The road ahead is rarely straight…

Either way, if you are naughty you end up in the sack

It’s that time of year again. You know, when all the stores are filled with displays of chocolate letters, pepernoten and speculaas, the kids run around in feathered caps and velveteen bloomers with blackface make-up and Sinterklaas rides through town on his magic white horse named Amerigo.

On the night of December fifth, when Saint Nicolas rides Amerigo over the rooftops of Holland, the kids put one of their shoes by the fireplace filled with a giant carrot for Amerigo. In exchange, Sinterklaas fills the shoe with toys and candy and leaves a basket of presents by the front door. Kerstman (Christmas man) will come on December 25, but he just brings candy. The choice booty comes from Sinterklaas, so good behavior is required. If you are naughty, he will have one of his Zwart Pieten (Black Peters) put you in a cloth sack and send you off to Spain. (I’m sure this was a scarier threat centuries ago when Spain was the enemy of the Netherlands.)

This year, I was in Prague for all the excitement. Czechs also celebrate Saint Nicholas Eve, but with a different twist.

Saint Nicholas visits the Czech Republic, but he doesn’t arrive on horseback. Angels lower St. Nicholas, with a bag of presents and sweets for good children, down from heaven on a heavy golden cord. On the eve of December fifth, three figures visit each child: St. Nicholas who gives gifts to children, a Devil who comes to take bad children away, and an Angel who pleads on their behalf.

Traditionally, Saint Nicholas quizzed children on prayers and the Bible, but these days, kids are usually asked about their behavior over the past year. The Angel, dressed in white, writes a record for each child in a big book. The Devil, a shaggy creature with horns, tail, and a long red tongue, carries a long staff and a sack he uses to carry away bad children. He is chained to show that he is under the control of Saint Nicholas. The devil rattles his chains, threatening to carry bad children off, but the angel protects the children. Children have to sing a song for the Saint, who then gives them some advice on improving their behavior for next year. Good children receive stockings filled with tangerines, nuts, chocolates, and small gifts. Supposedly, bad children get sticks, old potatoes or coal.

In Prague, the stores had displays of chocolate angels, devils and coins. The Old Town Square was already filled with stalls of food and crafts for the Christmas market and kids were walking around dressed up with angel wings or flashing battery-operated devil’s horns. I saw a lot more little devils than angels. I wonder who picked the costumes, the kids or their parents!

Lynelle Barrett lives in the Netherlands and has been mostly good all year, but she hopes no one is really keeping track. Check out photos of her adventures on her website at: http://lynelleinholland.spaces.live.com