Postcard sent to children by Belgian Post Office  St Nicholas Center Collection

In Dutch-speaking Flanders, colorful parades greet St. Nicholas with bands and banners picturing the saint. He and his Zwarte Piet assistants come in November by boat, train, or on horseback to get ready for his feast day, the 6th of December. The Sinterklaas season is mainly a children's festival because December 6th is a special day for children, rather than whole families as in the Netherlands. St. Nicholas visits Flemish children more than once. He visits in schools, sports clubs and homes, asking children if they have done their best in the past year. He checks in his big book to see if they are telling the truth. In shops and department stores, St Nicholas sits on a throne and children queue to greet him and receive a small gift. St. Nicholas also makes appearances at the special St. Nicholas circuses that are popular iin Belgium. Some Saint Nicholas churches collect toys and gifts for the needy at special services honoring the saint.

Shop Window Elisabeth Chocolatier Brussels Photo: C Myers, St Nicholas Center

St. Nicolas in Window Elisabeth Chocolatier Brussels Photo: C Myers, St Nicholas Center

Saints for Sale Elisabeth Chocolatier Brussels Photo: C Myers, St Nicholas Center

On St. Nicholas' Eve, December 5th, or the weekend before, children put their shoes or small baskets at the hearth or beside the door with carrots, turnips, and a sugar lump for the saint's horse and a glass of wine for the saint. There may also be a picture they've drawn (or a list) showing what they would like. They believe St. Nicholas rides on horseback over the rooftops, dropping his gifts down the chimneys. In the morning shoes have been filled with chocolates, spiced speculoos cookies shaped like the saint and Piet, oranges, marzipan, and toys. In the spirit of St. Nicholas, treats are meant to be shared, not hoarded. Bad children, of which there are none, would find twigs. Since the sixties, however, such negative and frightening aspects have faded away in Flanders.

Shop Window Planéte Chocolat, Brussels Photo: C Myers, St Nicholas Center

Shop Decoration Planéte Chocolat, Brussels Photo: C Myers, St Nicholas Center

St. Nicholas Kinder Eggs Window display in Brussels Photo: C Myers, St Nicholas Center

In the East Flanders town of Sint-Niklaas, the saint brings his treats the weekend before the 6th of December. The following Monday is an elementary school holiday which gives children a three-day-weekend to play with their new toys. This tradition grew out of the annual fair, held in the market square the week before December 6.

In French-speaking Wallonia St Nicolas comes, as well, where he is often accompanied by a donkey and Père Fouettard, as in France. Some places celebrate similarly to that in Germany. Everywhere in Belgium speculoos shaped like the saint is very popular.

Here is a story from Belgium:
St. Nicholas, The Children's Friend: A Belgian Tradition for December 6
by Ade Bethune

Brussels Special Speculoos Shop: Biscuiterie Dandoy

Saintly and Generous: Saint Nicholas and the Low Countries
How Sinterklaas traditions developed

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