The Last Sinterklaas

Oh no, it happened! My kids no longer believe.

For our family, this is probably the last time we’ll have a visit from Saint Nicholas.

In Holland, there’s an entirely separate Saint Nicholas who has his own history, traditions, and events. December 5 is the big day and every Dutch child looks forward to it as much as American kids look forward to Christmas. Here in the US, we’ve happily been double dipping Saint Nicholas and Santa Claus for the past 11 years, but I think it came to a close today as my oldest was clearly beyond belief.

My youngest even said that it didn’t really make much difference if you believed in the actual person (or e.g. easter bunny) but that you were in the spirit of the holiday. Sometimes, I don’t know where kids get these deep thoughts. As if they’ve thought them through and through. But maybe that’s exactly the nature of children’s’ thoughts: deep and meaningful without having to think them through. Maybe that’s he purity of their minds. What a lovely concept.

But my boys today were more interesting in throwing around the football outside of the hall where Sint and his Zwarte Pieten were frolicking and handing out gifts and reading poetry (as per the traditions). The boys ran back in to partake in the chocolate and (Dutch) specialties: speculaas, koekjes, mandarjinen, and more.

We’ll see how Christmas goes this year with their older cousins. Whatever they believe, it won’t affect my beliefs too terribly much as I believe in the spirit of the season and that belief you’re never too old for.