For Dutch children, the most exciting night of December is not Christmas Eve but the evening of December 5 — pakjesavond, 'present evening', when Sinterklaas brings gifts. The celebration is based on St Nicholas, a 4th-century bishop of Myra in present-day Turkey, whose feast day is December 6. It is also celebrated in Belgium and in other Dutch-speaking communities.
Who Is Sinterklaas?
Sinterklaas is an elderly, white-bearded bishop in a red cloak and mitre, carrying a golden staff and riding a white horse. He keeps a large book recording whether each child has been good. His name comes from Sint Nicolaas, and the American figure of Santa Claus is widely believed to have developed partly from Dutch Sinterklaas traditions brought to New Amsterdam (New York).
The 1850 Book That Shaped the Tradition
Many details of the modern celebration were popularised by the 1850 picture book 'Sint Nikolaas en zijn knecht' (Saint Nicholas and His Servant) by Amsterdam schoolteacher Jan Schenkman. The book helped establish the idea that Sinterklaas arrives by steamboat from Spain and rides his horse over the rooftops, and it gave him a servant who became known as Zwarte Piet.
The Arrival: Intocht
In mid-November, Sinterklaas makes his official arrival, the intocht, by steamboat. In the Netherlands, a different town hosts the national arrival each year, and it is broadcast live on television; Belgium's arrival traditionally takes place in Antwerp. Over the following weeks, children put a shoe by the fireplace or door in the evening, sometimes with a carrot for the horse, and wake to find small treats inside.
Pakjesavond: December 5
On the evening of December 5, families exchange presents. Gifts are traditionally accompanied by a poem, often teasing the recipient, and by a 'surprise' — a gift hidden inside a creatively made disguise. December 5 is not a public holiday, so many families hold their celebration on the nearest weekend.
Sinterklaas Sweets
- Pepernoten and kruidnoten: small, crunchy spiced biscuits, often scattered for children to find.
- Chocoladeletters: chocolate letters, usually the first letter of the recipient's name.
- Speculaas: thin spiced biscuits, sometimes shaped like Sinterklaas.
- Banketstaaf: a pastry log filled with almond paste.
- Marzipan figures in all sorts of shapes.
The Zwarte Piet Debate
For many years Sinterklaas's helpers, the Pieten, were portrayed by people in blackface makeup, a practice that has been widely criticised as racist. Since the 2010s there has been a major public debate in the Netherlands, and many towns, schools and broadcasters have changed the character. A common version today is the 'soot Piet' (roetveegpiet), with a few smudges of soot from coming down the chimney instead of full blackface. Practice still varies from place to place.
Travel tip: If you are in the Netherlands from mid-November to early December, shops and bakeries will be full of Sinterklaas sweets, and many towns hold their own local arrival events at weekends. Check the town's tourism website for dates. The national arrival location is announced each year by the broadcaster.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Sinterklaas celebrated?
The main celebration is pakjesavond on the evening of December 5, the eve of St Nicholas Day on December 6. Sinterklaas 'arrives' in mid-November.
Is Sinterklaas the same as Santa Claus?
They are related. Both come from St Nicholas, and Santa Claus is widely thought to have developed partly from Dutch Sinterklaas traditions in America. In the Netherlands, however, Sinterklaas and Christmas are separate celebrations.
Why does Sinterklaas come from Spain?
The idea was popularised by Jan Schenkman's 1850 book. Historians have suggested possible links to the historical connections between Spain and the Low Countries, but there is no single agreed explanation.
Travel Guides Finder Editorial Team
Editorial Team
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