Tension is rising...7 more sleeps

"We are going to visit the house of Sinterklaas tomorrow", Luisa announced enthusiastically to us 2 weeks ago.

After Sinterklaas officially arrived in the city of Antwerp by boat in a big television show, he has a temporary house in Hasselt where he stays in between his many "store" visits, city parades and local preperations before December 6th.

**************

"Look what I've got from Sinterklaas, ...grandma S has seen Zwarte Piet in the garden this morning, ...look look (while waving a bag of chocolate figures & marsepin pigs in my face)...ooooh and I got a police helicopter, it can lower a man for rescue here..."
"mommy can you get the 2 letters...I had more green than red"

Stef doesn't know what to tell me first upon my arrival at my parent's home yesterday, jumping from one topic to another with a lot of enthusiasm. Little by little some story that my mother has seen a Zwarte Piet in our garden in the morning and had left her a letter with red & green points for Stef comes out (interesting, this must be a new strategy from Sinterklaas to write the children letters. I always thought it was the inverse). In the afternoon the door bell had rang and a box with some toys and candy had been left, but a Zwarte Piet was only seen at the hedge in the end of the garden anymore, leaving already for the next family. This was clearly only a teaser for the big weekend next week when Sinterklaas would come at Stef's own house. He was very excited and was hoping for some more Playmobil.

**********

"Sinterklaas's toilet is in the form of a throne" chuckles Stef at the table later on "and the Zwarte Pieten have a room to practise"
"to practise what" asks my mom curiously
"Well grandma, they have to walk on the roof and throw presents through the chimney" he answers with a look showing we've asked the obvious.

Interesting to hear that Sinterklaas also has a house in Sint-Niklaas to visit ;)...I hope Stef and Luisa don't meet in the coming week :p


********************

"I want Strawberry Shortcake!" exclaims Renée this afternoon showing us a drawing.

"Look look, my letter to Sinterklaas! And tonight were going to put our shoe already" which she demonstrates shortly later with the big working shoes from granddad she has managed to find in the hallway.

"I'm going to sing already so he knows he has to come" when she rushes in the living room again asking us to lower the tv sound after which she immediately starts to sing "Zie ginds komt de stoomboot" solemnly and with great concentration facing the chimney.

Comments

Shan said…
It's fun to share in their excitement, isn't it?
Kat Mortensen said…
Who is Zwarte Piet? I'm confused!

I know about those Marzipan pigs! The Danes have rice pudding with a hidden almond in it on Christmas Eve. If you find the almond, you get a Marzipan pig!

I think it's neat that Sinterklaas comes in on a boat.

Kat

P.S. Thanks for your regular comments on Kigo of the Kat. I really appreciate them. There's a new one about the moon today.

Popular Posts