The Sint Nicolaasgenootschap is the organisation responsible for maintaining the illusion of Sinterklaas (the Dutch version of Father Christmas or Santa Claus) – from his ‘arrival’ by boat to the Netherlands in November (shown live on tv) to his ‘return’ to Spain in the first week of December. As well as working with the official Sint (actor Bram van der Vlugt has played the role for over 20 years), the SNG offers courses for hulp (assistant) Sints and Zwarte Pieten, the Sint’s controversial blacked-up assistants.