Sint Maarten: Lanterns, songs and sweets and fruit at the door

Door •
ZoGouds.nl •
Monday, November 11, 2024 at 8:26 AM

Today, November 11, it’s time for St. Martin again! With lanterns in hand, children wander through the streets in search of sweets and fruit. But what makes this tradition so special?

Name day

On the name day of Saint Martin, also known as Martin of Tours, children in the Netherlands go door to door with their homemade lanterns. They sing traditional songs in exchange for a treat. In the past, this was mainly fruit, such as mandarins, but today most children naturally hope for sweets!

Saint Martin, the man behind this celebration, was a soldier known for his help to the poor. According to stories, he even cut his own cloak in half to protect a beggar from the cold. After his death in 397, he became so famous that November 11 was declared his feast day.

Tradition with lanterns and songs

St. Martin’s Day is enthusiastically celebrated in many cities and villages, especially in Utrecht and North Holland, but the festival is also on the rise in other provinces. Schools, neighborhoods and associations organize lantern parades, where children proudly display their homemade lantern. Sometimes there is even a dressed up ‘Sint Maarten’ leading the procession!

For some children, receiving a tangerine may be a minor disappointment, but there is a historical reason for this. In the past, fruit was scarce around this time of year and therefore very popular. Mandarins were especially popular, because the November season is perfect for this. This tradition has stuck, even though most children today naturally hope for candy.