Preparing for Sinterklaas

I have barely fully reflected on our first Dutch summer and am still taking in the expressive colours of autumn, my new favourite season. And even so, we're already late in preparing for Sinterklaas.

Yes, it's the beginning of November and the Sinterklaasjoernaal - a special daily TV broadcast reporting on the Sint's preparations, movements and challenges - commenced last night. Thereafter our toddler was so excited that he immediately drew Sinterklaas a picture of the gift he wanted on pakjesavond, which had to be accompanied by a (Dutch, of course) verlanglijstje (wish list) to the Sint. Hence, I have learned that the word autootje (small car) contains an insane number of  vowels in awkward places.

My head is already spinning from all the new festive terms and concepts, and clearly the hype will only escalate over the next month. Therefore I thought it wise to detail everything I have already learned, and have yet to learn, about Sinterklaas (the man) and Sinterklaas (the celebration).

What I (thankfully) already know:

• Sinterklaas is both a person and a day, which is celebrated on 5 December in the Netherlands and 6 December in Belgium.
• Sinterklaas should not be confused with Santa Claus. They are two very different people and Santa Claus doesn't visit the Netherlands - only Sinterklaas does.

• He has helpers called Pieten (and, unless you want to spur a heated debate, any adjectives should be avoided at all cost) and a horse called Ozosnel (Oh so fast). Until 2019 his horse was called Amerigo, but after 29 trusty years of service the horse had retired. While Amerigo was a white horse, Ozosnel is black. As far as I know, adjectives are still allowed when referring to the horses. 
• Sinterklaas lives in Spain and as we speak he is on his way to the Netherlands on a steamboat, accompanied by his Pieten. It's true, because we saw it on the news last night. It was also reported that the Pieten are missing a bag of coal and might therefore not reach the Netherlands on time. We will remain glued to the TV this week to see how they will resolve this challenge. 
• Each town and village seem to have a Sinterklaasintocht where you can see Sinterklaas arrive on his steamboat (if he doesn't run out of coal) on 14 November and where the Pieten will hand out pepernoten to the children. Due to it being fun corona, this year's intocht has unfortunately been cancelled.
• During his time in the Netherlands (14 November until 5 December), children leave their shoes out at night and may receive small gifts, chocolate letters and pepernoten from Sinterklaas and the Pieten. 5 December is pakjesavond, where children usually receive a bigger gift.
• The Pieten sometimes leave children fopcadeau's or tricks - especially if the children have been naughty.
• You are only supposed to put up your Christmas tree and decorations after Sinterklaas.

Clearly parents Sinterklaas and the Pieten work very hard in the three weeks following their arrival in the Netherlands on 14 November. Therefore I have several questions to which I better find answers in the next week:

• Why does Sinterklaas live in Spain if he's Dutch? Can we also send him letters in Spanish? (not that that's an option, I'm just curious). Who hands out gifts to the kids in Spain when Sinterklaas is in the Netherlands, being all Dutch?
• I haven't seen Ozosnel on the steamboat. Is he there? If not, how will he get to the Netherlands?
• How does Sinterklaas receive the letters from the children? Clearly he is now on a boat and then he will travel around the Netherlands. Should the letters be left in the shoes?
• How does the horse travel around the Netherlands? As far as I know he cannot fly.
• Apparently it's vitally important to learn a few Sinterklaas songs. At which stage (and to whom) do you sing these songs?
• Does Ozosnel live on a farm in the Netherlands for the whole year and only see Sinterklaas for three weeks per year? Where is this farm!? Who takes care of him there?
• Who writes the funny personal poems which is supposed to accompany gifts? Sinterklaas? The Pieten? The horse? Or should the poem accompany the letter which is sent to Sinterklaas?
• Do the Pieten really leave pepernoten strewn across the floor and in the shoes? Surely you are not supposed to eat it? Is it then classified as a gift or a fopcadeau?
• How does Sinterklaas enter your house if you don't have a fireplace? How does the horse enter your house even if you do have a fireplace, or does he remain on the roof like Santa Clause's reindeer? How can he remain on the roof if he doesn't fly!
• Exactly how often does Sinterklaas visit each house during his time in the Netherlands (a gift per day for 21 days can surely not be right?) and what is his budget for these gifts?
• Should a carrot be left with the shoes for the horse?

Now that I think about it, these illogical logistical questions are not all that different whether you are waiting for Kersvader in sunny South Africa on 25 December or Sinterklaas in the Netherlands early in November. 

Our parents did a wonderful job manoeuvring all these questions and challenges. And so will we.

It's all about having fun with family (although we will miss them all very much this year).

And just because none of the details really matter, we might just be adventurous, go wild, break the rules and put up our Christmas tree before celebrating Sinterklaas this year.