Everybody in Holland joins in celebrating the birthday eve of Saint Nicholas on 5^th December. Saint Nicholas has a helper called Black Peter. Every year Saint Nicholas arrives in Amsterdam on a big ship from Spain. He brings with him a white horse and his helper. He wears a red cloak and a white shirt with a red stripe on it. He always wears a bishop’s hat and carries a bishop’s crook. On his feast day, 6^th December, children hope he leaves a present in their shoes. They have parties and sing;

Nicholas, I beg you,
Drop into my shoe,
Something sweet or sweeter,
Thank you, Saint and Peter.

Alex