Saint Nicholas

The celebration of Saint Nicholas in December is still quite extensive in the Netherlands, though there is a tendency to be overwhelmed by Christmas.
The celebration of Saint Nicholas has a tradition of many centuries and has even survived the Reformation in the 16th century and following years of extreme protestantism at a time the feast was yet very Roman Catholic.
You may recognise father Christmas in this character, but that is of course just a half witted jollyful derivative of our Sinterklaas. Saint Nicholas is much more serious. In the end he is always beneficial for children, but he keeps record of all their faults read read them aloud from his big red book. And if you have been too naughty there is always the threat of being put in the sack of one of his assisting Black Petes and set on transport to his castle, alledgedly in Madrid, Spain. What will happen there is not known, but veryone is assured it is not good. I suppose the experience will be similar to being captured in the castle of the Marquis de Sade.

About a month before his 'birthday' on 5 December Sinterklaas arrives from Spain into the Netherlands on a steam ship loaded with presents and with a large crew of Black Petes.
Before the great day of 5 December: 'presents evening' the good Saint makes numerous guest appearance. Here he is visiting at my work where I got an opportunity for an exclusive photo session.

Saint Nicholas also has a distinct poetic orientation. Significant events of the past year are discussed in poems, usually loaded with sarcasm. The peculiar way of phrasing these considerations is know as 'Saint Nicholas Rhyme'.
Here Sinterklaas enters the staf meeting of our department with one of his poems already in his hand.

For children the confrontation with Saint Nicholas is usually reason for very mixed feelings: on the one hand you are quite sure to receive a nice present, but on the other hand there is always the risk of being put in the sack, and at least the dressed up guys are quite intimidating.

So intimidating that even after receiving the present without punishment, they are often still not just happy.

By the way: Black Petes are quite often actually white women and the black does not come off easily after performing.