Celebrating Sinterklaas as an International Student
By Kiwi
When I first heard about Sinterklaas from my Dutch friend, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was just told to prepare for the Secret Santa-like part of it all. Other than that, I was pretty much clueless. Was it like carnival? Does it have anything to do with Christmas? Or something entirely different? What I discovered is that Sinterklaas is a uniquely Dutch tradition with little whimsical quirks here and there.
Yet, like many traditions, Sinterklaas comes with its own complexities. While the magic of the holiday brings joy to many, especially kids, it has also sparked many important discussions throughout the years.
The Sinterklaas celebration itself
The festive season begins as early as mid-November (I guess this explains why the Action store is ridden with ‘Christmassy’ trinkets super early) with Sinterklaas’s arrival, otherwise known as Intocht van Sinterklaas. And no, he’s not Santa Claus, he doesn’t even arrive by sleigh, he has his entourage with him in his steamboat. Aaand he lives in Spain, not the North Pole. What a life!
Leading up to the day itself on the 5th of December, you may find him parading at numerous Dutch weekend markets on his horse, Amerigo, accompanied by his helpers (Pieten). Furthermore, many Ducth children leave their shoes out leading up to the day itself to receive treats and sweets like peppernoten—the bite-sized love child of gingerbread and a cookie.
However, this fun little tradition is not exclusive for children only, everyone in the department I’m doing my thesis in are planning to leave our shoes out for treats today (day before Sinterklaas arrives)! Families also tend to exchange funny poems (or light-hearted roast battles) about each other along with the Secret Santa-like tradition, which I think is the cutest, most whimsical part of this whole tradition.
Sinterklaasjournal
Other than the poem exchange thing I mentioned, another tradition I absolutely adore about the holiday is the Sinterklaasjournal show. It’s a kid’s program that’s follows Sinterklaas’s journey to the Netherlands that is part news broadcast, part holiday soap opera, covering mishaps like missing presents, weather challenges, or misplaced horseshoes. Seeing my little (part) Dutch cousins take it super seriously does warm my heart a little bit and bring back glimpses of a simpler time without resits, thesis and relationship problems.
Universal themes across cultures
One thing that struck me about Sinterklaas is how many similarities it has to other traditions held around that time. Some of my fellow Wageningen internationals has pointed out that there are similar traditions in their home countries. For example, in Spain, where Sinterklaas is said to come from, they celebrate Los Reyes Magos (the Three Kings) on January 6th. Its almost like the Spanish and the Dutch had each other for Secret Santa and gifted each other… Secret Santa (this makes sense in my head, don’t question it).
Italians also celebrate La Befana, a witch who delivers gifts on January 6th, similar to how Santa or Sinterklaas visits. Its fascinating how different cultures celebrate the same concept, just with different “mascots”. I wonder how many other countries celebrate such tradition. 🤔 Feel free to share it in the comments!
Acknowledging the Zwarte Piet Debate
I can’t write this blog without touching a bit on the Zwarte Piet discussion. While the Sinterklaas season is filled with cosy, heartwarming traditions it also sparks quite the debate regarding the appearance of the Zwarte Piet (‘Black Pete’, if you may). Historically, they have been portrayed in blackface, a practice that sparked widespread criticism for being offensive and rooted in colonial stereotypes.
In recent years, there’s been a noticeable shift toward Roetveegpieten (helpers with soot smudges instead), signifying that Piet’s appearance comes from climbing down chimneys. It reflects a much less offensive narrative and how the story was originally told to children.
From my point of view as an international student, celebrations should never come at the expense of marginalising others. Adjusting traditions doesn’t diminish their spirit—it enhances their inclusivity and relevance. But, of course, there’s a lot of point of views in this topic and each of them are valid. This is simply mine. 🙂
My Takeaway from Sinterklaas
Experiencing Sinterklaas has been a fun way to connect with Dutch culture. I do think it’s one of the cutesier, quirkier things to come out of my time in the Netherlands. If you’re ever here during Sinterklaas season, don’t miss out on this festive tradition!
Greetings,
Kiwi x
