December 5.

So Thanksgiving is over and we wait for the next Holiday. For me that is Dec. 5. Sinterklaas is coming.Years ago a Bishop called Sinterklaas came from Spain to help the poor.Some say he came with the boat and others say he was on a white horse. Whatever he came op North and helped out by giving people who did not have much .So trough the years he was celebrated for all the good he did.So on December 5 all the kids would put their wooden shoes by the fire place. Then they put some straw and carrots for the horse in the shoes. Then on the morning of December 6 Sinterklaas has been there and left gifts for the children, Small gifts and some candy.The first years that we were in the U.S.A.my father in law would stop by an knocked on the door and a black hand would come around the door and he would trow candy on the floor for my girls.Through the years I have tryed to keep op the tradition, but slowly less and less. One of my daughters has kept it up with her family. Then in the last years we have a new family member. A granddaughter in law. She has been very interested in traditions. They have children now and I hope that some of my memories will go on. I wrote that my father in law had a black hand. This was because Sinterklaas had a helper and he was called black Piet.In those years the Netherlands did not have black people. So he was scary.I also remember about ten years ago. I was working that day in the hospital.When I came home I got ready for the evening and never saw that something was different until the next morning. Under my Christmas tree where gifts. Some candy, gifts and a beautiful box and a few other things.Who was in my house when I was not home. Finally I knew who had been there. Sinterklaas.My grand daughters had surprised me. I still like to believe it was Sinterklaas. It is so good to know that my memories are being past on.