It’s Saint Nicholas’ Day!

Yeah, but we aren’t really here to talk about St. Nicholas. It’s those other people we want to know about. Such as Black Pete, whose name honestly sounds like that of a pirate. Yaar, Merry Christmas!

In the Netherlands, Zwarte Piet (meaning Black Pete) is a companion of Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas). Depending on the tradition, he is either a dark-skinned Spanish, African or Arabian man who was freed from slavery by Saint Nicholas, or a light-skinned man who is very, VERY sooty from his spy missions down chimneys on behalf of Saint Nicholas.

Spy? Well, yes. How else does Saint Nicholas know where the children live and which ones have been good?

When he comes to town today with Saint Nicholas, Zwarte Piet’s role is to toss out impossibly hard cookies and to amuse those who wish to visit with Saint Nicholas. Zwarte Piet may carry a birch rod and some salt to remind the children to behave (how is salt a threat?).

The Dutch celebrate Saint Nicholas with anonymous gifts accompanied by teasing or insulting poems signed by “Zwarte Piet.” While sometimes Piet seems a fool, it is likely all part of the act. Not every spy can be as smooth as James Bond and still get the job done.

As you may guess Zwarte Piet comes with controversy, much the same way as Krampus. (Why do we have a man in blackface, have we not progressed as a society, etc.). Well, he is part of a very old tradition and the Dutch absolutely adore him. Zwarte Piet’s existence may have evolved from the two black ravens which accompanied Odin (more on him later, but let’s say for now he’s thought to be the basis for all of our Santa figures). Piet was initially more like Krampus, as the polar opposite to Saint Nicholas, but over the centuries has become more of a friend and companion.

I’d probably love Piet too, if I knew he was throwing out Pepperidge Farm cookies, but from the sounds of things those cookies he hands out have to practically be soaked for a few days before you can eat them. Never mind, even my terrible, terrible gluten free cookies are better than that!
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