Day 320) Bright December moon is beaming...

Today Sinterklaas had his arrival to the Netherlands.
We've been watching a bit on TV and went to town to see his arrival there as well.
I couldn't go without Sinterklaas nails.
So here is another Sinterklaas nail art.
This one is inspired by a Sinterklaas song the children sing.

I have a quite literal translation of this song in English:

See the moon shines through the trees,
Mates, stop your wild roars.
The delightful evening has arrived.
the evening of Sinterklaas.
Full with expectations beats our heart,
who'll gets the cake, who'll gets the whisk.
Full with expectations beats our heart,
who'll gets the cake, who'll gets the whisk.

But a more correct translation would be (according to an English digital school):

Bright December moon is beaming
Boys and girls now stop your play!
For tonight’s the wondrous evening,
Eve of good St Nicholas Day.
O’er the roofs his horse unshod
Bring us gifts or else the rod.
O’er the roofs his horse unshod
Bring us gifts or else the rod.

Well, enough about the song.
I've painted an evening with moon and tree and houses.
This is simular to the images that go with the song.

Day 314) Nail art black Pete

Today another nail art for my country and the celebration of Sinterklaas.
This one is about black Pete.

A black Pete is a companion of Sinterklaas. He has a blackface with black curly hair, is dressed up like a 17th-century page in a colorful suit, often with a lace collar, and donning a feathered cap.
Black Pete's usually carry a bag which contains candy (pepernoten) for nice children and a roe (chimney sweep's broom) made of willow branches, used to spank naughty children.

Right now, there is a huge discussion going on about racism towards the Pete's for being black and servants of Sinterklaas. It's being sketched as slavery.
As a little kid I also asked why they were black and I always got the answer that they have black faces because they climb down dirty, soot-filled chimneys.
Of course this doesn't explain the curly black hair and large red lips.
But I was satisfied with the answer and now I look at it as a tradition that shouldn't be changed because their role isn't being a slave. They are just as important as Sinterklaas and forfill a role that can't be missed.
I wouldn't mind if they get another color either. What's in the skintone?! I wouldn't mind them being white, yellow, black or even pink.
It's a celebration for kids!!
But under no circumstances I want to be named a racist so I decided to skip all of this from my nail art and use just some other characteristics.

Index: feathered cap
Middle: Chocolat letters 'P' for Piet and 'S' for Sinterklaas. Burlap sack filled with presents
Ring: Pete's hand throwing pepernoten (spiced round cookies)
Pinky: Roe (chimney broom) and carrot for Sinterklaas his horse

Day 309) Nail art Sinterklaas

Sinterklaas/Sint Nicolaas (Saint Nicholas), also known as De Goedheiligman (The Good Holy Man) or simply De Sint (The Saint) is a traditional winter holiday figure that brings gifts to 'good' children.

In the Netherlands his birthday is celebrated annualy on 'Sinterklaas' eve (5 December), which we call pakjesavond (presents/gifts eve).

Sinterklaas has a lot of simularities with Santa Claus (Kerstman) but they are not the same and we do celebrate Christmas (Kerst) as well (on 25 and 26 December).

The arrival of Sinterklaas into the Netherlands (this year on 16 November) is a huge event and is broadcoast on national TV. He arrives with a steamboat which we call pakjesboot (presents/gifts boat).

With him there are a lot of zwarte Pieten (black Pete's) which are the helpers (like Santa's elves).
They climb down the chimney's to deliver the presents. They are very acrobatic and throw pepernoten (see image) for the children to find.

From the arrival until Sinterklaas eve it's custom that children put one shoe in front of the fireplace, sing Sinterklaas songs and go to bed.
Sometimes the shoe contains a drawing for Sinterklaas or a treat (apple, carrot, hay, sugar) for his horse.
The next morning drawings and treats are gone and there will be candy or a little gift in return. Or a small plastic bag filled with salt if you were naughty.

On Sinterklaas eve it's common that families sing Sinterklaas songs and will be interupted at some point by a zwarte Piet that throws pepernoten. After the first shock the children will look for zwarte Piet and will find a burlap sack with presents instead (left by zwarte Piet).
Although it's a feast for young children it's common that the adults and older children will receive some gifts as well (mostly in a personalized surprise wrap, see image and/or with a personalized poem).

On 6 December Sinterklaas departs without any ado and all festivities are over.

Today I decided to make a nail art about Sinterklaas and some of his charasteristics:
- Index: Sinterklaas his big book (who's been naughty or nice)
- Middle: Present/gift
- Ring: His red mitre with golden cross
- Pinky: a gold-coloured crosier; a long ceremonial shepherd's staff with a fancy curled top