Black Pete
Yesterday was the first time in 3 years that I did not put my carrot filled wooden clogs by the fireplace and wait for Sinterklaas and the Black Pete’s to come and give me gifts and candy. It was a sad day for me not being in A’dam to experience it (Sinterklaas unfortunately does not travel all the way over to the USA to deliver presents.)
My entry about Sinterklaas last year has gotten a lot of hits and comments regarding my insinuation that Black Pete’s were originally a racial thing. Even with that, I still believe it. It is kind of like Halloween in the US. Today it is just a fun holiday where you dress up and get candy in return, but originally it started out as a pagan holiday where the spirits of dead people came back to cause destruction. Clearly that is not what it is today, and I personally believe that could Sinterklaas have a somewhat darker history as well.
Whatever the case, Happy Sinterklaas to all your Netherlanders out there. I’m sitting here eating my fancy chocolate letter D that my good friend Steph gave to me. Yum. And I got a cute postcard from a Black Pete. I’m happy that even over the pond I can still experience it and take part in the traditions of my beloved Netherlands.