Sinterklaas 2009
Saturday, december 5: preparations

Bought and wrapped presents, next step: building surprise packages and writing poems to explain gifts and/or gags.


For Mom: a big bag of tea (she asked for relaxing/meditation CDs, this was also a reference to the trip we made to Istanbul where she fell in love with appletea) - inside a CD from Sigur Ross


For Hans: a baseball bat and ball to kick the next burglar's ass (he moved to Amsterdam this summer and has already been robbed twice) - inside a miniature gun (glittery hanger for Christmastree:) and a poster of xkcd (map of the internet:)


For Gayleen: dog (she and Jaap got a black labrador this year) - inside a big towel (biological cotton)
For Jaap: a picture frame (with references to his photography study at the art-academy) - inside a book RoboSapiens
For Benthe: a typical AmsterdamCanal house (she moved into a studenthouse this summer) - inside two booksupports


While I was doing arts and crafts my doorbell rang, there was no-one there, but someone left a huge package on my doorstep! Attached was a poem about my neighbour and his kids and how sweet I was... and inside was Grumpy. Mixed messages me thinks, Sinterklaas! But thank you :)

- Stayed up until 04.00 to write poems -

Sunday, december 6, morning: baking pepernoten!


I only needed to add water to the flour...


After mixing the dough I made little balls of about 1 cm thick...


Flattened the balls a little bit and put them in the oven (200C) for 14 minutes...


Tadaaah! A bit oddly shaped but very tasty \o/


Sunday, december 6, afternoon: let's get this party started!


Sinterklaas cake with strawberry custard filling (from the store;).


After everybody put their presents together, this is the pile we had to work our way through. Our lives. So hard.


Guess which grinning Sinterklaas made this surprise gift for Jaap. It had a poem about walking the new dog....and he got a bag filled with...


poo! Or possibly melted chocolate. Jaap had to dig in to get to his present. (rechargable batteries in case you wondered). He did turn out to be an experienced plastic-poo bag handler though and didn't get his hands dirty. Clever guy, that one.


Another reference to the burglaries for Hans. He got a special motiondetection-light inside this surprise safe.


Gayleen and mom admire the surprise shrine, while Jaap is distracted by the dog.


Hans and his baseball bat, note the awesomely cool handle with black skull \m/


About two hours after we started; nearly through the pile of presents:)


A surprise gift for Benthe: a washingmachine; those students always bring their laundry home, she got a laundry bag inside.


Benthe reading her poem about how she only asked for tiny presents because of lack of space, Sint build her an extension so she could think big next time:)


I got a poem and surprise gift about loosing weight and having to buy new clothes. The doll was made by Saint Mom:)


The doll has her hair just like me! Look at the cool details...


... and the funky shoes! (just like mine:)
Gift was a book with cupcake recipes:)

A collection of all the poems I got:

O_o Sint apparently read my lj about the reading boy on the bus, that reading boy in the band I love (and his cute little butt) and my neighbourdude. Djeez. I have to be more careful what I put online *g*

All my presents:

So very awesome. THANK YOU SINTERKLAAS! \o/