Sinterklaas or St. Nicholas
Pagan, Christian, and Colonial versions of the Children's Saint
Who is the first Saint that comes to the Belgian mind? It's Saint Nicholas, an amalgam of childlike naivety and pagan, Christian and colonial elements.
While chatting with a Spanish friend about holidays, I bade him thanks for letting us (Belgians) have Saint Nicholas each year. "Saint Nicholas?" he asked. "The Children's Saint; he comes from Spain on a steamboat?" "Never heard of him," he said skeptically. It's a good thing I am all grown up now and no longer believe in such childish things. Still, I was shocked to have my long shattered belief in Sinterklaas (in Dutch), challenged, again.
So who is this "Saint"? In Belgium he is much more popular than de Kerstman (or "the Christmas Man"). And he is very different from Santa. His dress still reflects his historical religious character: he wears a bishop's white and red robes and a miter, and carries a crosier or bishop's staff. There is also nothing jolly about him: no hohoho, and no red nose either. Sinterklaas is tall and dignified, and he carries a big book, in which are recorded all the good and bad deeds of every child. He is all-knowing, strict, and just.
Comic relief is supplied by his servants, all called Zwarte Piet in Dutch, or "Black Peter". Black Peter is a white guy with his face and hands painted black, a wig of big black curly hair, a velvet cap with feather and matching suit with white ruffled collar. He jests and dances, but he also carries a large sack, in which there may be candy and presents, or space for a naughty child! These days, though, Sinterklaas appears on television to disavow the kidnapping of children. In his speeches he almost always mentions that all the children have been good.
From November, when he officially arrives in the country, until December 5th, he visits shopping malls where children sit on his lap and list their favorite toys. The Belgian household spends 340 Euros (US$411) on toys per child on average, 600 million Euros (US$7,265,000), in a country of 10.5 million people. The only reason sales are lower than Christmas sales, is that the Saint generates no shopping sprees for adults.
On the eve of the 5th of December children leave their shoes near the fireplace (an imagined one will do), with a letter for the Saint, a carrot or turnip and sugar for his horse. During the night, Sinterklaas and his aides ride over the rooftops, climbing down and up the chimneys, leaving toys and sweets. The morning of the 6th is an early one for most households... By then Sinterklaas is on his way home, to Spain.
Chimneys, sitting on laps in shopping malls, the very name "Sinterklaas"... ring a bell? And what is the deal with the bishop outfit and the "servant",
Black Peter? Was there ever a a real Siant Nicholas? Is he as revered all over Europe? Clearly, in Spain they've never heard of him...
