S<br >A Sinterklaas Parade<br >interklaas! What mystery and magic sur<br >round the arrival of this white-bearded， robe-<br >bedecked spirit of goodness. He is the herald<br >of winter merriment for Netherlanders. In answer to<br >the many Dutch hearts yearning for his appearance<br >all year long， St. Nicholas， as Sinterklaas is also<br >known， arrives well before his feast day December 6.<br >Mid-November finds his steamer chugging through<br >the canals of The Netherlands. Also aboard is the<br >saint s swarthy companion， Zwarte Piet--Black<br >Pete--a Moor. A fully costumed crew and the saint s<br >famous white horse complete the group. They are<br >said to have journeyed all the way from far-off Spain<br >to prepare for St. Nicholas Eve. Called Sinterklaas-<br >avond， it is the most beguiling night of the year for<br >the Dutch.<br > Amsterdam， the capital city， hosts the good saint s<br >official entrance into the country. He arrives aboard<br >the steamer Spanje， the Dutch word for Spain. TV<br >cameras are on hand to record the exciting event for<br >the nation to view. But， at the same time， this<br >wonder-worker is also making personal appearances<br >in other towns and villages throughout the country.<br >He might dock again on the Spanje， or by almost any<br >other kind of boat. He might arrive by helicopter，<br >trolley， carriage， bicycle--even by taxi. On this day，<br >he is all over The Netherlands at once. So will he<br >remain through late December 5.<br > Excitement pulsates in Amsterdam Harbor as the<br >steamer carrying Sinterklaas approaches. And the<br >arrival of fun-loving Pete electrifies the celebration<br >even more. Throngs of citizens young and old gather<br >to greet the famous visitors， waving flags， shouting，<br >and singing as with one voice:<br >Look， there is the steamer from faraway lands.<br >It brings us St. Nich las， he s waving his hands<br >His horse is aprancing on deck， up and down，<br >The banners are waving in village and town.<br >f<br >Sinterklaas arrival was just as excit-<br >ing years ago (above) as it is today<br >(right).<br ><br >