Pieten visiting Holland Staal

For the employees with children, secretly one of the most enjoyable moments at Holland Staal, the Sinterklaas celebration!

The anticipation begins in mid-November when the announcement arrives in the mailbox. It’s standardly equipped with a wish list, a coloring page, and a craft sheet from which a paper shoe can be made.

On a Saturday afternoon around the time of Sinterklaas’ gift-giving evening, all parents and children gather in the canteen, which is decorated with the children’s drawings. The tables are set with delicious sweets. Markers and craft sheets are ready to get even more into the Sinterklaas spirit. While the parents catch up, the children craft and snack to their heart’s content with Sinterklaas songs playing in the background.

The Pieten announce themselves by banging on the canteen windows and jumping up and down; they want to come in!

Once the Pieten are inside, it turns out that Sint isn’t with them. The good saint is, of course, incredibly busy these days. But the Pieten have brought Sinterklaas’ book with them. With the child on their lap, everything is reviewed. Fortunately, everyone has been good and no one needs to go to Spain.

However, it’s still a bit tense because the Pieten have forgotten where they left the gifts. After searching the entire office building, all the presents are thankfully found. Fortunately, it all ends well!

December

2020