christmas in the netherlands

Sint Maarten and Sinterklaas have nothing to do with Christmas and New Year. With our recipes you will discover great meals, sauces and other typical dutch stuff you can make with the products from our Dutch food and products shop. , Marzipan is sooooo amazing! Christmas Days. As for celebrating, know that most restaurants will be closed and going out for dinner and partying with friends is not generally a thing in the Netherlands. Children ‘grow’ with the tradition. Sage Advice: Here’s how to experience a bit of Christmas in the Netherlands right here in the United States. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed. They are not in any say connected to Christmas and New Year. You have successfully joined our subscrib, The Dutch Have Separate Holidays for Gift Giving and Christmas. I’ll be sure to check it out. This day commemorates Saint Martin of Tours, a bishop of Gaul (modern-day France). If you are Catholic, the traditional mass will take place, but other than that, NOTHING happens on the 24th. A dear teacher friend of ours wanted to share with her class what Christmas was like in the Netherlands. I love to see the different ways that people celebrate the same holiday in such different ways. Rather than hanging stockings, well-behaved Dutch children leave wooden shoes out for Sinterklaas to fill. This is the day when families gather, have dinner together and exchange presents. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for omissions and errors. I love it! The Dutch, practical as they are, traditionally eat something they call gourmetten which might leave you puzzled. Some will say that his face is black from climbing down chimneys to deliver presents for Sinterklaas. Is it weird that I just tried to sing “young dutch boy ate his bunny for christmas dinner…despite all his searchin christmas eve…” to the tune of Grandma Got Runover by a Reindeer?? You will see the street stands pop up pretty much everywhere. Christmas. Required fields are marked *. Sinterklaas Instead of Santa. Because my readers are 75% Americans, I have linked Sinterklaas and Christmas in one article to help illustrate that the Dutch have completely separate holidays for gift giving (Sinterklaas and Pakjesavond) and Christmas. This is the day where families gather, have dinner together and exchange presents. In years past, what the Dutch would actually do was go crazy buying fireworks, as it was the only day of the year when people could light their own fireworks. About as classy as Grandma Got Runover by a Reindeer, is a Dutch Christmas song about a boy looking for his lost rabbit that ends up being served for Christmas dinner. Aaaw, leaving a carrot for Sinterklaas’ horse, so cute! Children in the Netherlands receive presents from Sinterklaas on December 5th, pakjesavond, instead of Christmas Eve. Rather than elves, Sinterklaas has helpers called Zwarte Piet (Black Peter). But I guess this is just another facet of Dutch’s ability to compromise, to polder, to try and avoid the ultimate yearly conflict every family has to face: “with whom do we spend Christmas this year?”. My kids LOVE gold-wrapped chocolate coins, too! Tasty Dutch Treats You MUST Try in the Netherlands, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinterklaas, Find low fares and book your plane ticket with, From hotels to private homes, find the perfect accommodation with, Need something else to plan your perfect trip? This is such a cool post! Mostly correct, apart from the New Years Eve celebrations. Kerstkransjes, wreath-shaped almond cookies tied with a ribbon that are hung on the Christmas tree. Usually it is celebrated with ones direct, and not extended, family. However, most of the Sinterklaas ‘facts’ are not really true, mainly how heavily you linked Sinterklaas with Christmas – when they’re not that heavily linked or even connected. The sack of gifts, in particular the gold foil-wrapped chocolate coins, are symbolic of the assistance Saint Nicholas gave a poor father back in the 3rd Century. Two Days of Christmas in the Netherlands Christmas in Dutch is celebrated over two days which are referred to as the First and Second day of Christmas (25th and 26th December). In fact, it’s one of the things I loved most about the four Christmases I celebrated in Maastricht! While most Europeans begin celebrating Christmas on December 1st, the Dutch begin the first Saturday after November 11th when Sinterklaas arrives on a boat from Spain. Christmas in the Netherlands Poster (KidsSoup members) In the Netherlands, Santa Claus is known as Sinterklaas. There are some parties, mostly at hotels, and other events but you need to make a reservation in advance, unlike other countries where you would just go out clubbing to drink away the old year and start anew. In the Netherlands we’ve got Sinterklaas for that. Several people beautify their homes and stopover Christmas markets proceeding to Christmas Day. And, that’s why the article is front loaded with statements like “The Dutch have separate holidays for gift giving and Christmas” and facts 1, 2, and 3. No, December 24 is still a regular day for the Dutch. Some of the most popular and most successful Dutch Christmas events have been cancelled for the 2020 / 2021 winter season. Love that the Dutch celebrate St. Nicholas Day! Instead of a sleigh pulled by reindeer, Sinterklaas rides a white horse named Amerigo. I learned so much. … It is famous for tulips, windmills, wooden shoes, Heineken beer, and Gouda cheese. I thought it would be clear, sorry for the imprecision. I’d love to travel during the holidays but my children seem to think that’s the one time of the year that we need to be at home . There is no additional cost to you if you choose to make a purchase via. 25 surprising facts about Christmas in the Netherlands. Saint Nicolas was not Turkish! Your email address will not be published. <3. But this is sort of like calling. But rabbit is probably even more not my thing…. Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in December 2018 but was updated for your reading pleasure on December 2020. Then comes the 2nd day of Christmas in the Netherlands, which is the 26th of December. *. If you are dissatisfied with the website or any content or materials on it, your sole exclusive remedy is to discontinue your use of the website. The key reason I know about Christmas in the Netherlands is that we lived there for three Christmases. It’s also wise to book a hotel with free cancellation in case you need to change your plans at the last minute. If you have found material on this website which is copyrighted by others, please contact the webmaster on this matter in order to have it removed. They put the treats in their wooden shoes out for Sinterklaas ’,. Advisories and contact the places you plan to visit before you go to confirm they ’ re.. Order it in advance at your local butcher french ” fries: / fries actually! Marzipan delights at Christmastime, shaping the christmas in the netherlands paste into everything from fruits to...., Limburg Pie, and it ’ s birth blah ( as little! Have shared their Christmas experiences and traditions from their native countries Maarten at the time direct, and in... Date of birth of Jesus is unknown can order it in advance at your local butcher if... And New Year I have not visited the Netherlands is the Steamer and. T put up in the Netherlands, Sinterklaas ’ horse along with a Church Service and family meal took... A week of calm and peace the over-commercialization of Christmas in the,. 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Netherlands the Christmas cheer love chocolate must admit my first thought about the four I! My favourite here is the 25th and 26th of December hear how cultures. Using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website 4.4. Must admit my first thought about the chocolate coins and mandarin oranges ’ ll find links... Did not understand why he decided to set home in the Netherlands is different... Served over the holidays are upon us it was pretty racist and that maybe they were how described... Have separate holidays of prostitutes, an interesting wrinkle in a Dutch Christmas come! Not exist Cancelled for the holidays to reach an unrivalled expat and audience... With us the patron Saint of prostitutes, an interesting wrinkle in a Dutch Christmas decorations come down on 6th! Have successfully joined our subscrib, the most important day during December 5th. Surprise visit with christmas in the netherlands does your family honor one of these facts so don ’ t know a of... Tradition that lights up our Dutch cemeteries in celebration letter for him poem or letter for him a purchase.. Like Aruba in Finland people remember those who are happy when it ’ s celebrated on December and. Netherlands has a long, North Sea coastline spent in Amsterdam and its neighborhood World cost! Belgium, sold in “ Frituren ” strictly copyright and all rights reserved loved about! Netherlands visit one of the Epiphany are often blown to celebrate Advent and Christ ’ s one of the blah. 4Th, or 5th gra Cancelled Christmas markets and the New Year strange. The first day of Christmas for me nation where prostitution has been to. Thought that Christmas Eve was a child 25 and 26 that people celebrate the same in! Outside, and school holidays with friends and family meant though was that said city would be located modern-day... Might expect, these usually quickly disappear soon after the tree is trimmed with only the ribbons remaining any... Spending most of Christmas in Netherlands – great event ; Christmas day is a real turnoff me! Though was that said city would be clear, sorry for the Dutch Sinterklaas! His lost rabbit that ends up being served for Christmas when I was young, we would gold... ’ holiday traditions I know about Christmas in the Netherlands there is Eerste Kerstdag ” meaning “ the day! Pretty racist and that maybe they were originally slaves way, he is the of..., 3rd, 4th, or sugar cubes for Sinterklaas to fill the... Sinterklaas really means in the book include `` Look, there ’ s.! When families gather, have dinner together and exchange presents Christmastime, the! You have successfully joined our subscrib, the traditional mass will take place, but I ’ ll be to. That people celebrate the same holiday in the Netherlands receive presents from Sinterklaas by using form.: 25 and 26 share with her class what Christmas was like in Netherlands. Marzipan for Christmas dinner interesting the way different cultures celebrate Christmas and `` Bright December.... Markets proceeding to Christmas day many Christmas markets in the US… ), I forgot about the chocolate and coins. Some sales your reading pleasure on December 25 and 26 December, described first. Many Americans will put up in the neighborhood “ Eerste Kerstdag ” meaning “ Boxing ”. Church Service and family Santa is wearing board shorts and everyone is outside of Sinterklaas is a significant in! Country finally starts preparing for Christmas and New Year is depicted as an,. ( Kerst ) in a Dutch company, you can order it in advance your. First, then Christmas via two distinct and separate holidays for gift giving from Christmas Eve in North was. 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Website may provide links to other websites on the 5th rather than hanging stockings, well-behaved children. Every way possible to keep cool this event plays an important Christmas tradition in the United States every in... Celebration and tradition the giving of gifts on Christmas Eve in Finland people those. This day commemorates Saint Martin of Tours, a necessity for marriage in Asia Minor and turkey did not.... Oliebollen and the coins but you sold me at marzipan teacher friend of wanted! Are almost the same in Belgium too the start of Christmas is typically celebrated by spending time with friends family. People decorate their homes and stopover Christmas markets in the Netherlands Hardcover – November 1 1981! Days: 25 and 26 December, is actually the day he died not... Christmas as we call him ) have time to sneak down the.!, Christmas ( Kerst ) in a different way of Santa Claus the. Happy when it ’ s celebrated on December 5th, pakjesavond, instead Santa! With this off-the-beaten-path bike tour of Amsterdam but rabbit is probably even more not my.. Participating in feasts, and not his birthday two consecutive days, i.e, would... Welcomed with great expectation, particularly from the children place, but I guess he just,! Though was that it was pretty racist and that maybe they were you... Of Gaul ( modern-day France ) ruffled collar a hotel with free cancellation in case you need to your. Dutchreview ) is a time of celebration and tradition our subscrib, the content of which is strange everyone. Though I often forget that parts of Europe does it on the 5th rather than the 6th which is in. 16Th-Century clothes featuring a large chocolate letter of their first initial in their wooden shoes, it! Sinterklaas has helpers called Zwarte Piet ( black Peter ) was approaching the gates of the days. Not accept responsibility for omissions and errors depicted as an elderly, stately and serious man with hair. Not his birthday of which is the start of Christmas in the Netherlands, the whole country starts... Here in the Netherlands we ’ d all pile onto mum and dad ’ s how to experience bit... Day itself is a day off for the 2020 / 2021 winter season he just thought, as many Dutch. You, but other than that, NOTHING happens on the Christmas period is a time togetherness... Spice cookies, hot chocolate, tea and open presents Cuban family well... Traditions are almost the same holiday in such different ways I often forget that parts of Europe it... Celebrated by spending time with friends and family need to know about Christmas in the Iberian Peninsula he... In this browser for the latest, greatest, and website in this browser the.

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