Sinterklaas arts & crafts. Such fun:)

[beelikej]

Why does LJ demand to refresh every.single.page before showing it? Did the latest 'release' break the system again? Hrmpf. This makes it really hard to catch up on my flist. Hopefully this post is coming through: I'm quickly sharing a photo of my arts & crafts creations for Sinterklaas;) I added a link to yesterday's family festivities in my pictureblog (it was easier to upload the rest of the photos there.)



These are the surprisepackages I build, from left to right:
- a sheep for my mom; hiding a jar of sheepherder's handcreme;
- a cuddly Sinterklaaspuppet with a fake book that makes music upon opening and contains candy, for my darling nephew;
- a chainlock and key for my dearest brother, who got his bike stolen. Hidden inside the lock is a funky bicycle horn and the chain was later wrapped around additional present, a DVD of Ladri di Biciclette (italian film Bicyclethieves;)
- a big bag of Sinterklaascandy (the present is wrapped in paper with candy-print) for my brother's girlfriend with a fancy shoulderbag and candy-scented showergel inside;
- a huge -and heavy!- loaf of bread surrounding a book with baking recipies for my sister in law;
- a toy-train with a tiny toddler version of my other brother, build upon a book with lectures about evolution.

I added short four-line poems explaining the packages (and teasing the recipients;)


Traditionally Sinterklaas is celebrated on the evening of December 5th, but my family got together yesterday to party with a pile of presents:)

What kind of holidays do you celebrate in December? (Feel free to ask questions about Sinterklaas if anything is unclear!)

Oh, also! You can still add your address to my cards-list here (less than two weeks before I go!)

Comments

[cassiopeia7.livejournal.com]

Gosh, even your presents are creative -- LOVE the sheep and bicycle chain! You baked the bread, too? Is there anything you cannot do? (Also? Your nephew's going to grow up into a heartbreaker, just you watch.) :)

Holidays celebrated? For me, there's the Winter Solstice (not officially a holiday, but still a contemplative moment) and Christmas. Pretty boring. :)

So, Sinterklaas is kind of a mini-Christmas? Presents, feasting and all?

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

Thank you *curtsies*
I did not bake the bread myself, I'm not that creative with food;) I did carve out a neat space for the book though and I build it back together from two loafs, connecting them carefully with hidden toothpicks.

Winter Solstice sounds very nice. We don't celebrate Christmas with presents, but a lot of people nowadays celebrate that American style as well as or instead of Sinterklaas.

Sinterklaas is MEGA Christmas, especially in my family. :-p
Most people just draw one name (like secret Santa) and not everyone makes surprise packages anymore, but the poems are what makes it Sinterklaas. You're not supposed to reveal your identity; the poem is written like Sint or his assistent wrote it. It usually reflects a significant event from the past year, poking a little fun of the situation.
There is lots of special candy (these days already available in September, hrmpf) but no hot meal. We always end our celebrations with a hearty pea-soup, a traditional Dutch winterdish.

My nephew is already such an overload of cute;)

[tmn1966.livejournal.com]

I've been looking forward to seeing this post! You and your family have such a good time together and it's fun seeing all the presents. You're so imaginative/clever in coming up with your gifts.

Thank you so much for sharing all the photos! ♥

I can't believe it's less than two weeks when you leave!!!!

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

:-) It was the first time we didn't celebrate at the big family table at my mom's, but we had just as much fun together at the other side of the country;)

Only eleven nights to go, I can't believe it neither, eeep! *runs around frantically trying to figure out what to pack*

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

What fun presents--it's always special when someone takes the time to personalize gifts exactly for the recipient!

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

The purpose of Sinterklaas is to make it extra personal with added poems about events that happened in the past year. It's such a lovely way to reminisce with the whole family:)

[meesasometimes.livejournal.com]

I love seeing what your creative process is every year with this. It tickles my brain. I may even steal the bread idea (I give alot of cookbooks to my wife, her choice, she is a wonderful cook), I think I'll hide them creatively :)

THe Bicycle Thieves, *G*...I'm still laughing at that :)

Have an amazing holiday.

[beelikej.livejournal.com]

I love that you enjoy these posts :-)
The book was a bit bigger than I thought, so I ended up using two loafs of bread and I fit them together with cleverly hidden toothpicks (I warned my sister in law about them, as she served the bread later with our soup ;)

Thank you, have a great December too!