As a child, Sander Lantinga couldn’t wait for his birthday. He looks back on a special birthday and explains why he is committed to being an ambassador for the Jarige Job Foundation. Also in Zoetermeer, children who do not have money for a party at home can still celebrate their birthday thanks to a birthday box from this foundation.
In the photo Sander is nine years old and he is standing – next to his brother, on the left in the photo – beaming with a large poster of Mr. T in his hands. “I was such a fan of The A-Team. That poster was magical to me.”
Sander says about that gift: “My cousin Dirk had those big The A-Team action figures. I wanted those too, but those dolls were forty guilders each. We didn’t have money for that at home and that’s why I got that Mr. T poster. And believe me: I was very happy with that.” He received the gift from his brother. “I think I was nine. And like everyone in the eighties, I was a big fan of The A-Team. When I got that poster, I was very happy. That Mr. T poster is a gift that I will never forget.”
Like Christmas morning
For Sander, the morning was the best moment of his birthday. “That felt a bit like Christmas morning. I liked having a birthday, but waking up was magical. I was allowed to stay in bed a little longer, then came downstairs and felt that it was all about me. The table was beautifully decorated, there were streamers everywhere and there were presents on the table. And of course they started singing.”
To the video library
A children’s party completed his birthday. “I was always really looking forward to that. At that time we would go to the video store to rent a movie. Usually it was James Bond, Rambo or a movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger. Then my friends would come and we would sit and watch that movie with sausage sandwiches.”
Memories for life
The memories of the past make Sander committed to the Jarige Job Foundation. The foundation helps children who have no money at home to celebrate a birthday. “A birthday should be something special. A day on which children can forget everything and be the center of attention. It still happens too often that parents call their child in sick at school because treats are too expensive. Doesn’t it break your heart when you hear that? I believe that every child should be able to celebrate their birthday. That carefree day, that memory… you carry it with you for the rest of your life.”
Party breakfast
Sander and his wife Tessel make the birthdays of his four children a real ritual. “They can stay in bed. Then we come upstairs while singing with a cake and a candle on it. The table downstairs is already set, there are streamers and there is a festive breakfast.” Due to his morning show, Sander misses the festive morning ritual on some birthdays. “But when they come home from school, I am there for them!”
According to Sander, an unforgettable birthday is mainly about attention. “Children feel it when something has been thought about. That you are really there. Playing a game, eating a piece of cake. Whether that is in the morning or in the afternoon, it doesn’t matter much to me.”
Donate a gift and deliver birthday happiness
For hundreds of thousands of children in the Netherlands, it is not self-evident to celebrate their birthday, because there is no money for it at home. Every child deserves a carefree and cheerful birthday. That is why PostNL has been calling on the whole of the Netherlands for eight years to donate gifts in the month of January and send them for free to the Jarige Job Foundation.
The foundation ensures that children who do not have much at home can still celebrate a real birthday thanks to a birthday box. PostNL also delivers a large portion of the birthday boxes to families’ homes.
That’s how it works
- Pack a new gift that you have leftover (or special purchase) in a shipping box. Look at the guidelines for the gifts.
- Download one free shipping label.
- Hand in your package at a PostNL point, PostNL parcel machine or give it to your parcel deliverer.
The Jarige Job Foundation then puts your gift in a birthday box for a child who desperately needs it. This box also contains treats, something tasty for home, decorations and much more to celebrate an unforgettable day, at home and at school. Thanks in part to your help, more than 150,000 children can celebrate their birthday every year with the support of Jarige Job.