My Christmas city

Christmas in Holland

After 6 December (Saint Nicolas), the Dutch prepare for Christmas. They set up the Christmas tree and decorate it, and they get their Christmas decorations out of the cabinet and decorate their house. Sometimes they overdo themselves like on this picture. It is more like a contest of who has the most notable house. Anyway, then the time comes, the first day of Christmas. The Dutch have sometimes go to church, even if you are not Christian some go to church at Christmas time. But most of the time, you invite someone or a family over to eat diner with you, or you go to someone to diner. The second day of Christmas, we do the same. But you don’t go to church if you have already been there on the first day of Christmas.

Peter

With Christmas, in the Netherlands:

-Santa Claus gives us presents.

-When there is snow, we play in it and skate on the ice.

-On the First day of Christmas we eat an extensive breakfast and at night we eat a big fancy dinner.

-The day after Christmas we can buy our firework.

- At the week before Christmas we decorate our Christmas tree.

We have made a movie about how we experience the month of December in Holland:

Thomas, Adriaan., Tim en Martin

Adelbert college (Holland)

At my home we always eat Christmas turkey with my whole family.

You can fill the turkey with meat but also with vegetables, if you fill it with meat it will be very much and maybe even to much.

Written by: Veronique Goudberg.

Dutch Sinterklaas Songs

Zie ginds komt de stoomboot

Zie ginds komt de stoomboot uit Spanje weer aan.
Hij brengt ons Sint-Nicolaas ik zie hem al staan.
Hoe huppelt zijn paardje het dek op en neer,
hoe waaien de wimpels al heen en al weer.

Zijn knecht staat te lachen en roept ons reeds toe:
"Wie zoet is krijgt lekkers,wie stout is de roe!
"Och lieve Sint Niklaas, kom ook eens bij mij,
en rijd toch ons huisje niet stilletjes voorbij.

This song is about Sint Nicolas who arrive in the Netherlands. On his boot with his horse and his servends. Sint Nikolas is waving to all the children. The servends tell all the children that if they have been good all year long they will get a treat. At the end of the song they ask Sint Nicolas if he would like to come and visit them at there house. And if the children been good then they will get a present.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B6gdE7_dmc

Made by: Lottie, Eline and Elisa

Dutch Sinterklaas Songs

Hoor, wie klopt daar kinderen

Hoor, wie klopt daar kind'ren,
Hoor, wie klopt daar kind'ren,
Hoor, wie tikt daar zachtjes tegen 't raam?
't Is een vreemd'ling zeker,
Die verdwaald is zeker,
Ik zal hem gauw eens vragen naar zijn naam.

Sint Nicolaas, Sint Nicolaas,
Breng ons vanavond een bezoek,
En strooi dan wat lekkers
In de één of andere hoek.

In Holland we sing songs for celebration Sint Nicolas.

The song goes about Sint Nicolas and his black servants who are knocking on the windows. The kids think that they are strangers who are lost and they open the door. It’s Sint Nicolas and the kids ask to visit their homes in the evening en give them sweets and other treat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq63_sRE6jY

Dutch Sinterklaas songs:

Sinterklaas kapoentje

Sinterklaas kapoentje,
Gooi wat in mijn schoentje,
Gooi wat in mijn laarsje,
Dank je Sinterklaasje!

Sinterklaasje bonne bonne bonne,
Gooi wat in mijn lege lege tonne,
Gooi wat in mijn laarsje,
Dank je Sinterklaasje!

In the Netherlands we sing this song at the Sinterklaas celebration.
When Sinterklaas arrives, the children may put their shoe. Often they put it in front of the fireplace. The story goes that Sinterklaas comes down the chimney with his black servants and the fill the shoe with presents or treats. We sing this song in hopes that Sinterklaas comes. And some children put a carrod or a drawing in their shoe for the horse

and Sinterklaas. The next morning there’s a gift in their shoe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-r4fLHN9C18

Made by: Elisa, Lottie and Eline

Project Sinterklaas of: Laura,Davine,Rein,en Behazin

The History of Saint Nicholas!

You will find these subjects:

- The history of the Saint himself

- The history of Peppernuts

- The history of “Black Pete”

- A funny video for you to see!

Who did what:

- The history of saint Nicholas: Rein

- The history of Peppernuts and Black Pete: Laura

- The pictures: Davine

- The video: Behazin

Why do we want you to learn about Saint Nicholas?

We decided to show you some of our Dutch culture because we thought it would be interesting for you to know. We celebrate it on 5^th of December and it has many nice story’s around it that you will find in this page. We hope you enjoy it and Happy Holidays!

The history of Saint Nicholas

1600 years ago was there a man called ‘Saint Nicholas’

The bishop lived in Myra, that is place in Turkey. The legend story tells us that he saved a village from hunger.

He also saved 3 dead children and he gave them live again.

He died 6 December in the year 343.

Later in 20-21 century’s we give him the name ‘sinterklaas’ and he lives in Spain and gives everyone lots of presents.

The history of Peppernuts

The history of Pepernoten (pepper nuts)

I’m going to tell you about Pepernoten (pepper nuts)

No, pepper nuts are not nuts from pepper. Pepper nuts are candy what children and people eat when it is Saint Nicholas. Is made from Rye flower and a little bit of anise.

It’s traditional that Zwarte pieten (black pete (I’ll give you information about that later)) throw the pepper nuts all over the room, so that children going to search that candy. Especially little kids like to do this.

So, now do you know what pepper nuts are! J Now I’m going to tell you the History of Pepper nuts. A long time ago, Saint Nicholas and his Black pete, were helping pore children, to give them pepper nuts and coins. Well, they especially throw it to this kids. There’s a story about this, and I’m going to tell you now.

A long time ago there were three young ladies. There all going to married with a man. But there was a problem. they’re dad had not enough money to pay there marriage. So, he forced his daughters to work as a prostitute. When Saint Nicholas heard this, he was going to help this girls to throw coins and pepper nuts to them. So they can pay there wedding.

The history of Black Pete

Black Pete is the help of Saint Nicholas. Black Pete is Recognisable at his black painted head and a colourful suit of the 17^th or 18^th century. Black Pete also has black curly hair. Actually there was only one Black Pete, but now everyone thought, what if there were more Black Pete’s? so they dressed up as him and made it the event even more fun! J Black Pete brings candy and presents to children. He climbs through the chimney and that’s why his head is “black”.

Well, I hope that you understand the history of pepper nuts J

And I’m sorry about my terrible English J

Kisses and hugs!

Laura (from Holland)

The Video ! J

Here is a video that I made about Saint Nicholas!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cs8xdI-M7SU

Holland's version of Santa Claus: Sinterklaas

The Sinterklaas Journaal (Saint Nicholas News) is on television every year, and children can watch it three days before Saint Nicholas arrives in the Netherlands in November, until it ends on 4 December. It begins after another programme that is called: ’sesamestreet’. Children can see what Saint Nicholas experiences. When Saint Nicholas arrives in The Netherlands on Saturday at 12 am, there’s a really long episode from the Saint Nicholasjournal with live coverage.

Presenter Diewertje Blok and reporter Jeroen Kramer are presenting the entry.

A normal episode consists of:

- Main topics (usually three)

- Short news

- Black Peet weather

Every Sunday there’s a weekly review and after the last episode, there’s a year review.

Tessa Meulens, class 2vb, Adelbert College.

Saint Nicholas at schools.

Every year when Saint Nicholas is in Holland, he also visits schools. He goes from school to school on his horse, Amerigo, to make children happy with presents (if they’ve been nice, and didn’t do any bad things, if they did, they’ll take you in their big bags). His helpers, Zwarte pieten (Black Peets), throw with sweets and pepernoten (peppernuts, they are like little biscuits) to the children. All of them love the peppernuts, they are delicious! Every kid is really greatful when he pulls the paper of his presents, and they show that with singing Saint- Nicholas songs for him and his helpers.

Michelle Schreuder, Tessa Meulens, Maarten Konings, Omar van der Hulst, class 2vb, Adelbert College

Activities in Holland around Sinterklaas

yesterday on Sunday we baked pepernuts and I can tell you they where delicious.

On five December we celebrated Saint Nicholas. It was a nice party because we got a lot of presents.

Here is some information about the food that we eat on Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas comes 3 weeks before the fifth of December. Than the black petes throw with sweats at kids and the kids are very happy with those sweets

Here are some things that we eat with Saint Nicholas:

· Pepernuts

· Choclateletters

· Marsepijn

· Pepernuts covered with choclate

· Tai tai dolls

· Kruidnoten

· Choclate money

If you want to make pepernuts yourself with your class or with friends you can go to this site www.sinterklaasrecepten.nl/recept_pepernoten.htm

For more information or if you want to make yourself chocolate letters, you can go to this site

www.chocoladeletter.nl

Joost, Daan, Gilian and Ilse

Here is an episode of the Sinterklaas News

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj8c06LBSgs

Dutch songs

Here are some Dutch Christmas songs. First in Dutch, then explained in English.

1

Stille nacht, heilige nacht,
alles slaapt, sluimert zacht,
Eenzaam waakt het hoogheilige paar,
lieflijk Kindje met goud in het haar,
Sluimert in hemelse rust,
sluimert in hemelse rust.

Stille nacht, heilige nacht,
Zoon van God! liefde lacht
vriendelijk om uwe godelijken mond.
Nu ons slaat de reddende stond,
Jezus, van uwe geboort',
Jezus, van uwe geboort'!

Stille nacht, heilige nacht,
herders zien 't eerst uw pracht;
door der engelen alleluja
galmt het luide van verre en na:
Jezus, de redder, ligt daar,
Jezus, de redder, ligt daar.

Translation in English

Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright
round yon Virgin Mother and Child.
Holy Infant so tender and mild,
sleep in heavenly peace,
sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight,
Glories stream from heaven afar,
Heav'nly hosts sing alleluia;
Christ the Saviour is born!
Christ the Saviour is born!

Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from thy holy face,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth
Jesus, Lord, at thy birth.

What does it mean?

It’s the evening when Jesus Christ is born. The shepherds, Angels and Jozef and Maria are around the barn. Jesus, the lord is born! It’s a really festive evening because the son of God is born. Jesus sleeps in silence.

2

Er is een kindeke geboren op aard
Er is een kindeke geboren op aard
't Kwam op de aarde voor ons allemaal
't Kwam op de aarde voor ons allemaal

't Kwam op de aarde en 't had er geen huis
't Kwam op de aarde en 't had er geen huis
't Kwam op de aarde en 't droeg al zijn Kruis
't Kwam op de aarde en 't droeg al zijn Kruis

Er is een Kindeke geboren in 't strooi
Er is een Kindeke geboren in 't strooi
't Lag in een kribbe, bedekt met wat hooi
't Lag in een kribbe, bedekt met wat hooi
Jezus, de redder, ligt daar.

English translation:

There is a little child born on earth
There is a little child born on earth
It came on the earth for us all
It came on the earth for us all
It came on the earth and it had no home
It came on the earth and it had no home
It came on the earth and it bore all his Cross
It came on the earth and it bore all his Cross

There was a young child born in 't stray
There was a young child born in 't stray
'T Was in a manger, some covered with hay
'T Was in a manger, some covered with hay
Jesus, the savior, is there

What does it mean?

When its Christmas we celebrated that Jesus Christ is born, that’s what this song is about. the song tells us that when he was born, he had no house and was born in the hay. From the outset it was clear that he would save us and then he will die.

Here you can listen to the songs:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLbdO05MxFI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfiC9H2Q7JY

Marsha, Fu ke and Anouk

Xmas in Poprad

TRADITIONAL SLOVAK XMAS COOKIES

http://eblog-gingerbreads.blogspot.com/

Holiday Greetings from Holland

At the Adelbert College in Wassenaar, the Netherlands, class 2Vb is working well on gathering information that has to do with Saint Nicholas. As you may know, in the Netherlands we do not only celebrate Christmas, but also the birthday of Saint Nicholas (December 6). The pupils of 2Vb will tell you all about it.

Have fun!

ADVENT WREATH

These days people in Slovakia are buying or making their own advent wreath and will light the first candle on the 28th November.

 .

Poprad, Slovakia

Mind Maps Finale

We have closed our online mind mapping/brain storming sessions here at Poli.

As the first steps on this current Christmas project I had my students in classes HaRibó and Deja Vu create the mind maps below. These minds maps were to get the kids thinking about the subjects at hand. They can be used as a vocabulary source when they are writing about their school, towns and of course Christmas.

Christmas terms

Poli and Budapest

I find these mind maps very interesting, in fact amazing. Concerning the Poli and Budapest one, they merely were given the two main terms, Poli and Budapest. The fact that they linked the two and were very positive is great.

We teachers involved in this project will be writing less and less and the students more and more as this is all about them.

Christmas Mind Map, a work in progress

Thought it would be fun to start brainstorming and creating a mind map about Christmas with some of my students so I just tossed this up. I will keep updating and eventually embed the mind map here.

The Idea

While at the etwining  PDW in Helsinki, Finland, Növember 12-14 Gabriela Bajtošová from Poprad, Slovakia proposed her idea of doing a short project on Christmas round Europe.

Many of us liked the idea, especially the hosts of the PDW!

This Blog is going to be the host spot of this project.

Check back regularly from the beginning of Advent on for updates and the kids' work on Christmas in their towns, the Spirit of Saint Nicholas