1. Sinterklaas in the Netherlands Compare and Contrast with the U.S. Santa A Letter to the Students about Christmas in the Netherlands Venn Diagram Student Page Teacher Key Christmas Around the World The PDFs will only open in normal mode, not slide show mode. The animation on slides is only visible in the slide show mode, not the normal mode.

2. Across the ocean is a continent named Europe. In Europe is a country named The Netherlands. Sometimes people call it "Holland," but the correct name is The Netherlands. Their paper money is different colors. They are famous for growing millions of tulips. There are some people there who carve wooden shoes. The flag is red, white, and blue. And they don't have Santa Claus, they have Sinterklaas (or St. Nicholas).

3. This lesson is about how Sinterklaas is different from Santa Claus, and how the Christmas season is celebrated in The Netherlands. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/ thumb/7/7d/Sinterklaas_2007.jpg/400px- Sinterklaas_2007.jpg

4. In the Netherlands, Sinterklaas arrives with his horse and helpers by boat from Spain, on a Sunday in the middle of November. Wikipedia Commons photos Sinterklaas Boat

5. Christmas Eve or Christmas!

6. Sinterklaas arrives on a Sunday in the middle of November! He leaves gifts and candy at night. Letter chocolates are a possible gift from Sinterklaas! 2010: Sinterklaas arrived in Amsterdam on Sunday, November 14.

7. December 6th is Sinterklaas Day in the Netherlands. The Dutch people do not have Christmas trees up at that time. Sinterklaas Day is when family members exchange gifts, and is the last day Sinterklaas gives any gifts to the children. Sinterklaas is celebrated annually on Saint Nicholas' eve (5 December) or on the morning of 6 December. --Wikipedia http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Sinterk laas_2007.jpg/400px-Sinterklaas_2007.jpgupload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7d/Sinterk laas_2007.jpg/400px-Sinterklaas_2007.jpg

8. What do children in the United States do to get ready for a gift from Santa? They put up a tree or hang up a stocking.

9. Figure this out: Do Dutch children leave food for Sinterklaas on Christmas Eve?

10. This is from when Sinterklaas arrives in November through December 6th, only.

12. How does Sinterklaas travel in the Netherlands? He travels by boat and on a white horse. He also walks.

13. Flickr Creative Commonshttp://www.flickr.com/pho tos/hanspama/4121311445/ The helpers for Sinterklaas go with him to deliver candy and small gifts to the shoes of small Dutch children.

17. Clip art licensed through http://www.graphicsfactory.com Happy Holidays!