Sinterklaas gifts
The Dutch are under the spell of Saint Nicholas, not Santa Claus! The first kruidnootjes (ginger nut) and marzipan figures pop up in the shops around October. Off then, the Zwarte Pieten and Sinterklaas infiltrate our lives. Everywhere are gifts and candy, children put their shoe and sing songs to humor Sinterklaas (and get presents in their shoe of course). There's even a daily Sinterklaas bulletin on the tele.
Santa Claus has to wait until Sinterklaas and his Pieten have left. But the moment they get on their steam boat and head back to Spain, all the shops focus on the Christmas theme. And we start all over again: shop till you drop...
