Editing Belgium (section)

===Folklore===
{{Further|Folklore of Belgium}}
[[File:Binche - Les Gilles.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Gilles]] of [[Binche]], in costume, wearing wax masks]]

Folklore plays a major role in Belgium's cultural life; the country has a comparatively high number of processions, [[cavalcade]]s, parades, [[ommegang]]s, ducasses,{{efn|The Dutch word ''ommegang'' is here used in the sense of an entirely or mainly non-religious procession, or the non-religious part thereof—see also [[:nl:Ommegang|its article on the Dutch-language Wikipedia]]; the Processional Giants of Brussels, Dendermonde and Mechelen mentioned in this paragraph are part of each city's ''ommegang''. The French word ''ducasse'' refers also to a procession; the mentioned Processional Giants of Ath and Mons are part of each city's ''ducasse''.}} [[kermesse (festival)|kermesse]]s, and other local festivals, nearly always with an originally religious or [[mythology of the Low Countries|mythological background]]. The three-day [[Carnival of Binche]], near [[Mons, Belgium|Mons]], with its famous [[Gilles]] (men dressed in high, plumed hats and bright costumes) is held just before [[Lent]] (the 40 days between [[Ash Wednesday]] and [[Easter]]). Together with the 'Processional Giants and Dragons' of [[Ath]], Brussels, [[Dendermonde]], [[Mechelen]] and [[Mons, Belgium|Mons]], it is recognized by [[UNESCO]] as a [[Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity]].<ref name="AyTJs">{{cite web|title=Processional Giants and Dragons in Belgium and France|publisher=[[UNESCO]]|url=http://www.unesco.org/culture/intangible-heritage/05eur_uk.htm|access-date=15 May 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070427153103/http://www.unesco.org/culture/intangible-heritage/05eur_uk.htm|archive-date=27 April 2007|url-status=live}}</ref>

Other examples are the three-day [[Carnival of Aalst]] in February or March; the still very religious processions of [[procession of the Holy Blood|the Holy Blood]] taking place in [[Bruges]] in May, the [[Virga Jesse Basilica|Virga Jesse procession]] held every seven years in [[Hasselt]], the [[Basilica of Our Lady of Hanswijk|annual procession of Hanswijk]] in Mechelen, the 15 August festivities in [[Liège]], and the Walloon festival in [[Namur]]. Originated in 1832 and revived in the 1960s, the [[Gentse Feesten]] (a music and theatre festival organized in Ghent around [[Belgian National Day]], on 21 July) have become a modern tradition. Several of these festivals include sporting competitions, such as [[cycle sport|cycling]], and many fall under the category of kermesses.

A major non-official holiday (which is however not an official public holiday) is [[Saint Nicholas Day]] (Dutch: ''[[Sinterklaas]]'', French: ''la Saint-Nicolas''), a festivity for children, and in Liège, for students.<ref name="X3HNa">{{cite web|title=Folklore estudiantin liégeois|publisher=[[University of Liège]]|url=http://www.ulg.ac.be/cms/c_36320/photographies-folklore-etudiant?hlText=Saint+Nicolas&hlMode=any&hlText=Saint+Nicolas&hlMode=any&hlText=Saint+Nicolas&hlMode=any|language=fr|access-date=17 June 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100620094647/http://www.ulg.ac.be/cms/c_36320/photographies-folklore-etudiant?hlText=Saint+Nicolas&hlMode=any&hlText=Saint+Nicolas&hlMode=any&hlText=Saint+Nicolas&hlMode=any|archive-date=20 June 2010}}</ref> It takes place each year on 6 December and is a sort of early [[Christmas]]. On the evening of 5 December, before going to bed, children put their shoes by the hearth with water or wine and a carrot for Saint Nicholas' horse or [[donkey]]. According to tradition, Saint Nicholas comes at night and travels down the chimney. He then takes the food and water or wine, leaves presents, goes back up, feeds his horse or donkey, and continues on his course. He also knows whether children have been good or bad. This holiday is especially loved by children in Belgium and the Netherlands. Dutch immigrants imported the tradition into the [[United States]], where Saint Nicholas is now known as [[Santa Claus]].