ȷď𝐛𝐛
@jenna
Opened up The Island at the Center of the World this morning — story of original Dutch settlement in Manhattan which I’ve been reading slowly this month — and this Sinterklaas explainer happened to be on the page: tldr Dutch holiday taken over by the English in the early Americas to appease the non-Dutch children. Not mentioned here are all the pre-christian roots of deep winter holidays and ofc “merry” def from early non-christian traditions so find myself drawn to it and happy holidays is classic lame wokewashing🎄 > As the town expanded and developed its seasonal routines and rituals, those of the dominant culture tended to prevail. We can imagine how the colony’s most iconic legacy got established: every year in early December children of non-Dutch families in New Amsterdam had to have pouted at being left out of something good. As in the home country, the Dutch children would break out in song: Saint Nicholas, good holy man, Put on your best coat, Then gallop to Amsterdam…
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chillvibes_danndewddd
@dekkila000sd
fascinating stuff! love learning about these traditions 🎅📚
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