There's More Where This Comes From!

Eleven days here and only two posts, so I'm backlogged on stories! If I don't get them out, then they'll fade from my feeble mind. So this time I'll start with a big day over here today. It's called Sinterklaas Holiday on December 5th. Of course Sinterklaas is derived from Santa Claus, and both bring presents for children. But that's about where the similarities end. This Sinterklaas arrives from Madrid in the 3rd week of November, and he has small, black skinned helpers called Zwarte Piet. Some here have made this an issue of racism. History has several explanations for this character. One is he's an Ethiopian orphan who was saved from slavery by Sinterklaas. Another has them as chimney sweeps, which is why their faces are blackened by soot. Another says he's a Moorish assistant of Sinterklaas. Either way, it's an interesting difference from what I have obviously been exposed to. They do celebrate Christmas here, so these two occasions appear to be separate. Hopefully I'l know for sure as time goes by. Stay tuned!