Sint Nicholas gift: a personalised children's book for December 5
Sinterklaas is the celebration of wonder. Children believe with all their hearts - they put out their shoe, listen intently to every sound on the roof, and wait for the magic to happen. And when the evening of presents arrives, a personalised children’s book with their name inside makes that moment even more special.
Why a personalised book for Sinterklaas?
Sinterklaas is famous for his big red book - the one containing everything about every child. A personalised children’s book fits perfectly into that tradition: a book made especially for this child, with their name and their story inside.
Children love discovering that “Sinterklaas” already knew their name. It deepens the magic of the celebration in the best possible way.
How Sinterklaas is celebrated
If you live outside the Netherlands or Belgium, or you are buying for a Dutch or Flemish family abroad, it helps to know how the weeks before December 5 work. Sinterklaas “arrives” by steamboat in mid-November; in 2026 the national arrival is on Saturday 14 November in Grave, broadcast live on Dutch television. From that day children put out their shoe in the evening, often with a carrot or some hay for the horse and a drawing for the Saint. On some mornings there is a small treat inside: a chocolate letter, pepernoten (small spiced biscuits) or a tiny present.
The weeks build up to pakjesavond, the evening of presents. Families gather, someone knocks on the door, and a sack of gifts appears. Older children and adults often swap “surprises”: a gift hidden inside a homemade creation, with a rhyming poem that gently teases the recipient.
Small gift or main present?
There are two moments for a gift. The shoe gets something small: a piece of fruit, a few sweets, a sticker sheet or a little notebook. The evening of December 5 is for the main present, and that is where a book fits. A personalised picture book is too big for a shoe, so most parents place it beside the shoe on the last morning, or let it come out of the sack on pakjesavond itself.
If the child already has many toys, a book is a welcome change of pace: it is something you open together, read together and come back to long after the decorations are packed away.
When to order for December 5?
In the Netherlands Sinterklaas is celebrated on the evening of December 5; in Belgium the presents arrive on the morning of December 6. The book takes about half an hour to make and up to eight working days to arrive, and the post gets busier as December approaches. Order by the middle of November to be safe.
Want to slip it into the shoe or wrap it as an evening gift? That deadline keeps you covered.
Personalised from cover to cover
At MyOwnChildbook, the child’s name runs through every page of the story. You choose:
- Name - the main character carries the child’s name
- Illustration style - cartoon, watercolour, or warm and classic
- Theme - adventure, friendship, animals, nature
- Photo (optional) - so the character also looks like the child
The result is a professionally printed hardcover picture book - not a fake letter from Sinterklaas, but a real book to keep.
Which children is it for?
A personalised Sinterklaas book works for any child who loves stories - from toddlers to early school-age readers. It is an ideal gift for:
- Children aged 2 to 8 years
- Children who are learning to read and proud to spot their own name
- Children who love being read to at bedtime
It is also an excellent choice when you are not sure what the child already has. A personalised book is always unique.
For grandparents, godparents and family living abroad it solves a practical problem as well: the book is printed and shipped straight to the child’s address, so you do not need to post a parcel across borders yourself. Add a short personal message on the first page and it becomes a present from you, not just from the Saint.
Start early
Sinterklaas is a busy season and the best gifts go early. Give yourself time to put together a beautiful book and place your order without rushing. That way it lands in the shoe right on time.
Looking ahead to the next celebration? The same idea works three weeks later with a Christmas book starring your child, and our overview of personalised books for every gift occasion covers birthdays, new babies and more.