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Sinterklaas in red bishop's robes riding a white horse down a festive Dutch-style street with a windmill, families with lanterns watching
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Pakjesavond · December 5

Sinterklaas: the Dutch St Nicholas, pakjesavond on December 5, and where to meet him in the US

Before there was Santa Claus there was Sinterklaas — the Dutch St Nicholas who arrives by steamboat in November, rides a white horse over the rooftops and brings the presents on the evening of December 5. Dutch settlers brought him to New Amsterdam, and Dutch-American towns still welcome him every December. Here is how the Dutch celebrate, and where to meet him in the US.

9 Sinterklaas celebrations in 7 states · checked September 2026

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until pakjesavond

Who is Sinterklaas?

The Dutch and Flemish St Nicholas: a tall, white-bearded bishop in a red cape and mitre with a golden staff and a big book that says who has been good. According to the story he lives in Spain, and every year in mid-November he arrives by steamboat — the national arrival, de intocht, is broadcast live — then rides his white horse over the roofs, dropping small presents down the chimneys.

His helpers are the Pieten. The traditional blackface Zwarte Piet has been widely replaced in the Netherlands over the last decade by 'soot-smudged' Pieten, and US celebrations generally leave the figure out.

Pakjesavond and the shoes

In the weeks before, children put a shoe by the fireplace with a carrot or hay for the horse and a drawing for the saint, and sing Sinterklaas songs; in the morning there is a small treat. The big night is pakjesavond — 'presents evening' — on December 5: a knock at the door, a sack of presents left outside, and gifts wrapped as 'surprises' with a funny rhyming poem for each person.

The treats: pepernoten and kruidnoten (little spiced cookies thrown by the handful), speculaas, chocolate letters — everyone gets the first letter of their name — marzipan and banketstaaf, a pastry log filled with almond paste.

From Sinterklaas to Santa Claus

Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam kept the feast of St Nicholas, and in the early 1800s New York writers, starting with Washington Irving, turned 'Sinterklaas' into Santa Claus — moving him to Christmas Eve and trading the horse for reindeer. So Sinterklaas is not Santa's rival but his ancestor. For the wider St Nicholas tradition in German, Polish and Central European homes, see our St Nicholas Day page.

Where to meet Sinterklaas in the US

Sinterklaas celebrations in Dutch-American towns and by Dutch clubs, confirmed with the organisers. The Hudson Valley's big Sinterklaas festival in Rhinebeck and Kingston, held since 2008, was paused in 2025 for cost reasons — watch for its return. Where the 2026 date is out we give it; otherwise the last one.

9 celebrations in 7 states

By city

Michigan, MI

Iowa, IA

  • Orange City, IA

    Sinterklaas Dag

    For more than thirty years Sinterklaas has arrived at Orange City's Stadscentrum on the first Saturday of December, pulled in a horse-drawn carriage; children walk with him through downtown.

    Last held: First Saturday of December, 10:30 am

    Stadscentrum, 109 Central Ave NE, Orange City, IAOrganiser's page

  • Pella, IA

    Sinterklaas Parade

    Sinterklaas arrives in Iowa's other Dutch town with a short downtown parade anyone can join; children meet him afterwards, with goodie bags while they last.

    Last held: Saturday, December 6, 2025, at 10 am

    Scholte Church, 507 Franklin St, Pella, IAOrganiser's page

New York, NY

Texas, Utah, Illinois & Washington, TX / UT / IL / WA

Questions

When is Sinterklaas celebrated?
He arrives in mid-November; the presents come on pakjesavond, the evening of December 5, the eve of St Nicholas Day. In Belgium the presents come on the morning of December 6.
Who came first, Sinterklaas or Santa Claus?
Sinterklaas. Santa Claus grew out of the Dutch Sinterklaas in 19th-century New York.
What does Sinterklaas do with bad children?
In the old stories naughty children got a bundle of twigs or were taken back to Spain in the sack. Today everyone gets presents.
What do Dutch people say for Sinterklaas?
They call him Sint or Sinterklaas, and celebrate Sinterklaasavond or pakjesavond on December 5.