Sinterklaas

From Dutch Sinterklaas. Doublet of Santa Claus.

Sinterklaas (plural Sinterklaases)

1. Saint Nicholas in a folkloric incarnation, who (in the Low Countries and other parts of Europe) gives presents to children on December 5 or 6.
   • 1949, Laura Lee Hope [pseudonym], “Freddie in the Sand”, in The Bobbsey Twins in Tulip Land, New York, N.Y.: Grosset & Dunlap, →OCLC, page 113:

     Freddie filled his plate with white and chocolate Christmas trees, Sinterklaases, and dogcarts.

   • 1992 December 20, Andrew Kelly, “Dutch Santa, Authentic Sinterklaas, Faces Challenge From Anglo-Saxon Interloper”, in Los Angeles Times‎^[1], Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 13 May 2025:

     To many Dutch people, the Anglo-American Santa is a pale imitation of the authentic Sinterklaas.

   • 2013 November 4, Sally McGrane, “The Netherlands Confronts Black Pete”, in The New Yorker‎^[2], New York, N.Y.: Condé Nast Publications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 19 September 2014:

     The Dutch Black Petes are more fun, and thus more popular, than the staid saint they serve, and in the festive weeks before Sinterklaas returns to Spain (that’s where he lives, according to tradition) they show up everywhere, from schools to shops to company parties.

   • 2013 December 4, Arnon Grunberg, “Why the Dutch Love Black Pete”, in The New York Times‎^[3], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 5 December 2013:

     Black Pete and Sinterklaas also conspire to form a punitive team. In the traditional holiday songs, Sinterklaas brings gifts for good boys and girls; naughty children get a spanking with Black Pete’s bundle of twigs.

• Sinterklaas on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

From Middle Dutch Sinter Clâes.

• IPA^(key): /sɪntərˈklaːs/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: Sin‧ter‧klaas
• Rhymes: -aːs

Sinterklaas m

1. Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas in a folkloric incarnation, who (in the Low Countries and other parts of Europe) gives presents to children on December 5 or 6)
   • 1984, Het Goede Doel (Henk Westbroek and Henk Temming), Sinterklaas (song):

     Met Paas denk ik aan Sinterklaas en stuur ik hem een kaart, ik vraag hem hoe het met hem gaat en groet gelijk zijn paard.

     At Easter I think of Sinterklaas and I send him a card, I ask him how he is and greet his horse too.

2. the holiday dedicated to Saint Nicholas

• Sint-Nicolaas

• → English: Santa Claus
• →? Saterland Frisian: Sunderkloas

• kerstman
• Zwarte Piet (“Black Pete”)