The Luteijns... Everywhere!

Hey everyone.. so here we are.. we have been here almost 7 weeks, and we will be home in almost 4. wow.

December here, is full of some crazy things! First,the very first Sunday in December is traditionally the day the farmers blow the Christmas Horns in the park. Its a very old practice that farmers used to communicate in the dead of winter when it was impossible to travel. If there was an emergency, that was also the way the farmers contacted each other for help. Now they just do it to keep up the tradition.

Secondly, its Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas), which is the Dutch more than equivalent of Santa Claus. He comes from Spain, dresses kinda like the Pope, and gives presents to kids on his birthday, which is December 5th.. hence.. St. Nicholas Day.. which, the Dutch just call 'Sinterklaas'. There are some similarities to Santa, but Sinterklaas wears different clothes, comes from Spain instead of the North Pole, rides a horse instead of a sleigh with 8 tiny reindeer, and his helpers are all named Piet... no elves. and, the piets have other names that say what they do.. like.. Chef Piet, and Elvis Piet, and Magician Piet, etc. the Piets are all called Zwarte Piet if you aren't sure which Piet they are. Which is 'black piet' on account of how they are Spaniards, and all covered in soot from going down the chimney to deliver the presents.. which go into your shoes.. not stockings, and you have to leave hay or carrots for Sinterklaas' horse.. Amerigo. And if you are bad.. you get salt. or.. if you are really bad.. you go into Sinterklaas' sack and he takes you back to Spain. I know.. horrors :) The kids here are very very into it, and so are the parents. Most households get a visit from Sinterklaas and one or two Piets, and they have a list of the good things.. and bad things that concern each child, and the child has to talk to Sinterklaas and tell him whats going on, and then they get a gift. but, after the gift, they have to sing a song (a specific Sinterklaas song) to Sinterklaas or give him a picture they drew. Its very serious. They also have silly Sinterklaas parties for adults.. when you treat it just as seriously, and sing your song.. but mostly its just an excuse for people to make fun of everyone via Sinterklaas. I didn't know any Sinterklaas songs, so I made Erroll sing ours. Heeheee!

After Sinterklaas, comes the beginning of Carnaval. Its an old old tradition.. that is incredibly hard to explain. especially since I don't totally even understand it. It has its roots somehow in the same thing as Mardis Gra..but it lasts three months here. And its.. wild. There are different clubs in each city, with different names, and there are costumes and secrets and rules and suprises and parties upon parties upon parties. I have a few pics from the Heutinkkrekkels (the club Erroll's parents belong to.. Erroll used to be involved a lot as well) (oh yeah.. that word means.. grasshoppers.. hahaha) party where they annouced this years prince. Every club nominates a Prince every year. Erroll was this clubs prince in 2000--2001.

Make special notice of the ridiculous amounts of velour and feathers...

Then, last Sunday the 14th, we went to have lunch with Erroll's cousin on his dad's side, Jessica. Erroll hadn't seen her for serveral years, and I had never met her. She lives about an hour away from Enschede, and she is married with a little baby. These pics are here as well.

WHEW. and coming up... a Christmas market in Germany.. possibly a soccer game.. and Erroll's birthday and his mom's birthday too. not to mention.. Christmas and New Years!

More to come soon!