Friday, December 3, 2010

Sinterklaas Surprise

I loved this time of year when I was younger.  I was always right into the Christmas mood - yes I was the kid wearing the lighted up Santa hat to school with matching mitts, earrings and socks! I may have toned it down over the years (I know my husband is grateful for that) but that doesn't mean I love Christmas any less. One thing I always looked forward to was secret Santa at school (or any other after school organization I was in).  For anybody who has never heard of a "secret Santa": everybody draws a name and doesn't tell anybody who that name is.  You discretely try to find out what your victim  chosen secret Santa's interests are and you buy a little gift for them and wrap it nicely and give it to them on the arranged day. 
For the Dutch children that are a little old to believe in Sinterklaas (about age 10 plus), they also have a "secret Santa" but they call it "Sinterklaas surprise" (surprise is pronounced sup-reese). Children write their name on a piece of paper and make the quest a little easier by adding what their interests and hobbies are ex. soccer, spider-man, and swimming. Just like a secret Santa, the idea is that the name you have chosen is kept top secret.  The children then buy a small gift (usually no more than a few euros) and then they decorate the gift to one of the chosen childs interests. 
Last night I found my self once again making Breanna's Sinterklaas surprise at the last minute!  I love this child dearly but she did not inherit my creativity (and she knows it - or she is just smart enough to act like she doesn't have any creativity so mom will do it all for her). Her friends are all on msn together and they all figured out who chose who, so there really is no more surprise.  The girl Breanna chose is into field hockey - we couldn't make a stick thick enough to fit the gifts and Breanna didn't want to make the field (thats boring mom). So I made her look on her Facebook to find out more about her - found out she likes to ski too.  So here was her  my late night last minute creation.


Here are a few from previous years:



4 comments:

Invader_Stu said...

I was always the same but with out the earrings... well, not in public at least.

Sonya said...

Haha you kicked butt on that one! Jacob finished his up lastnight. He made an ice skate boot my drawing around one of his. I was actually pretty impressed because he hates to anything creative like that. He painted the boot and we used some puffy paint to make the laces..lol

I think thats a neat thing to do. As Jacob complained about it we told him this wasnt at all about him..but taking the time to make something nice for someone else. To think about that other person and design a gift jus for them. So he went to the store every other day making sure he bought her the right candy. I think he has a bit of a crush on her :) He was horrible at the poem part. Edwin actually stepped in and helped on that one because dang that kid has zero rhyming skills..lol

Candee said...

Oh yes I forgot the poem part! I of course am horrible at poems. I sent Breanna over to Fran hoping he and his creative with wording would come in handy..... NOPE he just found a very handy site that worded it all for you (CHEATER)- you apparently typed in the kids name and the gift you added. then you can switch around the sentences a bit - the program/site always makes sure it rhymes.

Orange said...

These look lovely - some work here. I am just loving the preparations for Sinterklaas - our building has been completely decorated, with nice little gifts popping up from all corners.