After more than 66 years, Jan Wolf is quitting what he calls the best part-time job in the world. At an Attero staff party in Wijster, the 84-year-old straightened his miter for the very last time on Saturday. And this brings an end to the role he played for more than half a century.
Wolf started his career as a saint in an unexpected place: during his military service in Germany. The boys in the barracks missed the Sinterklaas party. Wolf, who according to many had a head exactly like Saint Nicholas, put on the tabard. And he hasn’t stopped doing that since. “I’ve always enjoyed doing it,” says Wolf.
“Especially at schools, that’s where I enjoyed it the most. I sometimes already knew the children’s grandparents and I would tell them about it. Then the children thought: how can Sinterklaas know all that?” Although he still feels fit enough to continue, he thinks it is time to stop.
Son Martin has been part of this Sinterklaas act for twenty years. He always acts as a magician. However, his acquaintance with his father as the great friend of his children goes back much further.
“My father already played Sinterklaas when I was five. He even came to my school,” Martin says laughing. “I had to sit at the very back of the class, because Dad was afraid that I would recognize him otherwise. Well, that wasn’t too bad. I did see that he was brought by my uncle Kees, who was standing in front of the schoolyard. What is he doing here, I thought at the time. I didn’t know that uncle Kees was such a fan of Santa Claus.” Later in life he naturally saw through his father’s beard. “When they sang ‘Look, Jan Wolf from Spain is arriving again’ in the schoolyard, something started to dawn,” he laughs.
Martin started playing magic within the De Wijk business association. When an artist was disappointing during a performance, he spontaneously shouted: I can do that too.” The first joint Sinterklaas performances came about through a staff party of the VAM (now Attero). “It’s great fun to go out together,” says Martin. “But after twenty years, I think it’s a nice thing.”
Although he was never bored for a moment. He adds with a laugh that his father worked according to a fixed formula all those years. “He still does exactly the same as he did 66 years ago: ‘you have a nice cardigan’ and ‘do you want a present’. That makes it so much fun.” Even during corona times, father and son never skipped a year. Wolf was then sitting one and a half meters from the children, but the children’s party continued.
Next year will feel different. For the first time in decades, Wolf watches the arrival as ‘just Jan’. “I can’t imagine that this was really the last time,” he admits. “When I see others playing the role, I will probably think: I could have been there.”
Yet it does not feel like a goodbye with only sadness. “It’s a mixed feeling. It’s a shame that it’s ending, but I enjoyed it so much. And that’s how I say goodbye.”
He looks forward to following the celebration on television with his children and great-grandchildren from now on. “Celebrating Sinterklaas together for the first time,” he says with a smile.