Christmas in The Netherlands

People in the Netherlands consider Christmas merely a family holiday than a religious celebration. They prefer to spend it quietly at home, watching the king’s speech and indulging in festive foods.

The beginning of the Christmas season in the Netherlands is marked with the arrival of Sinterklaas, Christmas market opening, and horn blowing. But as soon as Epiphany passes, the festive spirit is gone.

Dutch Christmas customs and etiquette may sometimes seem odd to tourists, but the Netherlands is worth a visit for anyone seeking new experiences at Christmas time.

Sinterklass & Zwarte Piet

Dutch Santa Claus is called Sinterklaas and traditionally wears an ornate red robe with a tall, embellished hat. Like American Santa, he has a long white beard, but instead of a sleigh with reindeer, he travels by boat.

Sinterklaas also used to have a white horse, Amerigo, but it was recently replaced with Oh Zo Snel, translating as “oh so fast.” The Dutch Santa has no Dasher, Dancer, Vixen, or Rudolph.

Dutch Sinterklaas and Santa have one origin, a fourth-century bishop from Myra Saint Nicholas. For this reason, other names of the Dutch Santa include De Sint (“the saint”) and De Goedheiligman (“the good, holy man”).

Sinterklaas makes his annual appearance on December 6, Saint Nicholas Day. On December 5 evening, all Dutch kids await gifts from Sinterklaas, but he doesn’t come alone – Sinterklaas arrives with his companion Zwarte Piet or Black Pete.

Zwarte Piet was initially Santa’s evil helper who punished naughty kids, but over time, he acquired a merrier personality and now helps to distribute candy.

Kerstpakket

Kerstpakket translates from Dutch as “Christmas box,” and, as you may have guessed, the tradition relates to gift-giving.

In the Netherlands, Christmas is a big celebration, and employers give their employees gifts consisting of drinks, festive food, and small souvenirs.

The value of kerstapakket is usually around $40, and companies must be careful because they may have to pay tax on a more expensive gift.

The Dutch place great importance on sustainability and eco-friendliness, so recently, many employers have been gifting kerstpakkets in recyclable bags or paper boxes.

Many employers give their employees’ gift cards instead of physical gifts, but thirteenth salaries are uncommon.

De Kerstman

Although Sinterklaas is the main Christmas gift-fiver in the Netherlands, he isn’t the only one. Sinterklaas competes in popularity with De Kerstman, who is essentially the American Santa Claus.

Technically, Sinterklaas and De Kerstman have the same origin. However, the modern images of De Kerstman and Sinterklaas have more distinctions than similarities.

While Sinterklaas is a saint, lives in Spain, arrives in the Netherlands by boat, and rides a white horse, De Kerstman isn’t a saint, rides a sleigh with eight reindeer, and lives on the North Pole.

De Kerstman also doesn’t have a helper like Zwarte Piet but has elves who stay at home while Santa delivers gifts. The most exciting part is how Saint Nicholas became two distinctly different figures in the Netherlands.

The Dutch brought Sinterklaas to the U.S. in the 17th century, and Americans developed their unique perception of the Christmas gift-giver.

Centuries later, American Santa’s image spread worldwide, and the Dutch adopted it. In other words, the tradition has morphed and made it back to the Netherlands.

Midwinter Hoornblazen

Some Dutch Christmas traditions are unique to specific regions. So, the midwinter hoornblazen or midwinter horn blowing tradition is observed only in rural eastern areas of the country.

As the name suggests, the tradition involves blowing long, hand-carved birch horns over wells to announce the beginning of the Advent season. For this reason, the custom also comes by the name Adventshorn or Advent horn.

Traditionally, the horn is four feet long, but some are even longer. The low tone of the horns can be heard for miles away because it resonates from the well’s walls. The Dutch blow horns from the first Advent to Epiphany, January 6.

Decorations

In the U.S., the first Christmas decorations appear on the streets in early November. However, in the Netherlands, Christmas trees and other decorations can only be set up after Saint Nicholas Day, December 6 – that’s the etiquette.

Many Dutch take this rule very seriously, and if someone decorates their house earlier, the neighbors may consider it rude.

But once Saint Nicholas Day is over, every Dutch heads to the local Christmas market or forest to get a fragrant fir or spruce. The decorations include tinsel, baubles, string lights, and real candles.

Dutch love themed Christmas trees decorated in a specific color. Poinsettias and candle bridges are displayed in almost every Dutch home. However, Dutch rarely decorate house exteriors like Americans.

Street Christmas decorations in the Netherlands are atmospheric yet simple – you’re unlikely to see gigantic, elaborate displays with holiday characters.

Still, every alley sparkles with fairy lights, and store entrances are adorned with garlands.

Christmas Songs

Music is equally vital for a Dutch Christmas celebration as the Christmas tree or Sinterklaas. Shopping malls and other public places usually play popular English Christmas songs, such as Jingle Bells and All I Want for Christmas Is You.

However, at home, Dutch prefer to listen to local Christmas songs, such as Sinterklaas, Kapoentje (Sinterklaas, my dear), Hoor de Wind Waait de Bomen (the winds are blowing), and Hoor Wie Stapt Daar Kinderen (someone’s coming, kids).

Perhaps, the strangest Dutch Christmas song is Flappie, narrating the story of a boy searching for his lost pet rabbit, only to find out his rabbit is his Christmas dinner.

The song was written by a comedian Youp van ‘t Hek – the Dutch tend to have a pretty dark sense of humor. Another quirky tune is Eenzame Kerst (lonely Christmas), a story about a Christmas spent in jail.

Gift Exchange

Back in the day, the Dutch didn’t exchange gifts for Christmas, considering it a pagan custom. Some elderly Dutch still refrain from the tradition, so if you are ever invited to a Dutch house for Christmas dinner, ensure the hosts aren’t against gifts.

However, nowadays, Dutch kids excitedly wait for Sinterklaas or De Kerstman twice a year – on Saint Nicholas Day, January 6, and Christmas Day, December 25.

Dutch kids usually receive gifts in the morning, unlike many other European children who receive gifts on Christmas Eve. Dutch typically prefer small and practical gifts – they are very “down to earth.”

Dutch usually open gifts right away. If someone doesn’t do that, the gift-giver may think that the receiver isn’t interested in the present.

Church Service

Christmas Eve for the Dutch is a regular working day – all the celebrations occur on December 25. However, religious people attend the Midnight Mass service on Christmas Eve to commemorate the birth of Christ.

The Midnight Mass is one of the oldest Christmas traditions globally, dating to the fourth century.

Many churches in the Netherlands also host masses on Christmas morning. However, finding a Catholic church can be tricky because most are of Protestant denomination.

Christmas for many Dutch people is more about the family get-together than about religion. Surveys have shown that about 25% of respondents didn’t even know what the biblical story Christmas was based on.

Christmas Dinner in The Netherlands

People in many countries feast after returning from church, but not in the Netherlands. Dutch head to sleep and start the feast preparations on December 25 morning.

The Dutch Christmas dinner usually starts with salmon soup, fish bites, or shrimp cocktail.

Stamppot, a traditional Dutch dish, is popular year-round, especially during cold months. Stamppot is simple yet tasty, made with meat, potatoes, vegetable mix, and gravy.

The Dutch eat speculaas, thin and crunchy gingerbread biscuits with anise for dessert. They are usually shaped as Christmas characters and symbols, such as bells, snowmen, and Christmas trees. Some speculaas have marzipan filling.

Another popular dessert is oliebollen, spherical donuts topped with sugar powder. Sometimes, oliebollen have a jam or custard filling. Of course, the Dutch Christmas dinner wouldn’t be complete without kerststol, sweet fruit bread with marzipan.

Mulled wine is undoubtedly the most popular Dutch Christmas drink, ideal for long walks in chilly weather. It’s sold in every café and Christmas market from early December.

After dinner, the Dutch play games, sing carols, watch Christmas movies, read tales, and otherwise spend quality time with family. The Dutch rarely spend Christmas with friends or extended family members – it’s a celebration for the closest ones.

The King’s Christmas Message

The Netherlands is a kingdom, so the Dutch, like the British or Swedish, watch King Willem-Alexander’s annual Christmas speech on December 25. Interestingly, more Dutch people listen to the king’s message than attend church on Christmas.

The speech is recorded weeks in advance and includes a recall of the year’s most significant events and an uplifting message to the nation. It doesn’t usually revolve around religion and is broadcasted on all national TV channels and online.