Santas From Around The World: The Netherlands- Sinterklaas (Advent 2020, Day 5)

In parts of Europe, today is St Nicholas Eve. That means that Sinterklaas is on his way to make a lot of good little boys and girls very happy.

Unlike the American version of Santa, Sinterklaas doesn't hail from the North Pole. Instead, he hails from Turkey. More a cleric than a jolly fat man, Sinterklaas rides a white steed, bedecked in a red frock, carrying a golden staff. Sinterklaas looks like he just jumped off of a chess board if I'm being honest.

The legend of Sinterklaas is where we get the tradition of putting out stockings for Santa to fill. Legend has it that 3 young girls in a poor family were destined to be sold as prostitutes to help ease the family debt. Hearing this, Sinterklaas sneaks into the girls home one night and gifts each of them with gold coins inside of some clothes that the women have hanging up to dry.

Today being the eve of St. Nicholas, the children of Europe will put their shoes out by their front door. Some will be filled with hay to feed the horse Sinterklaas rides. If the children are deemed good, they'll awaken tomorrow to shoes filled with oranges, nuts, candy and if they are really lucky; some odor eaters…

For today's recipe, since St. Nicholas Day is celebrated all over Europe, I've got my pick of countries to choose from. I'm going with the Netherlands and their spicy peppernut cookies that resemble the nuts that Sinterklaas gifts for the kiddos.

Enjoy!

1977: A Madman Turns 40: 2017- Day 142

       After what happened last night in Manchester, it's really hard to want to be nostalgic today. The great Roger Moore of the Saint and James Bond fame passed away today at 89 and it just doesn't feel right to post on Facebook some sort of tribute to him today. 
   
      Sadly, terrorism isn't anything new these days. It seems like we just wait by our phones and computers for news of the latest terror attack. I turn to CNN regularly wondering to myself 'what horrible thing has happened now..."- not because I'm secretly hoping for tragedy or anything like that. With my social anxiety, it's more like being unemployed and going to the mail in fear of yet another mounting bill.

      Terror is sadly a way of life in 2017. But even for 1977 standards, terrorism wasn't a new concept. Nor is the use of juveniles as a way to get your message of hate across, as this supposed suicide bomber did last night in the name of Islam.* In fact, 40 years ago today, Moluccan nationalists held a train and an elementary school hostage for almost 3 weeks in the Netherlands. The dozen or so terrorists held 105 students and 50 adults as prisoner.

      Thankfully, the siege at the school ended without any loss of life. The children were allowed to leave a couple of days earlier as they all came down with a mystery virus. (It's believed that authorities spiked the kids food with laxatives to get things moving in the hostage negotiation process, so to speak.) Sadly, one hostage died in the onslaught of a Dutch anti-terrorist unit in ending the crisis on the train.

      The Moluccan community has never apologized for this incident. Though decades later, a couple of the former terrorists gave their lives to Christ and meet in person with the now adult hostages and made amends. 

     As I have learn over the years, healing takes time. A really long amount of time. It drives me nuts when I have to process something over with therapy. But the breakthroughs come. And sometimes, like right now, you learn something and it sets you back a bit. 

    What I'm getting at is that there are going to be a lot of children, teens, and family members who experienced last night's bombing, that will need therapy, healing, and support. As someone who works security for events part-time, I understand that the venue workers, road crew, and even the performer of the show, Ariana Grande will need support too. But it bothers me that I see more people on social media offering their prayers and encouragement to the headliner (who was nowhere near the blast) than the dozens of lives that were either killed or severely injured. 

     Where have our priorities gone?...

      I think that's all that I have to heart or spirit to put into today's post. 

      Until next time...

* ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks moments before this post went live.