how do you say santa claus in canada
Santa Claus
In the Netherlands and Belgium the character of Santa Claus has to compete with that of Sinterklaas , Santa 's presumed progenitor . Santa Claus is known as de Kerstman in Dutch ( `` the Christmas man '' ) and Père Noël ( `` Father Christmas '' ) in French . But for children in the Netherlands Sinterklaas remains the predominant gift - giver in December ; 36 % of the Dutch only give presents on Sinterklaas evening or the day itself ( December 6th ) , whereas Christmas ( December 25th ) is used by another 21 % to give presents . Some 26 % of the Dutch population gives presents on both days . In Belgium , Sinterklaas day presents are offered exclusively to children , whereas on Christmas Day , all ages may receive presents . Sinterklaas ' assistants are called `` Zwarte Pieten '' ( in Dutch , `` Pères Fouettard '' in French ) , so they are not elves . In Switzerland , Pères Fouettard accompanies Père Noël in the French speaking region , while the sinister Schmutzli accompanies Samichlaus in the Swiss German region . Schmutzli carries a twig broom to spank the naughty children .
In the Netherlands and Belgium the character of Santa Claus has to compete with that of Sinterklaas , Santa 's presumed progenitor . Santa Claus is known as de Kerstman in Dutch ( `` the Christmas man '' ) and Père Noël ( `` Father Christmas '' ) in French . But for children in the Netherlands Sinterklaas remains the predominant gift - giver in December ; 36 % of the Dutch only give presents on Sinterklaas evening or the day itself ( December 6th ) , whereas Christmas ( December 25th ) is used by another 21 % to give presents . Some 26 % of the Dutch population gives presents on both days . In Belgium , Sinterklaas day presents are offered exclusively to children , whereas on Christmas Day , all ages may receive presents . Sinterklaas ' assistants are called `` Zwarte Pieten '' ( in Dutch , `` Pères Fouettard '' in French ) , so they are not elves . In Switzerland , Pères Fouettard accompanies Père Noël in the French speaking region , while the sinister Schmutzli accompanies Samichlaus in the Swiss German region . Schmutzli carries a twig broom to spank the naughty children .