CHRISTMAS IN THE NETHERLANDS

During Christmas, the traditional Christian holiday, the Dutch are commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas in The Netherlands is celebrated over two days, i.e. Eerste Kerstdag (First Christmas Day) on December 25 and Tweede Kerstdag (Second Christmas Day) on December 26, both of which are public holidays.

While it may seem similar to what you know, Christmas is not about Santa Claus and reindeer in the Netherlands. In fact, the Dutch celebrate Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas Day) on December 5, and it is this day that Dutch children get really excited about. They receive most of their presents on “Sinterklaas”.

Cosy atmosphere!!

This means that Christmas in the Netherlands is really about the ambiance. People buy Christmas trees, and decorate them with glass balls, gilded nuts, ribbons, glittery pine cones, frosted bells, and red and white candles. Many people place beautiful Advent star lights in their windows.

The main square of every city has its own brightly lit Christmas tree. Twinkly lights shaped like bells and stars, and garlands are strung over many of the charming old streets or new Shopping Centres, adding instant Christmas cheer during the darkest days of the year. Department stores are beautifully decked out in red, white, green, silver and gold decorations. Christmas carillon music is played and you will find many old-fashioned stalls selling donuts and other fried seasonal favorites like oliebollen and appelflappen on the street. Flower sellers offer beautifully made wreaths, red and white poinsettias, holly, mistletoe, and decorated pine cones.

Oliebollen



Appelflappen



It’s Family time now!!!

Christmas is family time, although the commercial style of Christmas that is found in so many other Christian countries is gaining ground here too, unfortunately. Rather confusingly, Santa Claus (called de Kerstman) is also trying to edge his way into Dutch Christmas. Of course, kids are only too happy to accept two gift-giving Santas, if it means more presents for them.

Families spend the day together on the 25th.  They attend a late night Christmas service at church, after which they eat breakfast at home, often in the early hours.

Breakfast usually consists of a brunch with a kerststol (fruited Christmas loaf) with butter, and luxury breakfast items like fancy bread rolls, smoked salmon, pates, etc.

Sending X-Mas cards to families & friends is very popular throughout the country, although “electronic” cards through Emails or SMS services become more and more popular. 

kerststol

Many families eat course after lavish course for their Christmas dinner. These meals could include meats, roast pork, fondues or gourmetten (a style of eating that involves a grill on the table so that everyone can cook bite-sized pieces of meat and vegetables themselves). Turkey is not usually part of the feast in Holland, although it too is gaining ground. Second Christmas Day is often spent visiting family or, weather permitting, going ice skating or on an outing. Leftovers are enjoyed on this day.

AND LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD: WE ARE ALWAYS DREAMING OF A WHITE X-MAS!!!!!    AND.....  

.......We can stop dreaming, because a lot of snow has been fallen!!

     

Typical Dutch Christmas treats include

  

·         Kerstkransjes (Christmas wreath cookies)

·         Kerststol (fruited Christmas loaf)

·         Kerstkrans (a wreath shaped pastry decorated with glace fruits and filled with sweet almond paste)

·         Jan Hagel cookies (a fragrant and flaky Christmas cookie)

·         Speculaas (spiced cookies)                       



Christmas in our school

Our school is decorated with beautiful Christmas trees in every class. The children are very busy making nice Christmas decorations. On Wednesday 22^nd December in the evening all the children with their parents and all the teachers come to church to celebrate Christmas together. The children will perform a Christmas musical and we sing and pray. Thereafter we come together in the schoolyard to drink and eat something and to wish each other a merry Christmas.  It is a very warm and happy gathering.

 

     

We wish you all Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Vrolijk Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuwjaar!  Feliz Navidad y Prospero Año Nuevo! Wesołych Świąt i Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku!   Feliz Natal e Feliz Ano Novo!   Vesele Božične praznike in srečno Novo Leto!  Priecigus Ziemas Svetkus un Laimigu Jauno Gadu!