Sinterklaashuis

Sinterklaas, also called Sint Nicolaas, or the Sint, is a very nice and wise old man, who lives in Spain and celebrates his birthday every year on 5 December in the Netherlands and a part of Belgium.
A few weeks before his birthday, in November mostly on Saterday, he arrives with a steamboat together with lots of Zwarte Pieten, Black Petes, black men with coloured clothes.
They are his helpers for years and they throw small candy`s and pepernoten, a typical Dutch Sinterklaas candy, at the children who welcome him while they sing his songs.
He visits a lot of places, schools, hospitals and a lot of shops.
Sinterklaas has a long white beard, wears a long red dress and a mitre, a red hat.
He holds a gold coulored staff and carries a big book with all the children`s names in it, whether they `ve been nice or naughty the past year.
He once told me, there are not alone children in it, but also adults.
The very naughty children or parents he takes home to Spain.
Sinterklaas rides on a white horse, called Amerigo.
The day after arriving the children may put their shoe, before going to bed, near the chimney, filled with a carrot or some hay in it, for the horse of Sinterklaas.
They also have to sing a Sinterklaas song.
When you haven`t sung the Sinterklaas songs, or have been naughty, the Black Petes put you in their bag and take you to Spain.
The Black Petes enter the houses through the chimneys and put a small present in the shoes of the children when they are asleep and also some candy, like a chocolate letter, the first letter of the child`s name, which is an old tradition in the Netherlands.
On five December we celebrate his birthday and in the evening the Black Petes bring a lot of presents to the houses after knocking on the door, when they `ve heard you sing your Sinterklaas songs loudly.
The presents are often accompanied by a poem, saying something about the child, parent. Or other person, Sinterklaas loves every one who`s obedient and sweet.
During his stay, Sinterklaas lives in his house in Dordrecht, called Sinterklaashuis, you can visit the house, like thousands of others who have been visited this great house, until 5 December.
Children can do a lot of things there, like bake pepernoten.
You can see everything from this great old man in his house.
When they say Sinterklaas doesn`t exist, do not believe them, probably they haven`t got something in their shoe.
I`m sure he exists, because every year he gives me a great present and
I hope he will read this review, if then: I love you Sinterklaas; you`re very welcome to me!