Today is my turn to share an Old World Christmas. Going along with my Dutch heritage and my upcoming book set in the Netherlands, Holland was an easy choice.

They have some wonderful traditions. For example, the secular part of the holiday is separated from the religious part. On December 5th, they celebrate Saint Nicholas Day. Instead of Santa Claus, they call him Sinterklaas. He comes on a boat from Spain, not the North Pole. Once he arrives in the Netherlands, he and his side kick, Zwarte Piet (Black Peter) ride a white horse through the town with the bells ringing. The children leave their klompen (wooden shoes) out on the night before, filled with hay and carrots for Sinterklaas’ horse. Then Sinterklaas will leave a present in the shoes.

December 25th, Christmas Day, is the religious holiday. Families will go together to church and have a family dinner. What a great way to remember the true meaning of a holiday.

One tradition our Dutch family likes is banket. It is a long pastry filled with almond paste. We cut it into slices and savor it. I like to warm mine a little bit in the microwave. My sister lives in a Dutch area in Michigan and my mom visits there every December and brings it to me for Christmas morning.

In first grade, my Dutch teacher introduced to us the idea of the hay and carrots in the klompen with the anticipation of a gift on Saint Nicholas Day. It’s a tradition I’m going to try this year.