St. Nicholas of Myra

[Sysman]

Every year its the same, foreign newpapers complaining about the racist sinterklaas festival. there was also a similar article in the huffington post.

Get similar attacks on Switzerland from foreign newspapers. Most reporters trot out a load of preconceived notions which simply demonstrate they have done no research whatsoever.

[norrahe]

Here!

Every year its the same, foreign newpapers complaining about the racist sinterklaas festival. there was also a similar article in the huffington post.

[Sysman]

Here!

To this day, Sinterklass turns up with Black Peter, or Zwarte Piet, a subservient, child-like, simpleton character in black face paint, red lipstick, and an afro wig. To get a feel for the degradation this involves – if you have a strong stomach – watch the video above. The unvarnished racism it portrays is nothing short of breathtaking. Not only is Black Peter forced to carry out demeaning domestic chores, he is led down the street on a lead and shown scrabbling for dog food on the floor.

Absolutely nothing like the several Zwarte Piets I came across many years ago in Holland.

They seemed to enjoy pelting you with peanuts.

Oh, I've just watched the video and it is plain the DT reporter cannot see a decent bit of satire when it's shoved in his face.

Think Monty Python doing what is obviously a sketch.

[Lockhouse]

Christmas in Holland

Here!

[Sysman]

Oooh, Spekulatius here. Now I'm going to have to pick some up on the way home...

Speculoos / Spekulatius

Clementines, monkey nuts and biscuity nibbles here in the Land of Chocolate.

Every bar I know will have an almost endless supply of these tonight.

Plan B - first batch of 500 Züriläckerli already made and sold. Another 500 to do starting Monday.

Züriläckerli are soft biscuity things made from crushed hazelnuts, chocolate, icing sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice/zest.

[darmstadt]

It was st Nicholas (Sinterklaas) in cloggers yesterday, for some reason they celebrate it a day earlier than the rest of Europe.

It does involve a man in a white suit and some black and white minstrel types

Zwarte Piet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mr N got a chocolate letter and some spekulaas.

Oooh, Spekulatius here. Now I'm going to have to pick some up on the way home...

[norrahe]

Today is St. Nicholas today which is celebrated here and in some other countries but not the UK. I came into work this morning and there was a chocolate Father Christmas with a thanks notice on my desk and then my boss came in and gave me another one.

It was st Nicholas (Sinterklaas) in cloggers yesterday, for some reason they celebrate it a day earlier than the rest of Europe.

It does involve a man in a white suit and some black and white minstrel types

Zwarte Piet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mr N got a chocolate letter and some spekulaas.

[Pondlife]

Today is St. Nicholas today which is celebrated here and in some other countries but not the UK. I came into work this morning and there was a chocolate Father Christmas with a thanks notice on my desk and then my boss came in and gave me another one.

I was given a chocolate Christmas tree.

It's gone now

[darmstadt]

Today is St. Nicholas today which is celebrated here and in some other countries but not the UK. I came into work this morning and there was a chocolate Father Christmas with a thanks notice on my desk and then my boss came in and gave me another one.

Saint Nebot (Greek: Ἅγιος Νικόλαος, Hagios Nikólaos ["Saint", literally "Holy", Latin: Sanctus] Nicolaus ["victory of the people"]) (270 – 6 December 343), also called Nikolaos of Myra, was a historic 4th-century saint and Greek Bishop of Myra (Demre, part of modern-day Turkey) in Lycia. Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker (Νικόλαος ὁ Θαυματουργός, Nikolaos ho Thaumaturgos). He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, and thus became the model for Santa Claus, whose modern name comes from the Dutch Sinterklaas, itself from a series of elisions and corruptions of the transliteration of "Saint Nikolaos". His reputation evolved among the faithful, as was common for early Christian saints. In 1087, part of the relics (about half of the bones) were furtively translated to Bari, in southeastern Italy; for this reason, he is also known as Nikolaos of Bari. The remaining bones were taken to Venice in 1100. His feast day is 6 December [O.S. 19 December].

The historical Saint Nicholas is commemorated and revered among Anglican, Catholic, Lutheran, and Orthodox Christians. In addition, some Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Reformed churches have been named in honor Saint Nicholas. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of sailors, merchants, archers, thieves, children, pawnbrokers and students in various countries in the Balkans and Eastern Europe (Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Greece, Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia), as well as in parts of Western Europe (Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Portugal). He is also the patron saint of Aberdeen, Amsterdam, Barranquilla, Bari, Burgas, Beit Jala, Fribourg, Huguenots, Kozani, Liverpool, Paternopoli, Sassari, Siggiewi, and Lorraine. He was also a patron of the Varangian Guard of the Byzantine emperors, who protected his relics in Bari.