. The route through the city is past the Nieuwe Amstelbrug, Torontobrug, the Hoge Sluis by the Royal Theatre Carré and the Magere Brug. The waterborne parade ends at the Scheepvaartmuseum (Maritime Museum) where he is welcomed by the Mayor of Amsterdam. Here, his boat is traded for his white horse, Amerigo and the parade continues through the streets. After arriving at Dam Square, a special musical program is kicked off for kids of all ages. When the musical progam is complete, he continues on through the Rokin, Muntplein, Rembrandtplein, Utrechtsestraat and Weteringcircuit until he reaches the last stop on his tour, the Leidseplein. Here, Sinterklaas delivers a special message to his smallest fans from the balcony of the Stadsschouwburg.
Last year, I was present for Turn on the Lights in Dam Square…the lighting of the facade of de Bijenkorf, followed by a magical theatrical show, but somehow, for all the time I have spent in Amsterdam, I had never managed to be there for Sinterklaas’ arrival.
For the first two weekends of November, this year, I was happily in Amsterdam. I always prepare, beforehand, what I will do on my layovers. None of the activities I had researched alluded to anything special occurring in Amsterdam on the second weekend, although I had realized that I was going to miss the Turn on the Lights celebration after seeing workers set up some of the equipment in Dam Square.
On our first day, we had ventured into the city, but we had set aside our second day for plans to introduce our newest co-pilot to a good old fashioned bike ride into the countryside, followed by lunch. The wind and blowing rain that morning dictated otherwise.
Grabbing our umbrellas and abandoning our bikes, we decided to try and salvage the day. My friend, Jeana, and I jumped on the hotel van to head into the city. Our tentative plan was to head to the train station and see if any trains were heading to cities that we may have been interested in visiting.
While traveling to the city center, the van driver suddenly made an announcement that the streets were being closed and it was now not possible to make it to our drop off point. After turning around, he began heading back towards our hotel and the nearby ferry so that we could cross over to the train station.
Before exiting the van, we asked the driver why the roads were closed and we were informed that Sinterklaas was arriving!
Making our way from the ferry, through the train station to the main road, we headed down the barricaded avenue of Damrak. Not knowing when the parade would begin, we decided to have a quick lunch. Here, the owners of the restaurant, informed us that Sinterklaas usually arrived, at this location, just after one o’clock. After our lunch, we ventured over to the avenue and staked our claim against the barricade. It was raining and windy and we began questioning if it was worth braving the abhorrent weather. We decided “yes”, each time the rain tapered off, only to have it start again with huge wind gusts that flipped our umbrellas inside out!
Eventually, we noticed a few of the locals pointing down the street toward Dam Square. From the nearby clock tower, four Zwarte Pieten were rappeling down the side, just over Damrak. We left our prime spots and luckily found positions that were equal in ease of viewing the parade. Watching the Zwarte Pieten jump around on the walls of the tower mitigated the misery of the steady drizzle that continued to fall. Finally, two Black Peters rollerbladed on by! We knew the parade was going to begin soon!
The parade, like many others, consisted of many floats, marching bands and dancers. This one, however, contained many Black Peters! Black Peters riding on and driving the floats. Black Peters marching and playing in the band. Black Peters dancing, rollerblading and riding bikes. Black Peters handing out flags and kruidnoten, gingersnap-like cookies. I have never seen so many Black Peters!
OK, I admit…I was so elated that I pretty much reverted to being a hyperactive, enthusiastic child, all but demanding that one kindly Black Peter give me a flag…which they were mainly handing out to children. I accepted lots of kruidnoten…and ate every last bit. And, I coerced more than one Black Peter to take a picture with me!
When Sinterklaas was spotted coming down the street, I was excited and eager to wave and take his picture, but his appearance was so fleeting, that I was once again distracted by my favorites, the Zwarte Pieten.
Sadly, the parade was over as quickly as it had begun. Officials promptly removed the barricades and people, cars, bicycles and trams, once again, filled the streets. Spilled kruidnoten and a few discarded “Welkom Sinterklaas” littered the sidewalks until city workers shuffled in cleaning behind the procession. The most important thing that was left, however, was excitement! Sinterklaas had arrived! He had been greeted by the mayor of Amsterdam and officially been welcomed into the city by the Dutch and the many visitors to the city. The Christmas season had begun!
Check out more pictures on my Facebook page, Snapping the Globe.