Facts: Nikolaos (in Greek `nikè' means victory and `laos' means people) was a native of Asia Minor. He was born on December 6, 280, but then again, he might have died 62 years later on the same day. He was Bishop of Myra. That's all we really know. In 1979, the Pope officially removed `Saint' from the bishop's name and no one seemed to mind. He's still our beloved Saint Nicholas or Sinterklaas, patron saint of children and sailors.
Legend: He saved three prostitutes by secretly throwing gold coins through their window, which they then used as a dowry to secure proper husbands. He rides a white horse that can jump onto rooftops, prefers to travel by steamship, lives in sunny Spain, and carries a big book that records children's good and bad behavior.
Sinterklaas Today: Let's face it, he's mainly popular because of the presents, preferably in exchange for carrots left in shoes by the chimney. He leans towards gifts such as mandarin oranges from Spain, pepernoten, a spicy-sweet cake from the Netherlands, and anything silly and useless for 5 euros or less. Adults wishing to imitate the Saint need to accompany their gifts with an original rhyming poem pointing out their recipient's less admirable traits. This poem is best written on a crowded train on the way to the Sinterklaas party.
Saint Nicholas feast day, December 6, is celebrated around the world today in the Netherlands, Aruba, Netherlands, Antilles, and Belguim as well as parts of France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Croatia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Italy.
