Sinterklaas

Sinterklaas is a traditional festive figure celebrated mainly in the Netherlands and Belgium, similar to Santa Claus. He is believed to be a kindly, elderly man with a long white beard, who arrives annually on a steamboat from Spain in mid-November. Sinterklaas is accompanied by helpers called "Zwarte Piet" (Black Pete). Children leave out shoes or stockings, which Sinterklaas fills with gifts, sweets, and fruits on the night of December 5th, known as Sinterklaasavond or Saint Nicholas' Eve. The holiday emphasizes generosity, family traditions, and festive spirit, marking the start of the Christmas season in these regions.