In Dutch and Belgian folklore, Black Peter (Zwarte Piet) is a companion of Saint Nicholas (Sinterklass) who delivers presents and sweets to well-behaved children. When I created an ASL Christmas T-shirt, I placed him beside Saint Nicholas to show the ASL hand sign for GIFT (even though in the dictionary he shows the ASL hand sign for HOLLAND).
Dressed in colourful Renaissance attire, Zwarte Piet illustrates the ASL hand sign for GIFT. To give someone in a formal way or ceremony.
Palms facing each other, both X hands move forward in front of the chest in a simultaneous arc, like presenting a gift to another.
#ASL #americansignlangue #signlanguage #gift #christmas #cartoon #blackpeter #comic #myasldictionary
Special thanks to my Dutch roommate Ann Kunst, who introduced me to this Christmas tradition.