Sinterklaasavond is tonight

[Semicolon]

Here are our Dutch members celebrating:

['andersom']

But before that, the  is 
She has to clean a house, and she still has to make a bunch of rhymes, teasing the receivers of the gifts she's got.

Thank goodness we decided on poems only. No need to make surprise wrappings. I would not have time for that. We're going for the cheapskate evening. The personal gestures with the gifts are what is important.

We're celebrating with a 17 yo friend, she's part of our household. She's welcome no matter what mood any of us is in.

This morning youngest left house with surprise wrapped gift. Nail-polish disguised as a bunch of flowers. They are celebrating in class, without poetry, with surprise wrapping.

['andersom']

Four poems done, three to go.

We were allowed to spend €2,00 per person. Got the 16 and 17 yo an old-fashioned brass candle-holder, one of those with a grip and a saucer for leaking wax. And got both of them a "Loesje" booklet too. One about loveletters and one with crazy plans for the world.
13 yo will get a Pirates of the Caribbean deck of cards, a sponge and a book with translated work of Coleridge: "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" with great prints of wood engravings by Gustave Doré. So, her presents will have a wet theme. Thrift-shops for the win.

Getting more than one present does mean having to make more than one poem though.

Oh well. It will be fun tonight. Wonder what the three of them got for all of us.

['andersom']

Have done a lot of clearing/cleannig.

Only two poems to go.

One with the deck of cards, and one with the sponge. The sponge is not from the thrift-shop, btw.

[Semicolon]

If "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" is left in English, it can be sung to the tune of the "Gilligan's Island" theme song. I don't know if the Dutch translation keeps the meter. Are you writing a poem to go with the poem?

Here is a haiku, if you want it, to go with the sponge:

Daughter, here's a sponge
Did you bathe in a puddle?
You're a dirty mess

[Semicolon]

Here's one to go with the deck of cards:

There once was young girl from Holland
Who decided to travel to Oland
She o'erslept, had to walk
Missed the bus to the dock
And was shat on the head by a soland

[Gopher Gary]

What does Stinkerslavond mean? 

[sg1008]

Does it have anything to do with St. Nicholas day, which is today?


EDIT: I googled it. Also, I got the dates wrong. My mom told me it was today (yesterday), and I thought it passed, but I think she meant that I should put out my shoes today.

In my family we leave out our shoes the night before and get them filled with candy in the morning. No gifts though...

['andersom']

Does it have anything to do with St. Nicholas day, which is today?


EDIT: I googled it. Also, I got the dates wrong. My mom told me it was today (yesterday), and I thought it passed, but I think she meant that I should put out my shoes today.

In my family we leave out our shoes the night before and get them filled with candy in the morning. No gifts though...

Cool!

Originally it was presents/sweets put in shoes overnight, so kids would find it December 6th in the morning.(And it was aimed at the poor the most) Over time it changed into celebrating StNic's eve. With packages with rhymes, or surprise wrappings or both. When people are past the believing stage they often keep celebrating it, with friends or family. It is never a serious thing like Christmas.

Commerce is taking over big time here, as everywhere else. So, Christmas is being highly promoted, because Christmas gifts are more expensive. Best they would like to see people celebrating both Sinterklaas and Christmas with gifts.

My Christmas will be without presents. Will take some flowers to my mother I think. But would do something like that anyway, Christmas or not.

[sg1008]

Does it have anything to do with St. Nicholas day, which is today?


EDIT: I googled it. Also, I got the dates wrong. My mom told me it was today (yesterday), and I thought it passed, but I think she meant that I should put out my shoes today.

In my family we leave out our shoes the night before and get them filled with candy in the morning. No gifts though...

Cool!

Originally it was presents/sweets put in shoes overnight, so kids would find it December 6th in the morning.(And it was aimed at the poor the most) Over time it changed into celebrating StNic's eve. With packages with rhymes, or surprise wrappings or both. When people are past the believing stage they often keep celebrating it, with friends or family. It is never a serious thing like Christmas.

Commerce is taking over big time here, as everywhere else. So, Christmas is being highly promoted, because Christmas gifts are more expensive. Best they would like to see people celebrating both Sinterklaas and Christmas with gifts.

My Christmas will be without presents. Will take some flowers to my mother I think. But would do something like that anyway, Christmas or not.

 

My grandpa is german (his grandparents were german immigrants) so we inherited fun holidays.... (it was especially fun because barely any other kids celebrate it here, so its like a random day of sweets for us...it was always magical- I prefer St. Nikolaus over santa).

This year my mom switched it up and got our family a game of monopoly.

[Semicolon]

Was Sinterklaas kind to you, Hyke?

['andersom']

St Nicolaas has been very kind to me this year.

[Semicolon]

St Nicolaas has been very kind to me this year.

Did you get a special poem about your bovine excellency?

['andersom']

St Nicolaas has been very kind to me this year.

Did you get a special poem about your bovine excellency?

I got a candle-holder with candle, glued on a package with chocolate. And, on a reclining chair, also glued on the package a stuffed cow toy was sitting, watching the candle.
And it came with a poem about it being time to relax a little.

Got a puzzle book to train my slow and forgetful brain. (with poem working that out, of course.)

And a book with all kinds of sweet things written and drawn in it especially for this little bovine. Not the average feel good book that can be bought, but made for me.

So, the saint has been really good to me this year.

The saint was really good to the others too.

['andersom']

Here is a haiku, if you want it, to go with the sponge:

Daughter, here's a sponge
Did you bathe in a puddle?
You're a dirty mess

Just read it to her.