On November 11 the children in Holland have a special day: St Maarten's Day.  Children go door to door with a lantern.  The celebration is a bit like Halloween, although there are no tricks and the children sing a whole song before they get a treat. They line up and wait their turn.

Here the children from an elementary school go door to door in a seniors' centre during the day.

Below: In the evening the children go from door to door in town.   They carry colourful, lighted lanterns.  The shops around the town square are especially busy giving out treats.

The children get free "oliebollen" (sweet fried dough balls) from the gebakkraam .  Oliebollen are a favorite with many Dutch people.  They are sold during special times, like in December when there are two important holidays, December 5, Sinterklaas, a gift -giving holiday, and Christmas.  For more about Sinterklaas read BRAVE DEEDS, how one Family Saved Many From the Nazis.  The family in that book celebrates "Sinterklaas Feest" even though Holland is caught in the middle of the Second World War.