Sinterklaas

Friday was December 5, which is significant because it was St. Nicholas Eve - the day when the Dutch celebrate Sinterklaas. Children receive gifts in their shoes that they have left out, and often the last gift of St. Nicholas Eve is a chocolate initial representing their name. I love this idea! (I love all things monogrammed...) At Dutch bakeries, you often find pastry letters, and, from the painting below, it appears that this tradition has lasted at least 400 years. I think I would really like the modern Droste version. (Indeed, I'll have to post more about Droste later!)