Santa who? In the Netherlands, this season is all about Sinterklaas. Forget December 25th. Here, the day for gift-giving is the 5th of December, because that's when Sinterklaas—Sint Nikolaas, or Saint Nicholas—comes to bring gifts to good children.
In mid-November, Sinterklaas arrives in town via steamboat from Spain (!) and is welcomed with a huge parade. Public transport in the center of Amsterdam shuts down as what seems like every child in Amsterdam (and their parents) flock to the streets to welcome their beloved Sinterklaas.
Tradition dictates that on the evening of Sinterklaas' arrival, children must put a shoe in front of the fireplace with a carrot or hay as a treat for Sinterklaas' white horse. The next morning, they'll find a present in their shoes from Sinterklaas.
Here comes the man himself... after the jump!
