Sinter Klaas 2009

In keeping with Dutch tradition we celebrate Sinter Klaas on December 5 . We keep things very simple. A few treats and mostly practical gifts for the kids. Books are always part of it. And socks - the interesting ones with stripes or dots or pictures. We didn't intend for socks to become tradition, but they have and since we need socks anyway, why not? But finding something inexpensive and pracitcal, yet "just right" for ten different personalities can get sort of complicated. Such much for simplicity. :) One year, in place of a gift, we went away together for a day. Two years ago we took the girls to see Anne of Green Gables at the theatre. This year we asked them to give us a list. So they all set to work and came up with some good ideas - things I wouldn't have thought of.

I never intended for these to become part of the tradition, either:

But the kids love it when we have them. They do make for a healthy, help-yourself sort of snack any time of the day...

...but this is the part that gets a little exasperating. Shells on the table, underfoot, everywhere.

Once the "just right" gifts are found and wrapped and all the "I can't waits" are over, I enjoy it too. It is fun to watch their reactions.

The boys are so into Thomas the Tank Engine. The characters are alarmingly real to them. For their birthdays this year they received some of the engines and a few of the small take-along sets. Gerald found the Ultimate Thomas take-along set at Costco and it seemed like the perfect thing for them.

Three Thomas':

It's not only the little boys who like to play...

A certain little girl likes to play, too, but she has a habit of causing a catastrophe. We overheard Brent saying, "I was so excited when Nadia was born, but it's not fun anymore." :)

The girls had been busy putting gifts together for everyone. Allison made beautiful doilies for the other girls. Leah made these:

Aren't they cute? I love it that they use their imaginations and limited resources and manage to come up with something special.

This game, 10 Days in Africa, was a gift for the whole family. It involves a bit of strategy, but it's easy to learn and only takes about 15 minutes per game. You might even call it educational, so we can play it and say we're 'doing school'.

When the day was over they said, "Only 364 days until next Sinter Klaas." :)