Say “Sinterklaas” and you immediately think of gingerbread, speculaas and marzipan. But... plot twist: Santa Claus also has quite a history with wine.
Text: Fela de Wit | Image: Unsplash
The man on the horse used to be part of a Mediterranean culture where wine was pretty much the same as water, but more fun. As bishop of Myra (present-day Turkey) in the 4th century, it is therefore practically certain that he put his lips to a glass of red, white or whatever the local winemaker had on offer at the time.
But it gets even juicier. Saint Nicholas turns up in all sorts of medieval sources as the patron saint of merchants and travellers. So it is logical that in parts of southern and central Europe he was even seen as the patron saint of vintners and wine merchants. Local stories are full of “wine miracles”: a pilgrim he is said to have revived with a goblet of wine, or variants of the brine barrel story in which the barrel looks suspiciously like a well-filled wine cuve.
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In the Netherlands, we may have removed the Mediterranean vibe from Sinterklaas celebrations by now, but that age-old link between Sinterklaas and wine remains intriguing. It reminds us that our good saint once lived in a time when wine was as intertwined with everyday life as spiced nuts and shoe presents in December.
When you pour a glass on New Year's Eve: cheers. Without realising it, you tap into a tradition that has lasted for centuries, and that dear Saint himself probably wouldn't have said “no” to.
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