Sinterklaas came to the Tinbergen Institute a few weeks ago. You can find out more about him at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinterklaas . His Zwarte Piets helped him distribute gifts, which people only received after reading aloud the poem that Sinterklaas had written for them.




I asked for something with Queen Beatrix's face on it, and this I did receive!

For all of you who have an unhealthy interest in the minutiae of Dutch society, you should know that there was recently a debate about what language Sinterklaas should speak. Naturally he speaks official Dutch, and probably Spanish since he lives in Spain, but what about the different Dutch dialects: Mestreechs , Zeeuws, Tilburgs? And should he also speak Fries, for people in Friesland? But then is it unfair for children who live in the region but do not speak the dialect? It all remains to be seen.