Sinterklaas Guide for Expats in the Netherlands

More than ten years later, Sinterklaas is one of the things I love most about living here. It is warm and funny and specific in a way that tells you something real about Dutch culture: the emphasis on playfulness, on gentle teasing between people who know each other well, on creativity over pure spending. It is the kind of tradition that rewards participation.

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Who Is Sinterklaas?

Before anything else, let us be clear about who this person actually is, because a lot of expats assume Sinterklaas is simply a Dutch version of Father Christmas.

He is not. Or rather: he is not Father Christmas. He is Saint Nicholas.

Sinterklaas is based on Saint Nicholas of Myra, a fourth-century bishop who was known for his extraordinary generosity — most famously the legend of throwing bags of gold through a window to provide dowries for three impoverished sisters. His feast day, December 6th, has been celebrated in the Low Countries for centuries, long before the modern Christmas gift-giving tradition developed.

In the Netherlands, Sinterklaas is depicted as a tall, dignified elderly man with a long white beard, dressed in the red and gold robes of a Catholic bishop, complete with a tall mitre and a golden staff called a staf. He is solemn, wise, and grand in a way that Santa Claus — who tends to be jolly and accessible — is not. He knows everything about every child in the Netherlands. He keeps a large red book (the groot boek) in which all the good and naughty deeds of the year are recorded. His white horse is called Amerigo and travels with him everywhere.

And here is the detail that surprises most newcomers: Sinterklaas lives in Spain.

The Netherlands has a whole constructed geography around this. He arrives by steamboat — the stoomboot — from Spain each year, bringing a large boat full of gifts and helpers. He then travels around the Netherlands by horse until December 5th, when he returns to Spain for another year.

This geography makes perfect sense to Dutch children and precisely zero sense to anyone else, which is part of what makes it so charming.

The Intocht: Sinterklaas Arrives

The Sinterklaas season begins officially with the intocht — the arrival — which takes place on a Saturday in mid-November, usually the second or third weekend. The exact date changes each year, but it is always a Saturday, and Dutch public broadcasters cover it live on national television.

The main national intocht takes place in a different city each year, broadcast from around 11am. Sinterklaas arrives by steamboat at the harbour, steps off in full regalia, and is greeted by the mayor of the host city. He then mounts his white horse and leads a procession through the streets, accompanied by his helpers and a crowd of thousands of excited children.

Every city and large town also holds its own local intocht in the weeks following. These are worth attending — the scale is smaller but the atmosphere is often more intimate. Children line the streets waving flags, singing Sinterklaas songs, and hoping to catch pepernoten that are scattered into the crowd.

What to do as an expat: If you have children, the intocht is a genuinely magical thing to attend. Look up your local gemeente’s (municipality’s) website in October to find the date and route. Bring your children, dress warmly, and let them stand near the front. Even as an adult with no children in tow, watching the intocht is a good way to understand the scale of this celebration in Dutch life.

Schoen Zetten: Setting the Shoe

From the intocht until pakjesavond on December 5th, Dutch children can set their shoe (schoen zetten) on evenings throughout the season. This is one of the most immediate and charming parts of the tradition.

The shoe — typically a single shoe, not both — is placed near the fireplace if there is one, or otherwise near the front door, the radiator, or somewhere else Sinterklaas’s helpers can reach. Inside or beside the shoe, children traditionally leave something for Sinterklaas’s horse: a carrot, some hay, a drawing, or sometimes a handwritten letter.

In the morning, the shoe has been filled. Usually this means pepernoten or kruidnoten, sometimes a small chocolate figure or tangerine, occasionally a small toy or colouring book. The gifts in the shoe are small by design — schoen zetten is not the main event. It is the daily ritual that builds anticipation toward December 5th.

Children sing Sinterklaas songs while waiting for the shoe to be discovered in the morning. Some of the most famous ones — “Sinterklaas kapoentje,” “Zie ginds komt de stoomboot” — you will hear constantly during this period. Learning even a verse or two is a good investment if you want to connect with Dutch colleagues or parents at the school gate. My guide on the best apps to learn Dutch covers tools that can help you pick up songs and seasonal vocabulary quickly.

Sinterklaas songs you will definitely hear:

• Zie ginds komt de stoomboot — the arrival song, describing the steamboat approaching from far away
• Sinterklaas kapoentje — a shoe-setting song where children ask Sinterklaas to fill their shoe
• Hoor wie klopt daar kinderen — about Sinterklaas knocking at the door

Pepernoten and Kruidnoten: Eating Your Way Through the Season

Walk into any Dutch supermarket from mid-September — which is, yes, significantly before November — and you will find wall-to-wall displays of Sinterklaas sweets. The first sign is always the kruidnoten.

Kruidnoten are small, round, hard biscuits, about the size of a marble, spiced with a mixture that typically includes cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and anise. They come in bags ranging from 200g to several kilos, because the Dutch will eat extraordinary quantities of them. They are scattered into the crowd at intoches, poured into bowls at offices, and consumed in huge numbers from October through to December.

Pepernoten are technically different — softer, chewier, larger, and more intensely spiced — but in everyday usage Dutch people often call both things pepernoten, regardless of which one they are actually holding. Do not worry about this distinction. Simply eat whichever one is in front of you.

Beyond these, the Sinterklaas sweets calendar includes:

• Chocolate letters — large milk or dark chocolate letters, one per initial. Receiving a chocolate “S” or “J” (your first initial) as a gift is a Sinterklaas staple
• Taai taai — chewy, anise-flavoured biscuits, shaped like figures
• Speculaas — spiced shortbread biscuits, associated with Sinterklaas season but eaten year-round
• Banketletter — puff pastry filled with almond paste, shaped into an initial, traditionally given by adults to family members

Zwarte Piet: Understanding the Debate

This is the part of Sinterklaas that any honest guide must address, because it is one of the first things expats tend to ask about and one of the most emotionally charged topics in contemporary Dutch society.

Traditionally, Sinterklaas’s helpers are called Pieten — most famously Zwarte Piet, Black Pete. The traditional depiction shows a figure in colourful Moorish-inspired clothing, wearing a curly black wig, and with a face painted entirely black, exaggerated red lips, and gold earrings.

The explanation offered within the tradition has historically been that Piet’s face is black from climbing down chimneys to deliver gifts. However, many people — particularly members of the Dutch Black and Surinamese communities, anti-racism activists, and others — have argued for decades that the visual presentation draws directly on racial stereotyping and caricature rooted in the history of colonial slavery, and that the chimney explanation was a later rationalisation.

The debate became much more public and intense from around 2011 onwards, and it has been genuinely divisive in Dutch society. Some Dutch people view the traditional depiction as an innocent childhood tradition that carries no malicious intent. Others see it as a depiction that causes real harm, particularly to Black children, and that the Netherlands must change. There have been protests, counter-protests, heated parliamentary debates, and a great deal of media coverage.

What has actually changed: many municipalities, national broadcasters, schools, large retailers, and public institutions have moved to roetveegpiet — a soot-smudge Pete, whose face is marked only with chimney smudges, not painted black. The national Sinterklaas television broadcast shifted to roetveegpiet. In larger cities, particularly Amsterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht, roetveegpiet is now standard in most official celebrations. In smaller towns and rural areas, traditional Zwarte Piet depictions remain more common.

What this means for you as an expat:

You may encounter both depictions, depending on where you live and which events you attend. This is a genuinely sensitive subject, and how Dutch people feel about it varies considerably. It is not a topic to wade into lightly with people you have just met.

the editorial recommendation is to listen, observe, and let Dutch people lead the conversation rather than offering strong opinions early. You will encounter thoughtful people with deeply felt views on multiple sides. The important thing to understand is that this debate is real, ongoing, and significant in Dutch public life — it is not a settled matter, and it is not something to dismiss in either direction.

If you have children in a Dutch school, the school’s approach will usually be communicated in a newsletter beforehand. Most schools in urban areas have moved to roetveegpiet or other alternatives.

Pakjesavond: The Main Event

December 5th is pakjesavond — the evening of gifts — and it is the emotional and celebratory centre of the entire Sinterklaas season.

This is not Christmas. This is bigger than Christmas, for Dutch children. It is the Dutch gift-giving occasion, and it comes with specific rituals that make it unlike anything in most other cultures.

How pakjesavond works

In the traditional version, the evening begins when there is a knock at the door — usually after dark — and a large sack of gifts is discovered on the doorstep. Someone has left it there (supposedly a helper of Sinterklaas) and nobody saw who. The gifts inside are wrapped and labelled with names, but there is no giver identified — they all come from Sinterklaas.

This knock-at-the-door moment is one of the most remembered childhood experiences for Dutch people. Many families have an adult quietly slip outside to knock on the front door and leave the sack, while the children are watching inside. The effect on small children who fully believe in Sinterklaas is, by all accounts, overwhelming.

The gifts are then opened one at a time. And this is where the gedichten come in.

Gedichten: the poems

Every gift is accompanied by a handwritten poem. This is not optional. This is not a nice addition. The poem is part of the gift.

The poem is written in the voice of Sinterklaas (or his helper), and it is addressed specifically to the recipient. It references something real about their year — a habit they are known for, something that happened at work or school, a running joke between family members, something mildly embarrassing. The poem teases gently and affectionately, not cruelly. It is read aloud before the present is opened.

Writing a good gedicht requires thought and some knowledge of the recipient. Dutch adults spend real time on them. The poems are usually written in rhyming couplets (AABB), though the quality of the rhyme varies considerably in practice, and this is accepted and even appreciated.

If you are participating in an office gift exchange, you will almost certainly be expected to write a poem. I will come back to this.

Surprises: the art of the gift wrap

Beyond gedichten, pakjesavond has another layer of tradition: the surprise (pronounced the French way: soor-PREEZ).

A surprise is a gift that has been disguised inside an elaborate, handmade construction designed to represent something about the recipient. The gift itself is usually small — the point is the packaging, the creativity, the thought.

• A book about cooking, hidden inside a model oven made from painted cardboard
• A bottle of wine tucked into a structure shaped like a giant pencil (for a colleague who was always writing)
• A gift card concealed inside a miniature paper version of someone’s car
• A coffee machine manual packed inside a structure shaped like a coffee cup the size of a person

The surprise can take hours or an entire Sunday afternoon to make. Some families are highly competitive about the quality of their surprises. It is a legitimate Dutch art form.

Lootjes Trekken: The Dutch Secret Santa

In adult contexts — offices, friendship groups, extended families — the gift exchange often takes the form of lootjes trekken. This is the Dutch equivalent of Secret Santa.

Each person draws a name (this is traditionally done by pulling folded paper names from a hat or bag — hence trekken, drawing) and buys one gift for that person. The budget is agreed in advance, typically somewhere between €10 and €25 for office situations.

The differences from generic Secret Santa are:

1. You are almost certainly expected to write a gedicht. Even in work settings, the poem is part of the expectation. If you draw a colleague you do not know well, a light-hearted poem that says something generic but warm is perfectly acceptable — but a real poem that references something specific about them is always appreciated more.

2. A surprise wrapping is optional but marks you as a participant who actually gets it. Even in offices that do not have a strong surprise tradition, showing up with an inventively packaged gift will earn you real respect.

3. The whole thing happens on or around December 5th, not Christmas. This is important to calendar. Office pakjesavond parties often happen the week of December 5th or the Friday before.

Practical office advice:

• Find out early whether your office does lootjes trekken. Most Dutch offices do.
• Confirm the budget.
• Ask a Dutch colleague what the office tradition is around gedichten and surprises. Some offices are more elaborate than others.
• If you draw someone you barely know, ask a mutual colleague for one detail about them — a hobby, something they did recently, anything — that you can work into the poem.

For more on Dutch workplace customs that affect your daily experience, my guide on Dutch work culture for expats covers the broader professional context.

Sinterklaas at School: What Expat Parents Need to Know

If you have children in a Dutch primary school (basisschool), Sinterklaas will be a significant part of the school calendar from mid-November onwards. Here is what to expect.

The school visit. Many primary schools organise a visit from Sinterklaas and his helpers, usually in late November or very early December. Children are prepared for this over weeks of activities, songs, crafts, and shoe-setting days. The visit itself is a big event — Sinterklaas arrives at the school, and each child receives a small gift. For children who are young enough to believe (roughly up to age 7 or 8), this is genuinely magical.

Shoe-setting days. Schools often have class shoe-setting days where children bring a shoe and leave it overnight in the classroom. They find small treats or drawings when they return.

The lootjes. Older classes often organise their own gift exchange — children draw names and bring a small wrapped gift with a poem. The teacher coordinates this. Budget guidelines are usually included in a letter home.

What to do:

• Read the school newsletters carefully from October onwards for Sinterklaas-related communications
• Find out whether the school does a lootjes trekken for the class and what the budget is
• If your child is young and has just started believing in Sinterklaas, be prepared for significant excitement. This is the Dutch version of the weeks before Christmas in other cultures
• If your child is from a different cultural background and finds the celebration confusing, Dutch teachers are generally very warm about helping newcomer children participate and feel included

How to Write a Gedicht (Even If You’re Not Dutch)

Let me be honest: writing a Sinterklaas poem in Dutch when you are still learning the language is a challenge. But it is absolutely worth attempting, and even a simple effort will be enormously appreciated by Dutch colleagues or friends.

The basic structure:

Sinterklaas poems are traditionally written in rhyming couplets — two lines that rhyme — and addressed directly to the recipient. They typically:

1. Open by referencing Sinterklaas or his journey from Spain
2. Mention something specific and amusing about the recipient
3. Close with a warm wish and a reveal of the gift

A very basic example (in English, to illustrate the structure):

Dear Thomas, Sinterklaas has travelled far and wide, And spotted how you always leave your coffee cup inside. Your desk is like a cup museum, quite the sight to see — So here’s a present, with a hint: perhaps this sets you free.

In Dutch, this would rhyme more naturally. If you are not confident in Dutch, writing the poem in English with a Dutch title and a Dutch opening line (“Beste [naam], Sinterklaas heeft gezien…”) is a perfectly acceptable hybrid approach in international offices.

If you want to improve your Dutch before the season starts, look at the resources in my guide on Dutch language courses — starting in September gives you time to learn enough seasonal vocabulary to write a basic poem.

Sinterklaas Versus Christmas in the Netherlands

The answer is: they celebrate both. Sinterklaas and Christmas coexist, but they serve different functions.

Sinterklaas (December 5th) is the gift-giving occasion, especially for children. This is when presents are exchanged, when families gather for pakjesavond, when the whole elaborate poem-and-surprise tradition unfolds. For Dutch children, December 5th is more emotionally significant than December 25th.

Christmas (December 25th and 26th — the Dutch celebrate both days) is primarily a family occasion focused on food, togetherness, and religious observance for those who observe it. There is often a Christmas tree, Christmas cards, and special meals, but large gift exchanges on Christmas Day are less common than in British or American culture. Many Dutch families exchange small symbolic gifts on Christmas, if anything at all, having already done the main gift exchange on pakjesavond.

The result is that the Dutch have two distinct celebrations in close succession, each with its own character. Sinterklaas is elaborate, playful, structured, and very specifically Dutch. Christmas is quieter, warmer, and more universally European in feeling.

For a broader overview of Dutch celebrations throughout the year — including King’s Day in April and other holidays that will shape your social calendar — my Dutch holidays and traditions guide for expats covers the full picture.

Practical Sinterklaas Timeline for Expats

Here is a simple timeline to keep you oriented:

Mid-September: Kruidnoten appear in supermarkets. The Dutch will act like this is completely normal. It is not, but you will come to accept it.

Second/third Saturday of November: The intocht. Watch it on NPO1 at home or attend your local version. Mark the date.

Mid-November to December 4th: Schoen zetten season. If you have children, this is the nightly ritual. Buy a bag of kruidnoten to put in the shoe.

First week of December: Office pakjesavond events typically happen this week. Confirm whether your workplace does lootjes trekken.

December 5th (pakjesavond): The main event. If you have been invited to a family celebration, treat it with the same weight as Christmas Day. If you are doing lootjes at work, bring your gift and your poem.

December 6th: Sint Nicolaasdag. Sinterklaas officially returns to Spain. The shops immediately start transitioning to Christmas decorations. Dutch people treat this as normal.

Connecting Sinterklaas to Broader Dutch Life

Sinterklaas is not just a holiday. It is a window into several of the values that run through Dutch culture more broadly: the comfort with structured play, the directness wrapped in warmth (a gedicht can tease but must never wound), the emphasis on equal participation, the value placed on creativity and making things rather than just buying them.

Understanding Sinterklaas makes it easier to understand Dutch directness, Dutch warmth, and the way Dutch people build closeness through shared jokes rather than through polished formality.

If you are working on your integration more broadly — learning the social codes, building friendships, understanding how Dutch professional and personal life works — Sinterklaas season is genuinely one of the best opportunities of the year. Participating, however imperfectly, signals that you are trying to engage with the culture rather than observe it from a polite distance.

For more on building genuine connections in the Netherlands, my guide on making friends in the Netherlands as an expat covers the strategies that actually work. And for the social codes that govern everything from birthday parties to dinner invitations, the Dutch social etiquette guide is worth reading alongside this one.

Sinterklaas, after all, is also a social occasion. And social occasions, in the Netherlands, have rules — unwritten, assumed, and nowhere posted. This guide is, I hope, the warning you needed.

Prettige pakjesavond.

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