Monday, December 5, 2016

Weekly Winners and Sinter Klaas


We have winners at SOS Aloha:

- Carol L. wins a book choice from my convention stash.

- Dani D. wins the box of Scottish books.

Tonight, children in the Netherlands will be winners when Sinter Klaas visits their homes. From Holland.com,

Sinterklaas, also known as Saint Nicholas, is dear to the hearts of Dutch children. He can be recognized by his eye-catching red cape with red miter and his long white beard. The saintly man arrives each year in mid-November on a steam boat filled with gifts and together with his helpers, all referred to as 'Piet’ (Peter).

For children, this means they can put their shoe next to the chimney or back door. At night, Sinterklaas rides across the rooftops on his white horse Amerigo and places little treats or gifts in the children's shoes, assisted by his helper, Peters. Traditional sweets are gingerbread men, marzipan and chocolate letters. 



When we lived in the Netherlands, I volunteered with the International Spouses' Club (ISC).  Each year, the ISC hosted a holiday fair for each country to sell crafts for charity.  The ISC itself sold chocolate treats from the Rousseau Chocolate Factory (link).  Since I lived near Rousseau, I volunteered to be the coordinator - big mistake.  You can imagine the temptation as the chocolate was stored in my house!



Do you have an "international" traditions in your family and/or town?  One randomly selected commenter wins a book choice from my convention stash.  Comments are open through Sunday, December 11, 10 pm in Baltimore. I'll post the winner on Monday, December 12.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Image result for aloha on my mind christmas


13 comments:

  1. Congrats winner
    Kimh

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  2. Some of our traditions have come from the English side of the family. They go back generations. Like putting nuts in shells in the toes of stockings. Always a big rush for the hammer or vice later on.

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  3. No not really. This area might I guess

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  4. OMG thank you....The only tradition that we do is we have a meatless Christmas Eve dinner.

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  5. No, none that I can think of. It's all very traditional and Canadian.

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  6. Congratulations and especially to Danielle - great prize! I've started my own traditions such as having a tree trimming party. Our family is Sicilian but we don't do the "fishes" Christmas Eve like some because my one grandmother was a fisherman's daughter and she didn't want any part of it lol.

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  7. I know of no non American tradition in my area. I shall have to cogitate some more on this

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  8. No - not really - except the Christmas Tree - that started in Germany.

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  9. I guess the Italian cookies we make only at Christmas. They're so time consuming. They are called Cucidati and my Italian grandmother passed it on to us. And like Di mentioned. The Christmas tree which originated in Germany. Thank you for the in. Congrats to Danielle. Awesome prize. :)
    Carol L
    Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

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  11. Congratulations winners!!

    My mother in-law is English so every year we have personal sized Yorkshire puddings. We also pull crackers and go around the table reading the cheesy jokes inside. Some years she does a plum pudding with custard, but not always.

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  12. I can't really say that we have any international ones. But congrats to all the winners!

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  13. Unfortunately, no international traditions in our family or in this area. I know the hispanic families at the area churches do get together and follow their traditions, but this is not a public thing.

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