"Hi Jack, you know what day today is?" Daniel asked while walking into the locker room. Jack was coming out of the shower and drying himself.
"No Danny, I don't, what are you talking about anyway?" Jack said annoyed.
"I mean that I, today is…"
"December 4th, yeah I know, what's so special about that?"
"Well, tomorrow it is december 5th…" Daniel said, moving his arms, trying to let Jack to understand, but Jack didn't understand it.
"it is Sinterklaas, in The Netherlands!" Daniel said enthousiastic.
"Well so? We don't live there anyway." Jack said a little disappointed.
"But that doesn't matter, we can celebrate it here, because there are people here who celebrate Sinterklaas." Daniel said pronouncing the whole 'Sinterklaas-word' very right.
"But those people are dutch, we are not dutch, well I am not anyway." Jack said, he walked back to his locker and putted his shampoo back in his locker.
"Well who cares?" Daniel said. Jack walked towards the door of the locker room and walked out. Daniel followed him out.
"Hi Carter it's your turn." Jack told Sam, who was waiting outside for her turn.
"Gee thanks." she said while standing up and moving to the locker room.
"Danny, how did you come up with this idea anyway?" Jack asked.
"I found out about it on the internet, I was trying to find something about Germany."
"How did you get to the Sinterklaas part?" Jack and Daniel walked through the hallway.
"I just found a page in English with lots of links, there were pages in german, french, english, dutch…"
"You speak dutch now too, right?"
"Well it looks a lot like German." Daniel said.
"What looks a lot like German? what is German?" Teal'c came out of another corridor.
"German is a language here on earth and there is a language which looks like it, it's called Dutch, it is a language, which people speak in a country in Europe, I'll show you once." Daniel explained.
"Daniel wanted to celebrate Sinterklaas." Jack said.
"What is Sinterklaas?" Teal'c asked.
"Well, we explained Santa Clause to you last year, right?" Daniel started to explain.
"Yes, I believe you did." Teal'c said, they were walking into the corridor of Jack's office.
"Well Sinterklaas is actually the same man, only he does not come from the Northpole, but from Spain, that's what the dutch people say anyway."
"I do not understand." Teal'c said.
"I don't understand it either, explain us this Sint... thing." Jack said, while opening the door to his office.
"Sinterklaas." Daniel said a bit annoyed. Jack sat down in his chair, and Teal'c sat on the couch, while Daniel didn't sit down, but stayed on his feet. "But okay, I'll explain it to you." Daniel sighed.
"What are you gonna explain?" Sam asked while walking into the colonels office.
"Carter don't you ever knock?" Jack said annoyed.
"Weren't you still in the shower?" Daniel asked Sam.
"Well, I wasn't as dirty as you, I was done very soon." Sam explained. "But what were you trying to explain, Daniel?"
"I was telling Jack and Teal'c that tomorrow is December 5th, the day when Dutch people celebrate Sinterklaas." Daniel explained.
"Well go on then." Sam said, I wanna hear about that guy now."
"Sinterklaas, or Saint Nicholas lived in the fourth century, he was the Bishop of Myra, which is now where Turkey is."
"Yeah tell more." Sam said.
"Okay, uhm according to the legends he saved his town from starvation, he revived three dead children and the most famous story was that Saint Nicholas helped three young sisters, who had no dowries, by giving them bags with money, every time one of the sisters was prepared to get married. The bishop threw a bag with gold into the chimney of the house and then the girl could get married. The bag with gold landed in a stocking hung to dry, which is a reason why we hang up Christmas stockings today. The father stayed awake one night and saw what happened, the bishop begged him to keep it a secret, but it didn't help, because everyone knew about it very soon. And from then on, whenever anyone received an unexpected gift, they thanked Nicholas."
"Well don't stop there." Jack said.
"Jack? You're still awake? Are you feeling allright?" Daniel said, shocked.
"Very funny Daniel, go on." Jack said, annoyed because his reputation was ruined now.
"Well okay, he died in 345 or 352, no one knows exactly, it was on december 6th."
"But why do they celebrate it on december 5th?" Jack asked.
"Good question." Daniel said. " I'll try to find out about that, well let's continue in the dutch tradition , people say the guy comes from Spain, it is possible that was because St. Nicholas was the patron of the sailors. In the 17th century Holland was famous for its navigation, maybe by contact of the Spanish sailors this myth began."
"What myth?" Sam asked.
"About Sint coming from Spain, come on Carter stay with us." Jack said.
"Well this would explain why Sinterklaas has 'zwarte pieten', we would call them black peters, there are a lot of them, that's why it is peters, not peter." Daniel told the team.
"How can that explain the black peters?" Jack asked.
"Shhh, I'm not done yet." Daniel shushed Jack. "The Moors dominated Spain for several hundreds of years."
"so that is the explanation for the zwarte pieten?" Sam asked.
"Yes, well it's one of many, another one, Dutch people like this one better, these guys are black, because they come down the chimney, they do that a lot and they say, he can't get it off anymore."
"Okay, that's a nice explanation." Jack said. "But how does Sint gets there? I mean he probably doesn't have a sled, or has he?"
"No, he comes to The Netherlands by a steamer, a very big one, because he has to take all the presents to Holland. They call it the 'pakjesboot 11' and on it are lots of zwarte pieten, and his white horse. A pakjesboot is a presentboat or ship, that is the best translation, I think. When he comes to shore he rides his horse: Amerigo and he really needs that, because he is a very old man, with a white beard, just like Santa, and red coat, like Santa, you know what a bishop wears, or like the pope, only with red clothes and a red mitre, and a golden staff, not a weapon, Teal'c."
Teal'c sat there, silently listening to Daniel like he always does.
"He is not as fat as Santa, he is not married, he has no elfs, but he does have the zwarte pieten, they help him with the presents and they give the childeren sweets, like pepernoten, taai-taai, or schuimpjes. They throw it to the childeren and if you are lucky they give it to you. Then during the time he is in Holland childeren put their shoes at the fireplace at night and sing for Sint. Then Sinterklaas, or actually the zwarte piet(1) puts presents or sweets in the shoe. Then they look the next morning and find something in it, unless they have not been good that year, then you'll get nothing or the rod. When you have been really bad that year the Sint takes you to Spain in his bag. It is a threat to all the childeren. On december 5th Sint comes into the houses with lots of presents, he takes the zwarte pieten and then you can get presents. Then on december 6th he goes back to Spain, and he comes back next year." Daniel finished his story.
"Wow, he must be a very nice guy." Jack said.
"Or not." Sam said. "If you have done something wrong you can go to Spain in a bag."
"Yes so? Spain is sunny." Jack said.
"That's true." Sam said.
"But you have to work in his fabric." Daniel said.
"Oh, why? That's child labour, now I see why childeren are scared of the guy." Jack said.
"Yeah."
"Hey I know something." Daniel said "Maybe we can celebrate Sint too, because when childeren don't believe in him anymore they make surprises and poems, then they celebrate it. The surprises can be gross, or fun or sad, whatever and then you have to make a poem with it, and buy a present and put it in the surprise, or not."
"Hey, that might be fun." Sam said.
"It's just like the lottery, you get a name and for that person you make a present, or a surprise." Daniel explained.
"I'll show." He said when he saw nobody understood him, he pulled out a paper and wrote their names on it, then he made them very small, so you couldn't see who was on the paper. First Jack could chose. "Okay." he said and picked one. "If you have yourself you have to say it." Daniel said.
"No I don't have myself." Jack said. Now it was Teal'cs turn, he also didn't pick himself. Then Sam and Daniel, they were lucky, they did not have to do it again.
"So and when does it have to be finished?" Jack asked.
"It would be the most fun, if it could be tomorrow, I mean we don't have to work tomorrow, and tomorrow is december 5th." Daniel explained.
"But then we won't have much time." Sam said, complaining.
"Okay, tomorrow, is fun, but I agree with…" Jack tried to say, but Daniel cut him off.
"Okay, tomorrow it is, Jacks place, at 7 o'clock, with present, surprise and poem, don't forget." And Daniel left the office in a hurry, so he could start with his surprise and so Jack couldn't argue with him any longer.
"O God, Tomorrow?" Sam said.
"What is it Carter, you have something important to do?" Jack asked.
"No sir, I meant tomorrow is so soon, I have to go, I'm not that good at poems, bye colonel, bye Teal'c."
"Bye Major Carter." Teal'c said and he also left the office, to start with the Sinterklaas thing.
Jack got up and he looked at his paper, the name 'Sam' was written on it in Daniels handwriting.
"Let's go then." Jack said, and he also left to start on his surprise.
*******
It was december 5th, Daniel and Teal'c were already at Jack's place, they were waiting for Sam.
"So what did you make?" Jack asked Daniel.
"You're not supposed to know yet." Daniel answered "Than it wouldn't be fun anymore."
"Can't you just give me a hint?"
"I do not think that would be appropriate." Teal'c said. "Major Carter is not here yet."
"Well, yeah, but."
"No buts, Jack, be patient." Daniel told Jack.
"I wish she would hurry." Jack complained.
"Are you this curious? You look like a little boy, don't let Sam see you like this, she would have something against you." Daniel said. Jack looked at him with a sad face, which made Daniel laugh. They were sitting in Jack's living room.
"I have something else, next to the surprise, it is dutch, I made it myself." Daniel said.
"Oh, what is it?" Jack asked.
"Be patient, Sam isn't here yet."
"You are soo mean." Jack said, "I mean, you're making not only me curious, but also pour Teal'c over there."
"I think I could wait for captain Carter a little longer." Teal'c said.
"Teal'c, you… Never mind." Jack said when he saw Teal'c his face.
The bel rang.
"It's about time." Jack said and he went to the door, a few minutes later he came back.
"It was a salesman, no Carter." Jack said, annoyed by the fact that Carter was still not here.
"Maybe she had to wrap up her present, for the one she made a present." Daniel said. "Or she had to finish the surprise."
"Or maybe she has forgotten about it." Jack said.
"No Sam wouldn't forget this." Daniel tried to reassure Jack.
"I do not think that Major Carter has forgotten about Sinterklaas." Teal'c said.
"I hope you're right."
Half an hour later the bel rang again, and this time it was Sam. "Geez Carter, what took you so long? You're beautiful like this, you know." Jack complained.
Sam smiled. "Well, thanks colonel." she said.
"What have you got with you?" Jack asked pointing at the big box she carried with her.
"It's from Sinterklaas, he asked me to take this to you all, I haven't looked in it, but I think it's for you, colonel."
"And what's that?" Daniel asked, pointing at the plastic bag she had just putted on the ground.
"A guy with a beard and a dress gave it to me."
"With a mitre?" Jack asked.
"Yes."
"And a golden staff?" Teal'c asked.
"Yes."
"And a zwarte piet?" Daniel asked.
"Yes and he was sitting on a white horse." Sam said.
"Carter, we don't believe in Santa anymore, why should we believe in Sinte… you know." Jack said.
"Santa is not real?" Teal'c asked. "But last year you told me he was a real person."
"Sorry, Teal'c, The colonel means that he does exist." Sam told Teal'c. "Colonel." She hissed at Jack. "Don't be so insensitive."
"I'm sorry Carter," Jack apologised. "I forgot that you told Teal'c that Santa was…"
"Shhhh."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Let's start with the surprises." Sam said.
"Oh wait." Daniel said. "I made pepernoten for you, so you can get an idea how they taste like, and they taste very good."
"You mean the thing you didn't want to show us, because Carter wasn't here yet? And it is pepernoten?" Jack asked.
"They are pepernoten yes, I made a lot of pepernoten, myself, I'l just get them, wait a minute." And then Daniel went out the living room and went to the corridor.
"I'm sorry I was so late." Sam apologised. "I wasn't finished yet, but now I'm finished."
"It's okay, Carter, but what did you get from…?" Jack asked.
"Oh yeah, uhm here," Sam got four packages out of the plastic bag. "This one is for Daniel, this is for you, this is for Teal'c and this is for me." Sam said.
Jack opened the package, he tore the paper of his present, in it was a letter of chocolade, it was a J. The others all had their own first letter in chocolade. Then Daniel came back after everybody had opened their present from Sinterklaas.
"You didn't even wait for me." Daniel complained, but then he also opened his present.
"I heard some childeren sometimes get 10 chocolade letters like this." Daniel said.
"Yeah, Sinterklaas told me." Sam said.
"Okay." Jack said. "Can we now start the surprises?"
"Yes, I would like to start now too." Teal'c said.
"So Teal'c you also want your present?" Sam asked.
"Well, I totally agree." Daniel said.
"Okay, who's gonna get his/hers present first?"
"Teal'c choose one, but you can't choose yourself." Daniel warned.
"This surprise is for Major Carter." Teal'c said and he handed Sam her present/surprise.
"Thanks Teal'c." She wanted to tear of the paper.
"No you first have to read your poem." Jack said.
"Okay." She took the poem and started to read the poem.
Sam knows how to fix the Stargate,
That's why sometimes the SG team is late.
Sint likes to know if you can fix it now,
Because Sint doesn't know how.
If you can make it right you can get your present,
And if you go through it you won't end up in a desert.
Sinterklaas
"Wow nice poem." Sam said, looking at Jack.
"Don't look at me, I didn't do it, Sinterklaas did it." Jack told Sam. "Open your present." Jack said.
Sam ripped the paper off, and then she saw a small Stargate and a DHD, which was much bigger then the Stargate. She took the DHD and opened it. In it was a present and she took it out. She putted the DHD back next to the Stargate. Then she opened the present, in it was a stuffed animal, it was a cat.
"Wow, nice cat, I think Daniel will like this."
"Daniel?" Jack asked.
"Yes, I could not name the cat Jack again."
"Wait a minute, Daniel? Jack? What did you do, Sam?"
"She named her cat after you, because she didn't want to call her new cat Jack II." Jack explained.
"I felt sorry for the animal, I mean you don't want your name to be II." Sam said.
"Okay, you're forgiven." Jack said.
"Now I'm gonna choose a present." Sam said.
"Wait, wait!" Daniel said, "first you have to taste my pepernoten."
"Yeah okay Danny, give me one." Jack said.
"Here you go." And Daniel handed Jack a pepernoot.
"Thanks, but isn't it a bit small?" Jack asked.
"Jack! Don't be so greedy!" Daniel shouted.
"Yeah, colonel, I wouldn't have expected this from you, okay I would have." Sam said.
"I'm sorry." Jack apologised. "Can I have another?" He asked when he had tasted it.
"Yeah it's nice." Sam said.
Sam got up and choosed a surprise. "It's for you Teal'c!"
"Thank you Major Carter." Teal'c said and then he got the surprise out of Sam's hands. He first read the poem.
Teal'c is a very nice guy,
For his friends he would die.
That sometimes makes him a little sad,
So he would want to go back to bed.
But whenever you are feeling down,
The Sint will recommend you this clown.
SINT AND PIET
Teal'c opened the surprise, it was a snake, and Teal'c had to cut it open. In it was a lot of gross stuff. He finally got out a present, when he opened it, it was a clown.
"He wanted something funny." Daniel apologised.
"Now it is my turn again to choose a package, is it not? But I have already chosen one." Teal'c said.
"That doesn't matter, unless Daniel or the colonel want to pick out a present." Sam said.
"I want to pick a present." Jack said.
"Okay, go ahead." Sam said.
"Daniel, here you go." Jack said, handing Daniel the present.
Daniel likes Mythology,
Therefore Sint owes him an apology.
He does not know very much about it,
He is still learning all about it.
Maybe you can tell him about it sometime,
And he can teach you how to rime.
SINT AND PIET
"Thank you, Sinterklaas, for the wonderfull poem." Daniel said, while looking at his surprise, it was a piramide.
"But he did not write that, I did." Teal'c said not understanding.
"Shh Teal'c, you cannot tell for who you have made a present." Sam said.
"Oh." Teal'c said.
Daniel finally found a way to open the piramide and found his present. Daniel opened his present, in it was a book about Holland.
"Wow, I didn't have this one yet." Daniel said. "Thanks." He said.
"Now me, me." Jack said, he got up and took his present of the ground and started to read the poem.
For his team SG1
Jack sometimes has to run,
From his enemies the Goa'ulds.
By whom the universe is being ruled.
But Sint thinks, you have to know the universe first,
Although you might think it is cursed.
Now find the way to your knowledge,
Which you first hve to catch.
SINT
"Okay." Jack said, and he opened the box, in it was a lot of mud.
"Gross." Jack said. "I have to put my hand in it to find the present?" He
asked.
"I don't know." Sam said. "Sint gave it to me."
"Whatever." And Jack putted his hand in it, and searched, and searched. When he couldn't find anything he putted his other hand in it, and he started to search with two hands. "I can't find anything."
"You can't? I must have forgotten to put the present in it." Sam said, with a huge smile.
"What?" Jack shouted. "You can't be serious."
"I'm afraid I am colonel." But then she couldn't hold it any longer and started to laugh, also Daniel started to laugh. Teal'c was looking at them with raised eyebrows, he didn't understand these humans, he probably never would.
Sam took her plastic bag, "Here you go, colonel." She said and handed him the present. "I couldn't let it get dirty, could I?"
Jack opened the present, after he cleaned his hands, in it was a book about the universe. Jack looked at Sam who was still smiling. He was glad she gave her a present like that, because he probably couldn't forgive Daniel this soon, with Sam however, it was difficult to stay mad at her. Jack started to laugh too, because it was funny.
*******
And on the roof Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet heard them laughing untill deep in the night.
"Nou Piet laten we maar naar huis gaan" Sint said. (Translation: Well Piet, let's go home.)
And Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet went back to Spain.
The End
Story Notes: Feedback: Yes
Authors Notes: Maybe you know, maybe not, but here in Holland we celebrate Sinterklaas, that's why I wrote this story.
Authors Notes: Maybe you know, maybe not, but here in Holland we celebrate Sinterklaas, that's why I wrote this story.
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]