Happy Sinterklaas everyone!
As I saw an American member post a thread about Thanksgiving, I figured I had the right to educate you guys on a Dutch tradition: Sinterklaas (Sint Nicholaas / Saint Nicholas). In essence: Santa Klaus with a little less commercialisation
In any case: have a good one!
Cuthalion
Cool, we should all tell about the differences in December celebrations between our countries
What's differs from the myth of Santa Claus Cuthalion? Given that I get the impression the holiday isn't celebrated on December 24th/25th.
That's a quirk about the Swedes by the way, we celebrate christmas on December 24th. The day after is a red day (when people don't have to go to work or school) but other than that it has no special significance. Nope, 24th is when the action is - among other things ~3,500,000 of us sit down and watch a one-hour Disney cartoon compilation that's remained the same and been broadcast on Christmas Eve for over forty years (!).
See, our country was sortof leaning towards the eastern bloc culturally and we were used to seeing Polish and Chezchoslovakian cartoons. That hour of Disney cartoons were the only broadcast that company got to have over here. We did have some Warner Bros stuff running regularly though like Tom & Jerry, but yeah, Polish and other Warzaw pact cartoons dominated childrens' programming back in my childhood. The TV landscape has changed completely now of course, but the tradition remains - from toddler to grandma everyone sits down and watches an hour of Disney before eating Christmas dinner :dunce:
Quote:Originally posted by Razorwing
Cool, we should all tell about the differences in December celebrations between our countries
What's differs from the myth of Santa Claus Cuthalion? Given that I get the impression the holiday isn't celebrated on December 24th/25th.
That's a quirk about the Swedes by the way, we celebrate christmas on December 24th. The day after is a red day (when people don't have to go to work or school) but other than that it has no special significance. Nope, 24th is when the action is - among other things ~3,500,000 of us sit down and watch a one-hour Disney cartoon compilation that's remained the same and been broadcast on Christmas Eve for over forty years (!).
See, our country was sortof leaning towards the eastern bloc culturally and we were used to seeing Polish and Chezchoslovakian cartoons. That hour of Disney cartoons were the only broadcast that company got to have over here. We did have some Warner Bros stuff running regularly though like Tom & Jerry, but yeah, Polish and other Warzaw pact cartoons dominated childrens' programming back in my childhood. The TV landscape has changed completely now of course, but the tradition remains - from toddler to grandma everyone sits down and watches an hour of Disney before eating Christmas dinner :dunce:
Heh, I can give you a translation or two on those
Thats just too cool that yall still do that !
I am sure most of you know the american traditions of buying useless items until your billfold turns to dust
Sorry if I sound negative, I just don't follow all the comercialism that is Christmas in the US of A. I tend to stick with the more important message that christmas brings.
I think sitting around with the family to watch Disney is as good a way as any
But to all I say HAPPY SINTERKLAAS
Enjoy
Diet Bob
(Now with a splash of Lemon)
Is "Happy Sinterklass" similar to celebrating St. Nick's birthday (the 6th), in Germany?
Quote:Originally posted by Siegfried
Is "Happy Sinterklass" similar to celebrating St. Nick's birthday (the 6th), in Germany?
I don't know, but it sounds similar, I do know that the 5th of december is not just Sinter Klaas for me, it's also my birthday.
As I gather, Saint Nicholas was a guy from Spain who helped homeless kids. His birthday on 5th December (according to Dutch myth) was the day on which he gave those kids presents. That evolved into him bringing all the kids of the Netherlands (and Belgium?) presents on 5th of December
