Sinterklaas kapoentje...

Sinterklaas and his helpers: Black Pete's were at school on Saturday, December 5th is
his birthday and the tradition goes then that he gives all the children a gift. So the girls were so excited to go to school on a Saturday :-)

They first had culture day in the morning for the Dutch school, so these children are only Dutch or Belgian. They made a drawing for Sinterklaas and practiced the songs again.

We were waiting and waiting, the kids in great anticipation of his arrival... how would he arrive this year?? Last year he came with horse and carriage, the year before in a fire truck and this year... in a car, since Americo his horse got his ankle strained... so the story goes :)

Here Jasmine and Juliet anxious waiting for Sinterklaas to arrive, with the drawing in their hands that they made for him.



The little ones even made a hat like black Pete, so cute :-)



Finally... there they come! A big roar of applause and singing Sinterklaas songs so he can hear from far away.



The kids are all excited when he steps out of the car!



First a welcome word and a small speech of Sinterklaas to all of the kids before the gift giving starts.



It goes by age, so the little ones get their gifts first, most of them so afraid that the mother had to come with them. Since the girls are 7 they have to wait a long time before they get their gift...



But then finally it is the turn of the 7 year olds and Black Pete is grabbing in his sack and there it is Jezz's turn...



She has to come and sit on Sinterklaas' lap and he hands her over her gift... what is in there??



Then it is JJ's turn, both get a 'scary book'. They had made a wish list and this was one of their wishes. So the girls are happy! Both the girls got a book by Enid Blyton with great adventure stories. A fabulous English writer!



So the week of putting their shoe in front of the chimney on a daily basis, getting small gifts and specific sweets for this occasion has finished. Sinterklaas is going back to Spain till next year. He chose a warmer location for his permanent residence than Santa Claus ;-) You can read about last years event here. See how the girls have grown in just 1 year!

And we can start concentrating on Xmas! Decorating the house a bit, not too much since we are in Holland for the Xmas break. My dad is turning 70 on Xmas day and we have decided to go to Holland and celebrate with both families! A first in 11 years!

Have a great Sunday!
Mireille

Jasmine and Juliet meet Sinterklaas

So finally the girls see the 'Goed Heiligman' Sinterklaas for real at the Dutch school this morning. All the anticipation is finally over....

But first we celebrated 'pakjesavond' last night. We came home quite late since we had a photo shoot in Pretoria (results you will see later) and traffic is hurrendous between Pretoria and Johannesburg, but the girls had a great shooting and I think we will have a great result! So around 8pm, we were just finished with dinner and we're singing the Sinterklaas songs and suddenly....a loud bonking on the front door.
The girls rushed to the door, but the Black Pete's and Sinterklaas were gone... however, we found gifts laying all over the front step. Excitement galore and although we peeked on the street, nobody was seen. Too fast gone, but the girls didn't mind too much, they wanted to see what Sinterklaas had brought them. A letter from Sinterklaas for each JJ and Jezz. Which Dirk had to read for them, but in it said that Sinterklaas had heard they were both good girls, not naughty and he had brought them some nice gifts. A chocolate letter for each of us, a dinosaur egg that hatches after you keep it in water for a while, a pez candy disney figure and a bratz book with dress your own bratz girl. And of course a lot of typical Sinterklaas candy like pepernoten and such, I explained before.... The loud singing into the chimney had paid off!


Then this morning off to school, Sinterklaas arrived with a horse and carriage, everybody was waiting in anticipation. Smaller kids were crying... too much excitement. But finally the kids sang a lot of songs for Sinterklaas and the black Pete's were throwing pepernoten all over the place. And each kid had to come up on stage to receive his/her gift personally from Sinterklaas. How much fun!!

Jezz on Sinterklaas' lap.
JJ on Sinterklaas' lap.

They each got a mermaid Barbie from Sinterklaas, and Jezz commented on the wrapping paper: 'Hey, it is the same paper as last night?!' Of course sweetie, because it is from the same person' I replied ;-)

Sinterklaas is going back to Holland and then off to Spain again with his steamboat and all his Black Pete's and we're starting to decorate our house for Xmas ;-)

Funny and busy season with all these celebrations....
Mireille