Sinterklaas

December 5^th, the Dutch celebrate the birthday of their friend from Spain, Sinterklaas (Sint Nicolaas). He comes from Spain with Zwarte Piet (Black Peter), brings gifts for children, adults go back to their early days lingering upon their childhood memories. There is festivity everywhere…..

Traditionally night before 5^th December, children keep their shoes near chimneys filled with some horse food anticipating to get their wished gift(s) from Sinterklaas who rides his horse over the rooftops and eavesdrops at the chimneys. Black Peter even enters homes through chimneys at night and takes the horse’s food from the shoes and exchange it for candy and other treats. Sinterklaas knows everything, so the children generally this time of the year behave well to get some good reward from Sinterklaas !!! When all these are happening, you can imagine children’s excitement. The next day morning, they run to their shoes to find their much-anticipated treasure!!!

According to tradition, especially the presents for adults, are nicely wrapped, and accompanied by a poem or rhyme in which the recipient of the gift is ‘roasted’. This in many cases is the icing on the event’s cake. Generally in families and also in the work place, they have a lottery system. Whose ever name you get, you have to write a poem/rhyme on him , signed as 'Sinterklaas' along with bringing him some nice present (you can also point our his/her shortcomings in a humorous way.....) and believe me the Dutch are terrific in writing rhymes, they are so quick and good at it!!!. (I too wish to take this tradition to India when I get back.)

Not being able to celebrate Sinterklaas last two years, and infected with festivity everywhere, this year I too wanted to gift all my lab colleagues. And I pretty much succeeded in writing rhymes for two people also….to my boss and a dear friend.

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My first ever rhymes in English

they are so childish

hope they are not borish

but definitely they are girlish :)

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(On Dies)

Elain calls him Romeo
Marisha calls him Comeo
For Labie’s he is the Supremo
He is the Schwann cell Hero

He is a passionate bio teacher
Who is also an avid reader
But, for microscope mis-user
He is a big terror!!!

He is sexy, but he likes spicy
For results he is thirsty,
though that doesn’t make him nerdy.
With cookies he keeps us happy.

At Erasmus he is “Onderzoeker”
For many he is an inspirer
He is Prof. Dies Meijer!!!
Guess what, Sinterklass brings him treasure

(Elain and Marisha are his wife and daughter, 'Labies' are lab members, ‘onderzoeker‘is researcher,in English, he has got sexiest group leader award in a cultural programme here)

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(On Martine)

She is sweet,
She is elegant
She is near
She is dear

She is a terrific mouse breeder
But also a patient listener
For fresher’s a warm welcomer
Ends up as a bench sharer

With red she looks so good
Talking with Niels she goes so high mood!!!
Always enjoyed her motherhood
Goes on bike to her neighborhood

She does lot of genotyping
though at times it is irritating
Her mornings are for driving
Which leaves her sleep craving
But She remains ever charming!!!
This is Sinterklass presenting…..

(Niels is her partner, everyday morning at 5 she takes her swimming champion son for swimming, bike means cycle here)

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In my first year, my labmate had presented me with a chocolate and a poem. Infact I was very moved with it. It was my first winter in Holland, it was wet, windy and cold, but this nice gesture filled me with so much of pleasure. This is the poem.

Dear Noorie,

Holland is wet and cold,

And still you came here, which I think is very bold,

All new things around you,

Of which you not knew,

Dutch food is not too hot,

So you don’t eat that a lot,

I brought you a gift,

So unwrap it now swift,

And see what I got you this year,

Hope you will enjoy it, my dear.

Groeten

Sint en Piet