In the Netherlands they have a tradition that is different from any other other country I have lived in before. On the 5th of December each year they celebrate Sinterklaasdag (Saint Nicholas Day). Apparently Saint Nicholas comes to the Netherlands each November from Spain, by steamship, with his hulp-Sinterklazen (helpers) Zwarte Pieten (black Petes). He wears a hop’smiter, a regal looking head dress, and has a long metal staff to help him around due to his age. After his arrival he tours the Netherlands for several weeks by horse and boat. On December 5th he visits each good girl and boy’s house to bring gifts on the eve of the Saint Nicholas feast day, December 6th.

The Dutch tradition demands that all presents are wrapped in some imaginative way and that every gift is accompanied by a fitting poem from Sinterklaas about the recipient of the present (of course, as it is Sinterklaas that has given the gift and therefore written the poem, I am told the poems can poke fun at the recipient!). It is meant to be a fun time for a family and the present opening usually happens after a family meal on the 5th. Most workplaces close early on the 5th and schools usually open a bit later on the 6th, and idealistically the emphasis is on originality and personal effort rather than the commercial value of the gift…

Apparently the Zwarte Pieten were slaves from Africa, however, as you can imagine the Zwarte Peiten have become, well, not quite politically correct.  Although I have heard several different versions of the Zwarte Pieten myth, nowadays it is said that they are black due to going down the chimneys giving out presents to help St Nicholas.

Most of the information above has been taken from friends and (S)hell colleagues so any mistakes or incorrect info is down to them So if you are Dutch, Happy Sinterklaas day!