From the 18th of November the children in Holland start singing Sinterklaas songs in front of their chimneys at home.

Every evening the children put carrots or apples in their shoes and a bowl of water for Sinterklaas's horse.

Children believe that Zwarte Piet climbs into their homes every night through the chimney     to take the food put and drink that has been placed by the kids. What happens in fact is that the parents are the ones taking the food and placing the gifts instead. Parents do this to keep the story of Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet alive for their children.

One fine day kids will find out that Sinterklaas has been dead for a long time and that the parents are playing Zwarte piet and Sinterklaas instead. When kids find out they feel shocked and wonder how they could have been so foolish to think that Sinterklaas is still alive. Kids often start to cry when they discover the truth about Sinterklaas.

During the Sinterklaas period parents buy pepernootjes, chocolate letters, boterstaven filled with marzipan and other goodies.

Sinterklaas is celebrated in all the Dutch schools as well. Up to second grade the kids receive a small present like a box of Lego or a small stuffed animal. in the other grades the children make a surprise (pronounced "su-preeze"). What is a surprise? It is a gift made for someone along with a poem. The gift is packed to fool the receiver about what it really is. The poem Is written using all sorts of information about the person who is going to receive the gift.

After December 5th Sinterklaas goes back to Spain on his steamboat.The children hopefully got the presents that they were longing for and are now happily waiting for Christmas. Usually, children get a few hours off in the morning of December 6th. School starts a little later and they have a few hours to play with their new toys.