Today is the Eve of Saint Nicolas. Its the day that kids in the Netherlands, Belgium and parts of Germany put their shoes out at night hoping that Saint Nicholas will leave presents for them. It all depends if they have been good. They might get sticks, coal or even worse, kidnapped.
I know this because I have two good frieds that are Dutch. My best friend here in Fairfield County and a good friend from our time in Buenos Aires are both Dutch. It either says that our common love for chocolate, coffee, cheese and children brought us together, that or that the Dutch are everywhere…
I am also well versed in the not so subtle aspects of the Sinterklaas’s arrival because David Sedaris wrote an hilarious essay about his introduction to the politically incorrect Zwarte Pieten (numerous black dudes named Pete that do St. Nick’s dirty work). I highly recommend giving his oral reading a listen and be grateful that, as a fan of Santa Claus, slavery wasn’t a possible outcome from being naughty.
