Christmas in the Netherlands

A Few Simple Traditions

I'm 38 years old and till last year January I lived in the Netherlands. Then I emigrated to Australia to get married to my Australian husband. Last year was my first Christmas in summer and it was a very weird experience. Christmas is supposed to be dark and cold and not hot and sunny!;-) I'm getting used to it a bit now, but it will take a few years before Christmas at the beach makes sense to me.

Christmas in the Netherlands

The Netherlands is not known for cherishing traditions, so there aren’t really a lot. But of course there are some around Christmas.

To start with: Santa Claus is still a stranger in the Netherlands. He does show up nowadays, but isn’t really popular yet. That’s because the Dutch have their special person with Saint Nicholas, at December 5. That’s also the date that traditionally gifts are exchanged. But more and more people skip Saint Nicholas and exchange gifts with Christmas.

On Christmas Eve lots of people go to church, which is often a service quite late at night (around 10 or 11 PM). On Christmas morning there is a real Christmas service, usually with lots of special things being organized. Christmas plays aren’t common, though probably some churches organize them. Catholics have the stable with all the Christmas figures, both in the church and at the homes. Protestants don’t have that, but they all have a tree, usually with colorful balls and electric lights.

Also very popular are special cookies with a hole in the middle, which are hung in the tree with a ribbon. Kids can eat a cookie now and then till all the decorations have gone.

December 26 is called Second Christmas Day and can be filled with all kinds of activities. Some churches have another service, or organize a “kids Christmas”. But most people celebrate it with family or they stay at home and enjoy the day off. Television usually gives lots of special movies, especially ones that can be watched by the whole family.

December 27 is a normal day again, though lots of people take vacation between Christmas and New Year. It’s also the day that the shops start with the Christmas sales, discounting everything that has something to do with Christmas. Great day for people who are organized enough to get their ornaments for the next year.

Thanks, Rixta, for a wonderful article about Christmas in the Netherlands -

I look forward to posting an article about Christmas in Australia once you have the time!!

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