Barbet Yatzie & Moët

 

First snow + Christmas comes early

2010-12-01 « Back

Yatzies bonussister Saartje and nearest neighbour, the beagle Tupak, were playing around in the snow today. It is cold here in Holland, just as in the rest of Europe. But Yatzie loves it. Winter is her favorite season and she hardly ever gets cold in her thick coat.

 

Christmas comes earlier here in Holland. Every year on December 5 Sinterklaas comes with presents for the kids. Tonight we were wrapping gifts and Yatzie was sure they were all for her! Ever since she was a puppy I have wrapped things for her and she is terrific at opening packages. So of course I made one with some goodies for her as well.

What you did not know about jultomten

Sinterklaas is celebrated on the nameday of Saint Nicholas (280–342), patron saint of Amsterdam, children and sailors. Saint Nicholas was a bishop of Myra in present-day Turkey. He was very kind to children. In the 11th century his relics were moved to south Italy and his fame spread over Europe. Sinterklaas has many helpers with black faces and colourful dresses called Zwarte Piet. During the Middle-ages Zwarte Piet was a name for the devil. Having triumphed over evil, it was said that on Saint Nicholas eve the devil was shackled and made his slave.

 

Children in Holland dress up as Sinterklaas or Zwarte Piet during this period. Yatzie met a little Sinterklaas girl at the hockey field one day. See how curiously they look at each other!

 

An interesting fact that most of us are unaware of is that Santa Claus in the United States, and later our Swedish jultomten, originates from the Turkish Saint Nicholas.

Welcome to give a comment

  • Geneviève et Django • 2 december 2010 21:11:05
    Chère Élisabeth, chère Yatzie,
    Nous sommes heureux de vous savoir bien arrivées en Hollande.
    Nous nous faisions un peu de soucis avec l'épisode neigeux traversé...Plein d'espoir pour la suite des évènements!

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