Christmas Arrives in Bonaire

Today is Halloween.  Not too early to start the Christmas season in Bonaire.  All over town signs of the season are showing up.

The grocery story had poinsettias.  Not the red and green ones that we usually see in the US.  These were pastel colors. 

Kooyman (our version of Home Depot) had tables of tree decorations,  artificial trees, reindeer, tinsel, and white fluffy fake snow.  Looks like all the Christmas stuff that you see in the States. 

Store windows are decorated with snow themes, Santa, sleighs and snowmen.  Sinterklaas in Bonaire arrives by a pontoon boat in the Kralendijk harbor on November 20. 

Dutch children's name for Santa Claus is  called "Christmas man"  or "Kerstman" . There is also a Black Pete ("Zwarte Piet")  The black-faced helper, who hands out presents for the white "Sinterklaas" (St. Nicholas).  Although this is controversial in the Netherlands (and probably elsewhere), Bonaire embraces the idea and includes many different nationalities.

So far, all the Santas I have seen on the island are the fat, white, jolly kind.

I saw a sign for fresh cut Christmas trees.  I will have to check this out on one of my shopping trips.  I plan on decorating our palm trees.  I also brought a table top tree that we will decorate. Hopefully, I can talk Rick into stringing lights on our wall around the house. 

Happy Halloween and Merry Christmas.