by Levi, age 10 from Chandler, asks Sinterklaas about Dutch traditions, his horse Amerigo, and his helpers the Piet.
A Letter to Sinterklaas from Levi in Chandler, Arizona
Dear Sinterklaas, my name is Levi and I am ten years old. I live in Chandler, Arizona, and I learned that you might be the original Santa, so I have a lot of questions:
- Are you different from Santa Claus in the Netherlands itself?
- Are you tall and skinny, not short and jolly?
- Are you the original Santa that the American version came from?
- Do Dutch children leave out shoes filled with carrots for your horse?
- Do you carry a staff and a book that records children’s behavior?
- Do you come from Spain by steamboat in November?
- Do you come on December 5th, Sinterklaasavond, instead of Christmas?
- Do you have helpers called Zwarte Piet, who wear colorful outfits?
- Do you ride a white horse, not a sleigh with reindeer?
- Do you wear a bishop’s robe with a tall hat, instead of a red suit?
- Geography: Sinterklaas is said to sail from Spain to the Netherlands each November. What ocean would that ship most likely cross?
- Social Studies: The look of Sinterklaas’s helpers has become the subject of public debate in the Netherlands in recent years. Why has this tradition been reconsidered by many Dutch communities?
Thanks, Levi
Sinterklaas Writes Back
Are you different from Santa Claus in the Netherlands itself?
In a way, yes, Levi. I am considered the older, more traditional Dutch gift giver, celebrated separately from the newer, more modern Santa Claus imagery that has also become popular in the Netherlands.
Are you tall and skinny, not short and jolly?
That’s right, I am traditionally shown as a tall, dignified, slender bishop, quite different from the round, jolly image most people picture for the American Santa.
Are you the original Santa that the American version came from?
In many ways, yes. Dutch settlers brought my traditions to America, where over time my story blended with other influences and eventually became the modern Santa Claus.
Do Dutch children leave out shoes filled with carrots for your horse?
Yes, Dutch children traditionally leave a shoe by the fireplace, filled with a carrot or hay for my horse, hoping to find a small treat left in return.
Do you carry a staff and a book that records children’s behavior?
Yes, I carry a tall staff and a big book where I keep notes on how children have behaved throughout the year.
Do you come from Spain by steamboat in November?
According to tradition, yes, I arrive each November by steamboat from Spain, greeted with a big festive parade in Dutch towns and cities.
Do you come on December 5th, Sinterklaasavond, instead of Christmas?
Yes, December 5th, called Sinterklaasavond, is my main gift giving evening, celebrated separately from Christmas itself.
Do you have helpers called Zwarte Piet, who wear colorful outfits?
Yes, I traditionally travel with helpers known as Piet, though how they are shown has been changing quite a bit in recent years.
Do you ride a white horse, not a sleigh with reindeer?
A white horse named Amerigo carries me across rooftops, rather than a sleigh pulled by reindeer.
Do you wear a bishop’s robe with a tall hat, instead of a red suit?
Yes, a long bishop’s robe and a tall pointed hat called a mitre, quite different from a red suit, reflecting my roots connected to the historical Saint Nicholas.
Geography: Sinterklaas is said to sail from Spain to the Netherlands each November. What ocean would that ship most likely cross?
My journey from Spain to the Netherlands each November is imagined crossing the Atlantic Ocean and the waters of Western Europe by steamboat, arriving to a joyful welcome in a different Dutch city each year.
Social Studies: The look of Sinterklaas’s helpers has become the subject of public debate in the Netherlands in recent years. Why has this tradition been reconsidered by many Dutch communities?
In recent years, many communities in the Netherlands have started changing how my helpers look, moving away from black face paint and toward soot smudges instead, like a chimney sweep. This change came after many people pointed out that the traditional look reminded them of harmful stereotypes from the past, and Dutch communities have been having an important, ongoing conversation about how old traditions can be updated to feel welcoming for everyone.
