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Originally Posted by 1-X
tell us about Zwarte Piet  |
Saint Nicholas the festive gift-giver
Saint Nicholas Day is a festivity for children in much of Europe related to surviving legends of the saint, and particularly his reputation as a bringer of gifts. The American and British Santa Claus derives from this festivity, the name 'Santa Claus' being a degeneration of the Dutch word Sinterklaas.
this is him btw.
Some elements of this part of the Saint Nicholas tradition could be traced back to the Germanic god Wodan (Odin). The appearance is similar to some portrayals of this god.
In the Saint Nicholas tradition in the Netherlands he rides a horse over the rooftops, and this may be derived from Odin's riding through the sky. Also his assistants, the
Zwarte Pieten ('Black Peters') may be a remnant of the raven that accompanied Wodan. It may also be a reference to African slaves.
a 'zwarte piet'.
Celebration in the Netherlands
The Dutch St. Nicholas at his arrival in the town of Sneek in november 2005 In the Netherlands, Saint Nicholas' eve is the present-giving occasion in the Netherlands (after birthdays). In recent years, Christmas (along with Santa Claus) has been pushed by shopkeepers as another present-giving festival, with some success, although, especially for young children, Saint Nicholas' eve is still much more important than Christmas.
oh and i just ate a bag of 'pepernoten' and bought my presents. \0/
i'm in the mood!
