Making Sweets

From early morning onwards these bakers are creating all sorts of marzipan sweets   what we buy for our families now, in the weeks running up to the  Sinterklaas celebration on December 5th ~ lovely to see they work still with the none colored version of marzipan... and in a few weeks of time they'll dress up like Black Pieters, helpers to Sint Nicolas (Sinterklaas)

Since some years there's controversy about this dutch cultural heritage  of Black Pieters and White Saint Nicolas in our country... African Black Dutch claim that those Blackpeters represent the slaves our ancestors traded across the Atlantic and the clownesc role Blackpeters play in this SantaClaus fairytale of ours (and Belgium + Germany + Luxembourg + Austria) that clownesc part Blackpeters play shows how belittling we White dutch look upon the Blacks... etc.
I don't remember such associations or references at all and regret a children's story is put into question and has become an item of confrontation in our society! When you're not willing to accept that the Blackpeters must be Rainbowpeters, you're looked upon by many as a racist and fundamentalist and when you're willing to oppose the Blackpeter and St Nicolas or at the utmost accept the Rainbowpeter coz most Dutch originals do not want to let go their social heritage... well you're for some a fine flexible personality and to others an intrudor who doesn't accept our history & heritage. Over the years & centuries aspects of the story have developped, modern technology plays a part now too, but the core of the story is the same... Santa sharing gifts to the children (who behaved well) and Blackpeters helping him out in doing so.
Dutch painter Jan Steen who lived from 1626-1679 painted The Feast of St. Nicolas The Feast of St. Nicolas   in mid 17th century 
I wish this story wasn't picked  now for pruning our historic awareness!