St Nicholas, Father Xmas, etc - what do you do?!

[Weta]

Just wondering what other people do for St Nicholas on 6th December?

We are in Luxembourg and I was taken by surprise last year when we turned up at school and DS1's classmates started telling him what St Nicholas had brought... it's an English-speaking class, but lots of the kids come from various European countries, so there's a wide range of traditions.

So, what does he bring to your house? and do you still do Xmas stockings on the 25th? We have Xmas with my ILs in France but so far we've been able to have presents on the 25th on the grounds that the children are too small to stay up on the 24th, so the stocking seems to fit in ok for the moment - but I suspect its days are numbered!

Don't know about Luxembourg, but in Belgium, on the evening before 6th December, children put their slippers near the chimney or by the front door, fill them with carrots for Sinterklas / St Nicolas' horse, sometimes someone pretends to be St Nicolas and leaves a sack of presents (of course it's mum and dad) and the children open their presents and sing loads of traditional songs. It's the main day for gift giving to children. Some parents give the presents on the morning of the 6th, but not so practical if it is a school day. If the children are at school on the 6th, almost invariably the great Saint visits the smaller children at school and leaves them sweets or small gifts. The children spend the days before 6th at school doing all sorts of things relating to the great Saint. Near us, the great Saint is a bit more modern, he no longer arrives by horse from the Netherlands (travelling by boat from Spain) but instead he travels by helicopter - my kids love it, they wait for the helicopter then the Zwarte Piets (black servants) give the children sweets and you go to see the great Saint to get your free photo.

We still do Santa Claus and Christmas dinner, but the main present is now on 6th.

I'm with natation, we too do our "big" pressies on 6th December - then do a stocking for Xmas day and put presents that family send under the tree.

Plus, we have frequently go away/go back to UK on Xmas day/Boxing day, so not fair to give big toys that have to be left behind - whereas a dvd or 2 and new pens/colouring stuff/books etc can be taken along.

St Nick goes to dd's school too. We pay 5 euros and everyone gets a present - these stay at school - not sure if that will continue now she is in primaire.

I do a small pressie on the 6th, and big ones on 25th. At 15 he is really too old though....

Oh you can never be to old for Xmas surely?....st Nick maybe.....

My employer usually does a fab day for the kids - cinema or circus with a huge goody bag and a Colruyt voucher. Unfortunately we will miss it this year as back in the UK that weekend.

Dh's used to too but they are getting stingier each year. Started with St Nick coming to visit at a party at MiniEurope/Planckendael or some such and loads of goodies. Last year dd got a bag of chocolate St Nicks and that was the lot

Scaryteacher, I'm thinking of doing the same as you. How small is your small pressie (for a 7yo in our case)?

Our situation is a bit different because he goes to the English section of the European School so isn't surrounded by local customs in the same way - but half the class seems to come from eastern Europe/Belgium/Germany so lots of the children do get presents from St Nicholas.

Love the helicopter, natation!!

We did go on the St Nick steam train last year but the inundation of bags of chocolate and sweets is all a bit much, especially with a child who is allergic to dairy and can't eat any of it (lots of extra kilos for us though!).

Tends to be a PS3 game (Amazon is my friend) or a book. I'm back in UK next week for half term, so will pick something up then for him.

I meant he was getting too old for St Nick Porto, not Christmas! You should see the list of demands requests for presents.

Dd has come to me this morning and said all seriously, " Now I am getting bigger mummy, this year I really think it is about time that I got my own DS"

To be fair, all her cousins have one. No more playmobil then hurrah?

I was very excited to learn that SN arrives in Antwerp on a boat from Spain. And you can go take your DC to see him

Portofino - I'm digging my heels in and refusing to allow Sinterklaas to bring DD1 anything electronic - she will be getting the Hogwarts lego castle instead - more lego hurrah!

My children will have a big present from Sinterklaas, then we will got to England on Christmas Day and they will have a small stocking from my mother Father Christmas.

Kreecher - we will watch his arrival on TV, it will take up the whole day with several days build up, he gets practically more coverage then a royal wedding!

Looking forward to it belgo. It is our first christmas in Belgium, we will be in the UK for the actual day fingers crossed.
DD very happy about the two sorts of Xmas' there are here.
When we lived in Switzerland, we used to go to the next village and wait for Sint Niclaus to arrive on a boat with his Smutzli. She was very scared of them and, TBH so was I.
What time does the man normally arrive? I don't want to be out in town at stupid o'clock.

I don't know what time he arrives, but there will be crowds, I'm perfectly happy for the children to watch it on TV.

"The annual arrival of Sinterklaas in Antwerp will of course take place again this year 14/11/2010. The steamer of the Sint meert around 13: 45 a.m. the Scheldt Quay. Mayor Patrick Janssens will Santa Claus with a ceremony. The Saint, Zwarte Piet, housekeeper Conchita, Ramon, Ship captain, sailor Mathilde and the horse Slechtweervandaag are in line with the Gay Parade"

I love the online translator!

One website says 13th and one 14th - maybe he comes twice?

Thanks for that. I've got something to aim for. I don't have a calender handy, but it seems that if it's a school day, DD will be missing another. Bad mum.

Love the Gay Parade !!!

The Sint will do a little detour to Scotland this year (or send over one of his Pieten)

We used to put out our shoe or slipper a few times between the Sint's arrival & find a little gift in the morning. The bigger presents arrived evening of the 5th with lots of banging on the door and pepernoten thrown in the hallway (courtesy of the neighbour zwarte piet)

oricella, maybe Sinter Klaas loves it too - hence coming twice

Both dates are on the weekend.