Sinterklaas Cake
Tomorrow, the 6th of December, it's Sinterklaas's birthday, Sinterklaas being the thousands of years old bishop who's giving away presents and sweets for his birthday. Tonight his birthday will be celebrated by giving each other lots of presents (children believing it's the Saint who's giving the presents). In The Netherlands, where I live, Sinterklaas's birthday is celebrated extensively, especially by people with kids. Santaklaus doesn't play a big role in this country. Of course Christmas is celebrated, but here it has more to do with the birth of Christ than with Santaklaus.
My daughters and their class first will welcome Sinterklaas at school this morning. The youngest kids will get presents, but the oldest had to make a 'surprise' in the last couple of weeks for someone in their class (chosen by drawing a name from a bucket full pieces of paper with the names of all children in class on it). The intention is to craft something around a litte present, accompanied by a rhyme that tells about the present or the recipient.
My daughter drew someone who loves wind surfing, so my husband sawed the board, I made a guy dressed up as one of Sinterklaas's helpers and my daughter painted the board and made the sail and the rhyme.
My husband's parents and his sister with her husband and daughters and my own parents will come over for diner tonight. I'm keeping it simple, with soup and bread, but as a dessert I've made a large cake, decorated with pepernoten, meringues, a chocolateletter and spicy cookies, all sweets associated with Sinterklaas.
While I was making the cake, my daughters baked pepernoten.
My daughters and their class first will welcome Sinterklaas at school this morning. The youngest kids will get presents, but the oldest had to make a 'surprise' in the last couple of weeks for someone in their class (chosen by drawing a name from a bucket full pieces of paper with the names of all children in class on it). The intention is to craft something around a litte present, accompanied by a rhyme that tells about the present or the recipient.
My daughter drew someone who loves wind surfing, so my husband sawed the board, I made a guy dressed up as one of Sinterklaas's helpers and my daughter painted the board and made the sail and the rhyme.
My husband's parents and his sister with her husband and daughters and my own parents will come over for diner tonight. I'm keeping it simple, with soup and bread, but as a dessert I've made a large cake, decorated with pepernoten, meringues, a chocolateletter and spicy cookies, all sweets associated with Sinterklaas.
While I was making the cake, my daughters baked pepernoten.
Below: Sinterklaas and his white horse Amerigo
More information about Sinterklaas you can find here
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My Rove Cardigan was featured by Creative Jewish Mom!
Thank you, Sara!
Happy Sinterklaas!
ReplyDeleteThat cake looks yummy and I was so interested to learn about the traditions of Sinterklaas!
ReplyDeleteI was so interested to read about the Sinterklaas traditions - and what a lovely cake! Thank you so much for sharing, and for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Link Party, Liz!
ReplyDeleteI lived in Germany several years ago,and really enjoyed the St. Nicholas day traditions - thanks for sharing with Party in Your PJs!
ReplyDeleteFascinating tradition, and I love the fact that it's more about the birth of Christ than about Santa Claus. I love the gift-giving inspiration in the school too. Making gifts that appeal to others whose names you draw. Love this.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing a little about how you celebrate in the Netherlands. It's so interesting to know what people do around the world. The cake looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteHi Liz, I just stopped back to let you know that you are one of the features at this weeks Handmade Monday :-)
DeleteThe cake looks delicious! Thanks for sharing at Sew It Cook It Craft It!
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