Dutch gezelligheid

The Dutch like to party. Not only do they celebrate Sinterklaas on the 5^th of December, they also

celebrate Christmas three times: Christmas Eve (24^th). First Christmas Day (25^th) and Second Christmas Day (26^th).

Christmas Eve
On Christmas Eve most Catholics go to church, the Protestants go to morning service. During both services people will sing typical Dutch Christmas songs.

Since 2004 there are too little churches for all the people that want to go to the Christmas services. Normally, very few Dutch go to church, but it has gotten quite popular to go to a Christmas service. Especially in the churches of Amsterdam it’s a social event rather than a religious event.

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Dutch Santa Claus in London

Events

Sinterklaas pops up in London

Where?
KK Outlet
42 Hoxton Square
London, N16PB
+44 20 7033 7680

When?
Special Sinterklaas Event: Thursday 2 December, 7 – 9 pm
HEMA Collaboration: 3 – 22 December

About

An old man on a white horse, poems, chocolate type and a lot of gingerbread-ish candy will be arriving at the KK Outlet on Hoxton Square very soon. Why? Because it’s Sinterklaas. I can hear you think: “Say what?!” It’s Sinterklaas, a saint that kind of look like an anorexic Santa Claus.

Basically, Sinterklaas does the same as Santa Claus: he rewards the well behaved children with candy and presents. Sinterklaas doesn’t have a sleigh, he has a boat and a white horse. Sinterklaas doesn’t have Rudolph, he has Piet, a (quite controversial) helper. Sinterklaas doesn’t come from a cold, icy, secret place, he comes from Spain. Even though there are a lot of differences, Santa Claus is originally Sinterklaas; Dutch immigrants brought the tradition to America.

Between mid-November and 5 December there Sinterklaas parades across all of Holland, and now there will be one in London as well! KK Outlet and HEMA will recreate a typical parade on Hoxton Square on Thursday 2 December. Including Sinterklaas on a horseback, leaving a spare shoe in the gallery overnight which will be filled with gifts from Sinterklaas and chocolate type.

Besides, there’ll be an exhibition of the best Sinterklaas related oddities, from a large wall of chocolate typeface to the best festive designs and products provided by HEMA and available to buy.

So what’s HEMA?
Well, HEMA is an award-winning Dutch department store. Picture a cross between IKEA, Woolworths and Muji, or just look at their website, it speaks for itself.

The special Sinterklaas event will be on the 2nd of December. The exhibition and display of HEMA products will run throughout December and is open to all.

~ By Steffi Posthumus

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