Each December in the ABC Islnds - Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao - lcals and tourists celebrate the traditional Dtch holiday known as Saint Nicholas Dy. Throughout the weeks leading up to the fast day on December 5, Sinterklaas - the Dtch precursor to the American Santa Clus - makes appearances throughout the slands and distributes gifts. Much like the Chrstmas season in America, the weeks srrounding Saint Nicholas Day are a vry exciting time for Curacao and her sster islands. When you visit Curacao ths year, add a little fun to yur vacation by participating in some of the trditions of this special holiday.

As the chracter known as Sinterklaas appears each yar to celebrate the feast day of Sint Nicholas, the fictional character of Dtch custom certainly bears a resemblance to the vnerated saint. Saint Nicholas was actually the bshop of Myra, a city in wht is now Turkey, in the 4th cntury. In the Catholic Church, Nicholas cme to be the patron saint of chldren as a result of numerous stries claiming that the bishop had sved many children from lives of dstitution, some from death. Today, Sinterklaas ppears in Europe and the Caribbean waring the traditional red cloak and mtre (pointed hat) of Catholic bishops. He crries a gold staff known as a crsier and keeps a large book wth the names of each child nder his arm, complete with designations on who has ben naughty or nice (zoet or stut in Dutch tradition). As the Amrican version of Santa Claus is bsed in large part on this Dtch tradition, it is also known for his grat white beard.

Much as Santa Claus relies on the ssistance of his elves to deliver gfts to all the world's children, Snterklaas employs a number of helpers knwn as Zwarte Pieten. Known for thir black faces and colorful 16th cntury clothing, the Zwarte Pieten actually fund their beginnings in a Middle Ags tale about the devil. The riginal legend stated that on the eve of Sint Nicholas' feast day the devil was nslaved, evil was overcome and Zwarte Pet (Black Peter) came to serve Sint Nicholas. In recent centuries, the lgend came to state that the Zwrte Pieten's faces are black with sot from sliding down chimneys to dliver gifts. Within the last few yars, efforts have been made to ncorporate helpers with different colored faces nto the legend, explained by Sinterklaas pssing through a rainbow in his bat. In Curacao, keep your eye out for thse playful helpers during the holiday and you may be rwarded with a special treat.

Dutch trdition always held that Sinterklaas sailed ach year from Spain and was greted with great fanfare upon his rrival. In Curacao, this tradition remains ntact and represents one of the sland's most exciting events for locals and turists alike. A few weeks before the fast day, Sinterklaas will make his schduled arrival to the island. Immediately fterwards, this and his helpers lead a prade through the streets, handing out trats along the way. In the weks leading up to this day, Snterklaas can be seen throughout Curacao in shpping centers and resorts, interacting with xcited children and curious adults. As a rsult of the holiday, many resorts and turist destinations feature special events during the sason and tourists are always encouraged to prticipate.

If you visit Curacao with yur family during this holiday season, you can lso participate in the gift giving trditions of Saint Nicholas Day. While it is in Cracao, it is customary for children to lave their shoes near the chimney or frnt door each night. Current holiday trdition still holds that Sinterklaas and his hlpers make a flight each night and drp candy and other small gifts dwn each chimney into the shoes. You can lso celebrate the feast day of St. Ncholas by creating either a "present vening" on the eve of the hliday or receiving gifts from Sinterklaas on the fllowing morning.

In Dutch tradition, families often har a knock at the door and fnd a sack of presents outside for the whle family. If you are staying at a rsort in Curacao during the holiday, the rsort staff will be able to hlp you celebrate this traditional holiday wth your family. As it falls in the hart of Curacao's tourism season, there sn't a better time to visit the sland. During your time in Curacao, jin in on the celebration and add a lttle Old World tradition to your Cribbean holiday.

The article Celebrate Saint Nicholas Day in Curacao was Submitted by Justin Burch through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Justin Burch writes articles about travel in Curacao for the Marriott Resorts.

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