Double Take

It is great to see the reactions here in Brussels when an American, and especially a Southern American are around for St. Nicholas Day. On December 6 most Belgians families celebrate St. Nicholas Day (or Sinterklaas if you are Dutch). I don't know all the history on it, but click here for a few stories. Children leave out their shoes on Dec. 5 and in the morning they are filled with candy and perhaps a few gifts around them. The funniest part about the whole holiday to me is that St. Nicholas (who is of close relation to Santa Claus) has helpers very similar to the elves, but here they are called Black Petes. A definition from Wikipedia is that "Their blackness was racial, with Pete being an imported African servant of Saint Nicholas since 1850 (though some people say Pete was a slave who, when Sinterklaas bought him his freedom, was so grateful that he stayed to assist him). Today however, the more politically correct explanation that Pete's face is "black from soot" (as Pete has to climb through chimneys to deliver his gifts) is used. "

All I know is that I do a double take every time I see a Black Pete and no one else ever seems to think anything is weird. For some more examples of St. Nicholas and Black Pete pictures click here and here.