Soon it will be Sint-Maarten again. On November 11 to be precise. Maybe you remember it from when you were young or you heard how your parents used to do it. But during Sint-Maarten, children, together with their parents, go along the doors with lanterns and sing songs in exchange for some goodies. Where does this tradition actually come from?
What is Sint-Maarten?
Time for a short history lesson. Because who is those Sint-Maarten anyway? Sint-Maarten was a bishop of Tours and died on November 11. Several stories go around the holy man. One of these stories is that Sint-Maarten helped a sick beggar by giving up his cloak. The beggar was protected against the cold and got better. As a result, Sint-Maarten was soon known for his goodness and the fact that he could perform miracles. But where do those crazy lanterns come from? Traditionally, bed parties were organized for poor people on November 11. They were then allowed by the doors to pick up food and drink. If you combine the two, you will get Sint-Maarten as it is celebrated today. We must of course state that this is one of the stories about the origin of Sint-Maarten, there are countless others who are circulating.
Making lanterns
Do you want to go with your child along the doors to celebrate Sint-Maarten? Then you need a lantern! In fact, you can easily make a lantern yourself, you will not cost anything and most materials you often have at home. In addition, making lanterns with your child is a fun activity that you will enjoy. Moreover, tinkering is very good for the motor skills of children. Cut, decorate, paste: they all stimulate creativity and you can make it as easy or difficult if you want.
Lantern of a pack of milk
A lantern that children often learn to make at school-and that you can tinker together at home-is a milk ware lamp. You never guess what you need for this: just a milk suit! Oh, and of course some things to decorate your lantern. Think of glitter, colored transfer paper, a string and scissors or pricks to turn it into a real lantern. First start with cutting a few nice figures from the milk suit, for example, make a house of cutting windows and a door out of the suit. You can then fill the cut shapes with the transfer paper or flying paper. If a light then hangs in it, it gives the lantern all kinds of colors!
