Jul på hollandsk

I starten af december skal jeg prøve at holde jul på hollandsk! Her kommer et uddrag af en beskrivelse af den hollandske højtid Sinterklaas forfattet af Julia, så vi er forberedte på hvordan vi skal fejre den:

"At December 5th we celebrate his [Sinterklaas'] birthday. He is a saint, originally from Turkey but for some reason he comes to Holland every year by boat from Spain.. so he lives there now. He doesn't come alone, he comes with the 'Zwarte Pieten' (black Peters you can say). Those are his helpers. It sounds racist but it's not. Sinterklaas knows everything about all the Dutch children, if they have been good or naughty. If you have been naugthy, he will put you in a sack and take you to Spain. And of course that's horrible. Every year we sing Sinterklaas-songs and make lists with our wishes for presents, cause you get presents if you have been good. And at 5 December, he comes by at all the houses in Holland, with his horse Americo and his Zwarte Pieten, and they ring the bell of our houses, throw candy and pepernoten (you'll see!) inside and give us our presents. Of course this goes really quick so we never see him then.

So, Roos, Albie and me wrote Sinterklaas a letter that we are in Stockholm this year but that we would really appreciate it if he still could come by. Of course we told him a little bit about you guys cause he doesn't know you yet. He just answered us, that for this time he will make an exception and will pass Stockholm as well.

But, we have to help him a little bit so this is the plan. Saturday December 5, we celebrate it together. We will send you an email where you have to put your name in and for exemple 3 presents you like (about 150-200 Sek). The person who makes that email will know when everyone has done that, and can push a button and the computer will divide the names. You will receive a new email with the person you have to buy a present for (one of those presents on that included list). You also have to make a poem, at least personal but it's up to you if you make it funny, sweet or whatever. And of course the shipper is 'Sint en Piet' ;). Cause it is anonymous. At the end of the night we can guess who had who if we like that.

We hope everyone is in and let's have dinner together as well of course. We will take care of the special Sinterklaas-candy. Of course this whole message is in the name of Sinterklaas so for now; Groeten, Sint en Piet"

Det lyder sindssygt hyggeligt, jeg glæder mig allerede!!