Dutch Halloween (always on November 11)

'Sint Maarten' is a bit like Halloween – but not related to opening doors to ghosts, goblins and witches. Instead, one is ready to offer snoepjes (sweets) to cute little faces who may approach people's door.

Festival of Kindness & Giving

Sint Maarten is the holiday of kindness and giving, based on the story of Saint Martin, an altruist. The Festival of Sint Maarten initially began in the Catholic church in honour of the benevolent Saint's death on the day of his death. Later, poorer folk claimed 11 November with visits to farmhouses in order to receive extras for the wintertime.Children

Eventually, as all good holidays do, the day slowly began to focus on children. While Sint Maarten is most popular in the North of Holland, you will find children knocking on doors in various neighbourhoods in Amsterdam. So people stock up on sweets and prepare to open their door to cute little faces, pretty lanterns and songs:

The origin of 'Sint Maarten'

Sint Maarten is based on a legend. Maarten (Martin) was born in the year 316 in Hungary. He served the Roman Empire and became officer,  knighted by the emperor. On a very cold day in winter Martin saw a poor man without a coat in the snow. He dismounted his horse and cut his robe in two, giving the poor man some protection to the cold.

Since 480 Sint Maarten became the start of the Advent, the beginning of the ecclesiastical year, heralding the period just before the 'arrival of Jesus' (Christmas).

Sint Maarten (Saint Martin)

November 11

November 11 is not only the start of the ecclisiastical year (the Churches year), but also the start of the new Carnival Year (also church related). Number 11 is the fools number. So the new Prince of Carnival will be chosen for the coming year. This will happen on the 11th of the 11th month on 11.11 o'clock. Carnival is the celebration and eating (read:drinking) festivities before people start their 40 days of fasting preceding Eastern. Nowadays the fasting is not done by many people anymore.

By the way, Eastern is celebrated on the first Sunday and Monday after the first full moon after the beginning of spring (March 21).

Since it's also the start of the new Churches year, one can find big bonfires in the south of Holland. Burning has always been a ritual for 'a new start': burning the old and starting the new.

So I will knock in front of your door and ask for a big pack of candy!! Since I'm a cute girl so you have to give me two big packs!! Anyway Happy Dutch Halloween

>sushi : uh-huh

>emmy: I will give you two packs then!

awww wish i was in netherlands now!!

thanks for sharing story

>May: you wished you were here? say 'Hocus pocus Scheveningen' and you'll be here in a split second

>Ben: you're welcome...!