This post took me back to my sweet little time spent in Amsterdam and its neighborhood. A dear teacher friend of ours wanted to share with her class what Christmas was like in the Netherlands. 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. Ahahaha. You may be new to the Netherlands and be a bit perplexed with all the celebrations that are about to happen (or have just happened), some of which are rather odd, or new, or maybe you never heard of them? The website may provide links to other websites on the Internet, the content of which is not in our control. Because children have already received presents from Sinterklaas earlier in the month, Christmas is typically celebrated by spending time with family. Probably that we feel the need to celebrate Christmas for more than two months, from the second the last kid knocks on our door trick-or-treating until at least New Year’s Day. My kids LOVE gold-wrapped chocolate coins, too! … But Sinterklaas is also the patron saint of prostitutes, an interesting wrinkle in a nation where prostitution has been legal for several decades. Ice Amsterdam - the popular and picturesque ice rink on Museumplein in the Dutch capital - has been cancelled, and it is not yet clear whether the accompanying market will be going ahead. I love to see the different ways that people celebrate the same holiday in such different ways. Because it’s fascinating to see how a holiday as universal as Christmas is celebrated differently around the globe, here are 25 surprising facts about Christmas in the Netherlands. A thick, brandy-spiked variation of eggnog called Advocaat is often served over the holidays. Rather than hanging stockings, well-behaved Dutch children leave wooden shoes out for Sinterklaas to fill. *. Sinterklaas is based on the historical figure of Saint Nicholas (270–343), a Greek bishop of Myra in present-day Turkey. Must admit my first thought about the black Piets was that it was pretty racist and that maybe they were originally slaves. Get the latest articles delivered to you! $49.69: $2.38: Hardcover $5.98 30 Used from $2.38 1 New from $49.69 2 Collectible from $7.76 They put the treats in their shoes, and if they're lucky. Yeah, the over-commercialization of Christmas is a real turnoff for me. Which Dutch traditions have you adopted and which ones have you imported from your country? 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?? Dutch Christmas recipes include Apple Dumplings, Limburg Pie, and Apple-Raisin Donuts. He was a Greekorthodox Bishop. 15+ Dutch foods to try when you visit the Netherlands. In rural eastern areas of the country, handmade horns are carved out of birch or elder saplings. Pakjesavond literally means “presents evening.”. Christmas. This is great! But no, this is not Halloween and has little to do with it.eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'dutchreview_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_3',168,'0','0'])); Sint Maarten is a festivity celebrated mostly in the southern catholic provinces (Limburg) and those adjacent to Germany. Christmas in The Netherlands. But there are others who are happy when it’s all over and life gets back to normal. Here’s how to bring in the New Year in the Netherlands 2020-2021: lockdown edition, Christmas in the Netherlands: the merriest bits, Press conference: Curfew likely but not yet confirmed, one guest per household, Video: Incredible footage of 1920s Amsterdam in colour, LIVE BLOG: new coronavirus measures for the Netherlands on the way, Curfew and only one visitor at home: stricter measures to be announced for Netherlands today, Fast trains from the Netherlands will likely go under as Eurostar faces bankruptcy. It’s so nice to read about this unexplicable culture that Europeans have. In the Netherlands the Christmas tree is called the paradise tree. It’s Christmas in the Netherlands! The Christmas festival is a result of Christian influences on pre-Christian winter festivals held in the area that is now the Netherlands and most of Europe. In my homeland we don’t have St. Nicholas in Decamber only Christmas. I am a Mexican girl, born to a Swiss father and married to a Dutch guy, living in The Netherlands for 9 years (oh how time flies!). The connection between St. Nicholas and prostitutes is why chocolate coins are a common treat for children from Sinterklaas. From the Netherlands to Australia, InterNations employees have shared their Christmas experiences and traditions from their native countries. At Sint Maarten children do not give away fruit and candy. To save the young women from the alternative — a life of prostitution — Sinterklaas dropped three sacks of gold coins down the chimney. Prior to Christmas Day, many people decorate their homes and gardens with Christmas trees. They often leave carrots, hay, or sugar cubes for Sinterklaas’ horse along with a poem or letter for him. He differs in appearance from Santa Claus in that he is tall and slender, wears a dark red robe and a hat similar to a bishop's attire, and is often portrayed as elderly with a long, white beard. 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. I learned so many new things from this article. 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. Also, I love the whole story of the chocolate and the coins but you sold me at Marzipan! Santa is wearing board shorts and everyone is outside. Nice article! When did Santa (or Father Christmas as we call him) have time to sneak down the chimney? The Dutch celebrate Christmas over two days: 25 and 26 December, described as First and Second Christmas Day. Families gather to celebrate, eat spice cookies, hot chocolate, tea and open presents. The Netherlands has a long, North Sea coastline. When I moved back to the US after living in the Netherlands for nearly four years, my American friends were often confused about the European nation about half the size of Maine, so here is a quick overview: Share your favorite photo with me by tagging @sagescott.kc on Instagram and using the hashtag #everydaywanderer. Does your family honor one of these Dutch traditions? The general rule is Sinterklaas first, then Christmas via two distinct and separate holidays. So interesting! , Marzipan is sooooo amazing! Usually it is celebrated with ones direct, and not extended, family. Christmas is the 25th of December, but this is referred to as the Dutch as the 1st Day of Christmas. 25 surprising facts about Christmas in the Netherlands. No, December 24 is still a regular day for the Dutch. All material on this website (DutchReview) is strictly copyright and all rights reserved. Christmas markets in the Netherlands Visit one of the many Christmas markets in the Netherlands and take part in the Christmas cheer. Your email address will not be published. I can understand your kids’ perspectives. But, not in Netherlands as a whole. If you choose to make a purchase via one of these links, there’s no additional cost to you, but I’ll earn a teeny tiny commission. Instead of Santa Claus, the Dutch have Sinterklaas. A quick read through Wikipedia explains more in-depth what Sinterklaas really means in the Netherlands: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinterklaas. A bit of Christmas for me same in Belgium too can ’ t say this is more –. Really want a turkey, fruit cake or any complicated dish 6th, Sinterklaas is also celebrated Maastricht. Markets proceeding to Christmas day is celebrated in the Netherlands has a long, full christmas in the netherlands is additional., the Dutch celebrate Christmas day and Second Christmas day together and exchange presents Myra Asia... 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