dutch lesson of the day: sint maarten (11/11) - bring your lantern and sing me a song: i have candy

[janine]

one of my favorite holidays as a kid was sint maarten. why? because of the candy of course.

every year on november 11 children go from door to door with paper lanterns. not everyone makes their own lanterns, but it's more fun when you do. when they sing a song they are rewarded with candy. there are some traditional songs, but also some songs that are deliberately short (you want to visit as many houses as possible) or absurd parodies of traditional sint maarten songs. you can also make up your own, originality might be rewarded.

sint maarten was, as you can tell by his name, a saint, and the holiday was originally created for poor children to beg for food.



a traditional sint maarten song for you to practice singing:

sint maarten sint maarten
de koeien hebben staarten
de meisjes hebben rokjes aan
daar komt sint martinus aan

how it's done: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew1zgD... (it's the first song)

now go practice, and i'll see you tomorrow.

[[deleted user]]

sint maarten sint maarten
de koeien hebben staarten
de meisjes hebben rokjes aan
daar komt sint martinus aan

[RandomAnthony]

every year on november 11 children go from door to door with paper lanterns. not everyone makes their own lanterns, but it's more fun when you do. when they sing a song they are rewarded with candy.

Wait. Dutch kids have to work and sing for their candy? Man, I didn't realize American kids were so lazy...

[janine]

Gail "cyborg" wrote: "sint maarten sint maarten
de koeien hebben staarten
de meisjes hebben rokjes aan
daar komt sint martinus aan"

well done, gail, here's a tangerine. sorry, i haven't bought candy yet.

[janine]

yes, we're trained to sing for candy. with sinterklaas, too. you leave your shoe by the chimney at night, with a drawing or a carrot for the horse, and sing a song. next day there's a chocolate letter.

[Jonathan]

janine wrote: "with a drawing or a carrot for the horse"

Nothing for Piet?

[janine]

he can fight over the drawing with sint.

[Jonathan]

A fair fight.

I've never been in the Netherlands for Sint Maarten, but it sounds like a lovely holiday.

[Jan]

>>Dutch kids have to work and sing for their candy? Man, I didn't realize American kids were so lazy... <<

On Halloween, some kids knock on the door and when you open it, they stand there, just shoving their pillow cases at you with nary a word said. I won't give them candy until they go through the proper routine.

[[deleted user]]

janine wrote: "Gail "cyborg" wrote: "sint maarten
well done, gail, here's a tangerine. sorry, i haven't bought can..."

You will be happy to know that I sang it very loud and with a very bad Aussie accent. :)

[Stacia (the 2010 club)]

I almost made that comment. I've been to St. Maarten before and a vacation sounds nice right about now.

[janine]

Gail "cyborg" wrote: "janine wrote: "Gail "cyborg" wrote: "sint maarten
well done, gail, here's a tangerine. sorry, i haven't bought can..."

You will be happy to know that I sang it very loud and with a very bad Au..."

good to know. i hope your neighbours enjoyed it.

[Jonathan]

I tried to sing it in the style of Andre Hazes but couldn't find the right hat.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

I'm singing it as if I were Engelbert Humperdinck in a duet with Kathie Lee Gifford.

[Jonathan]

Danke Schön. (Or was that Wayne Newton?)

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Oh, don't thank me.

[Félix]

You're velcro.

[Jonathan]

Tom Jones and Amy Winehouse--that would be a nice duet.

[janine]

i still haven't bought any candy so i'll hand out some more tangerines.

[Félix]

Tangerines.

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

janine wrote: "yes, we're trained to sing for candy. with sinterklaas, too. you leave your shoe by the chimney at night, with a drawing or a carrot for the horse, and sing a song. next day there's a chocolate letter..."

Wait, what's a chocolate letter?

[janine]

a piece of chocolate in the shape of a letter, usually the first letter of your first name.

[image error]

[janine]

i just stocked up on candy. i'm not expecting any kids at my door, because the weather sucks, so there's plenty for you. let the singing begin.

[ms.petra]

Jonathan wrote: "Tom Jones and Amy Winehouse--that would be a nice duet."

would love to see that one!

[Jonathan]

[ms.petra]

thanks! you made my day!

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Aaargh. Before you go on stage, make sure your boob is stuffed entirely into your bra. Or at least make sure they are popping out symmetrically. What is that hanging off her ear, one of Janine's tangerine peels?

[Jonathan]

I don't get it, LG. Tom Jones isn't even wearing a bra.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

How can you tell?

[Jonathan]

Good point. It does look like he might be wearing a corset. Look at him squeal in agony.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

I actually thought that was Billy Joel...

[RandomAnthony]

I find Tom Jones to be criminally underrated. I'm serious. Even if he looks like he's pushing out a dump in that picture.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

And yet, oddly enough, it's Amy Winehouse who is pooping.

[RandomAnthony]

Maybe he's trying to model for her. "Do it like this, Amy!" She is kind of looking in his direction.

[Jonathan]

RandomAnthony wrote: "I find Tom Jones to be criminally underrated."

He put his talent to some strange uses during the '70s, but I'd have to say I'm a fan of TJ overall too RA:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KUJE2...

[ms.petra]

oh, Jonathan! I remember watching variety shows as a kid and women were throwing panties at him! He was quite the sexpot back then...he still has a good voice.

[Jonathan]

Yes I remember him from those days too Petra--the chest hair, the ruffled shirts, the too-tight trousers--he was really something.

[Jan]

Green Grass of Home - my favorite.