Classic Car Road Trip

An unconventional arrival of Sinterklaas in a 1942 Ford GPW Jeep:

Sinterklaas arrives in the Netherlands roughly two weeks before 5 December, which is when the Feast of Sinterklaas is celebrated. This feast is primarily a children's festival, though adults also join the celebrations. The Feast of Sinterklaas is marked annually by the giving of gifts and traditional Sinterklaas sweets, including gingerbread, chocolate letters and bite-sized spiced biscuits known as pepernoten. On 6 December, Sinterklaas quietly departs the Netherlands to return to Spain.

Nearly every town and village in the Netherlands organises its own arrival ceremony. The photos below depict the arrival of Sinterklaas in our village. Our village sits on the banks of the River IJssel, where Sinterklaas and his Piets arrive by boat at the ferry dam every year.

In November 2022, after Sinterklaas and his Sooty Piets had moored their boat on the riverbank, they were warmly welcomed by the acting mayor and cheering children. We drove Sinterklaas and the acting mayor through the floodplains to the village in our 1942 Ford GPW Jeep, surrounded by a group of Piets. Thanks to the four-wheel drive, the unpaved, muddy track was no trouble at all. Once in the village, Sinterklaas transferred to another vehicle for a parade through the streets.

In 2023, however, the extremely high water levels in the river scuppered the plans! It was completely impossible to moor Sinterklaas's boat at the ferry dam; we were asked to step in once again. At a secret location just outside the village, Sinterklaas stepped into our Ford GPW Jeep. We drove him safely along a dyke road beside the floodplain to our village – preceded by a group of Sooty Piets – where the mayor and a large group of children were waiting for his arrival.

The Dutch Sinterklaas is the inspiration for the American Santa Claus. The Dutch colonists brought the tradition of Sinterklaas to New Amsterdam, now New York City, along with the custom of giving gifts and sweets to children.

Read the story of Sinterklaas. Sinterklaas is also known as Saint Nicholas.

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1. 

   Arrival of Sinterklaas: Traditionally, Saint Nicholas, Sinterklaas, arrives in the Netherlands from his Bishop's Palace in Spain by boat. Sinterklaas is based on the historical figure Saint Nicholas, the Greek Bishop Nicholas of Myra, who lived at the end of the 3rd and the beginning of the 4th century. Nowadays, Sinterklaas is played by an actor.

2. 

   Arrival of Sinterklaas in a 1942 Ford GPW Jeep: November 2022, after mooring his boat, Saint Nicholas was welcomed by the mayor. About two weeks before December 5th, Saint Nicholas arrives in the Netherlands. The 5th of December is the Feast Day of Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas). Nearly every town and village in the Netherlands organises their own arrival of Sinterklaas.

3. 

   Arrival of Sinterklaas in a 1942 Ford GPW Jeep: November 2022, Sinterklaas sitting in the front passenger seat of a 1942 World War II Ford Jeep, surrounded by Sooty Piets. Sooty Piets are the helpers that accompany Sinterklaas. When Sinterklaas arrives, Sooty Piets hand out sweets to the children. The national arriving of Sinterklaas is broadcated live on the national television.

4. 

   Arrival of Sinterklaas in a 1942 Ford GPW Jeep, November 2022: Sinterklaas is a stately old man with long white hair and a long beard. Sinterklaas is dressed in a long red velvet tabard (cape) over a white bishop's alb (robe), on his head a red mitre. The tabard and mitre are embellished with golden embroidery.

5. 

   Arrival of Sinterklaas in a 1942 Ford GPW Jeep: The traditional blackface Zwarte Piet (Black Pete) was a source of discussion in the Netherlands. Today, the majority of the Piets have soot marks on their faces instead of completely black makeup, they are called Sooty Piet or Pete.

6. 

   Arrival of Sinterklaas in a 1942 Ford GPW Jeep: November 2023, traditionally, Sinterklaas arrives in the Netherlands by steamboat, but due to the high water levels in the rivers, he came to our village in a 1942 Ford Jeep. Sinterklaas is a cherished tradition in the Netherlands. The Feast of Sinterklaas is a family event, it is celebrated on the evening of 5 December.

7. 

   Arrival of Sinterklaas in a 1942 Ford GPW Jeep: November 2023, on the small dyke road along the floodplains, Sinterklaas was driven to the village. The Feast of Sinterklaas is part of the Dutch culture, it is celebrated annually with the giving of gifts and Sinterklaas sweets such as chocolate letters, gingerbread, marzipan figurines and tiny spicy cookies, called pepernoten.

8. 

   Arrival of Sinterklaas in a 1942 Ford GPW Jeep: November 2023, two Sooty Piets on a dyke road along the river IJssel. Sooty Piets are dressed in colourful velvet Renaissance-style costumes, on their head a velvet beret with a ostrich feather. Sooty Piets carry bages filled with sweets which they hand out to the children.

9. 

   Arrival of Sinterklaas in a 1942 Ford GPW Jeep: November 2023, the arrival of Sinterklaas and his page. Sinterklaas was welcomed by the mayor. The arrival of Sinterklaas is often by (steam)boat, in cities or villages without a port, Sinterklaas arrives on horseback, in a horse-drawn carriage or even by train. Sometimes, Sinterklaas arrives in a Jeep.

10. 

    Arrival of Sinterklaas in a 1942 Ford GPW Jeep: November 2023, Sinterklaas and his page were welcomed by the mayor. As a token of his dignity, Sinterklaas holds a golden bishop's staff in his hand. Every year, Sinterklaas travels from Spain to the Netherlands to celebrate the Sinterklaas Feast on 5 December. On 6 December, he leaves the Netherlands to return to Spain.