’t Heerlijk avondje is gekomen. But we already celebrated Sinterklaas’ eve last weekend. It’s a Dutch tradition I’m very fond of (yeah, I might just never grow up) and we’ve been “helping the real Sint” by bringing gifts to my little cousin Valesca since 2008. ‘We’ being my dad as Saint Nick and my stepmum and I as Black Petes. If you click through to 2009, 2010 and 2011, you can see how much little V has grown into a big girl of almost 5 years old now.
She’s actually such a big girl that I think this might have been the last year that we were the helpers, as she’ll probably suspect it’s us instead of the real deal in another year’s time. When I was playing games with her while still having soot on my face, she did look at me as if she was thinking that she felt she knew me from somewhere. However, after we waved bye, had a shower upstairs and rang the doorbell, she exclaimed: “Hanny, Zwarte Piet was just here and you’ve missed it, you’re too late!”
This year was my favourite. While the Good Holy Man knocked on the front door as usual, I had climbed over the fence at the back – as Black Petes do. We threw around ‘pepernoten’ and opened up presents. The family dog sat on Sint’s lap too, but didn’t sing as beautifully as Valesca. She did dare to this year, although the beard was still a bit scary. Scarier than the soot. My dad did well though and the whole family had fun.
In the end, nobody had to be put in the sack on a trip to Spain (Sint really loves the naughty kids too you know). And after I had returned as myself, we drew the pixies Valesca had gotten as a present. I drew mine for her and vice versa, so in the last picture I’m holding the nicest creation. Note Valesca’s new hair style too (initiated by herself, but remember, naughty AND nice). I played a few traditional songs, and got some chocolate myself, before it was children’s bedtime and we concluded a “Dank u Sinterklaasje”. Fijne Pakjesavond!
Pictures by my aunt, Joke van Arkel.
2 Comments
Lovely and my how Valesca has grown x
I think i’ll know the black one and that old man!
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