SinterKlaas

My mom's dad my grandpa was Dutch which gives us another holiday to celebrate. now we never did do this as an annual tradition when he was alive but when my Grandma Vander Does lost him we all felt like we needed to keep his memory alive so we started to celebrate SinterKlaas. We gather at my moms on Dec. 5th (this year we were a day late since we all had to work.) to have fondue party plus to eat sausage and sauerkraut. My mom celebrates in style. she always makes sure that she has her tree up Christmas lights everywhere and little knick knacks in every corner.

       

     

Its great to search the Christmas tree to find the hidden treasures which are the ordainments that she has gathered through out her years with my father. which reminds me she will be celebrating her 36th anniversary with my daddy on the 13th of this month. (that's just married years they have been together since they were 14 years old. you cant find love like that.)
     
I always like to get to my moms house before the others arrive. I like to sit in her yellow kitchen and watch her move and cook as we talk about our daily life.
 
as soon as the others arrive the house is again filled with laughter joy bliss... we eat eat and eat some more. we fill our bellies to the point that your not sure if and when you will be able to eat again.
   
How we celebrate Sinterklaas is by making ordainments. now this might not be the proper way but each year we gather at the table with the boxes filled with random crafts glue and sparkles as we sit talk laugh paint glue and eat more until we are satisfied with the result of are newly designed ordainment.

  

  
as the night goes on we start to migrate to the living room where we are served peppermint ice cream with windmill cookies my the young kids...


some with chocolate some with out then my mom will proceed to tell the story of Sinterklaas... as she does this I listen and remember my grandparents and the legacy they have passed down to each of us. this was the first year with out my grandma. she was missed.
  
But as soon as the story ends we get to open the presents. Now how my grandma would do the present was by placing a clue on each wrap of the paper... and before you can open the next layer you had to guess what the present might be. which of course is more fun then the little $5 gift we give.
           
This is only the start of our celebrations we have and each year they are better and better I love spending December gathered in my parents house with my family and each year I look forward to each celebration we have. 

Happy SinterKlaas!

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