Christmas in the Netherlands is a magical time filled with unique customs. From a gift-giving saint who arrives by boat to chocolate letters that put boring old candy canes to shame, Dutch holiday traditions are as delightful as they are festive.
During my first winter living in the Netherlands, I quickly learned that the Dutch approach the holiday season a bit differently than Americans. Most notably, they have two separate holidays — one for gift-giving and one for Christmas.
Because most North American readers may have yet to learn about this Dutch custom, I’ve combined the two to give you the full, festive picture of the holiday season in one of my favorite Northern European countries.
Sinterklaas is the OG Santa Claus
Sinterklaas is the center of Dutch holiday celebrations. This beloved figure is based on Saint Nicholas, the 4th-century Christian patron saint of children and sailors. Dressed in the red robes of a Catholic bishop, complete with a tall miter hat and a ruby ring, Sinterklaas rides a white horse named Ozosnel.
Zwarte Piet, or Black Peter, is Sinterklaas’s assistant. He is a lively, mischievous character who accompanies Sinterklaas during the holiday season. Zwarte Piet wears colorful costumes, often featuring feathered hats, adding to his upbeat and playful personality.
A grand entrance
Sinterklaas’s arrival by steamboat from Spain in mid-November is a grand spectacle broadcast on national television. Once Sinterklaas disembarks, he parades through the city center, drawing huge crowds of excited children and adults.
While Santa Claus jumps from rooftop to rooftop, sneaking down chimneys on Christmas Eve, Sinterklaas does things differently. For starters, his big night is Dec. 5, on “Pakjesavond,” or gifting evening. Children place their shoes by the fireplace or radiator that evening and leave carrots, hay or sugar cubes for Ozosnel. If they’ve been good, children wake to find their shoes filled with small gifts and tasty treats.
Chocolate letters and other festive Dutch treats
One of the most delicious Dutch holiday treats is the chocolate letter. Sinterklaas typically leaves each person a large chocolate initial of their first name, but there are many other delicious ways to celebrate Christmas in the Netherlands, including:
- Banketstaaf, a flaky, marzipan-filled pastry often shaped into a long roll reminiscent of a log.
- Kruidnoten, small and crunchy spiced cookies often enjoyed by the handful.
- Marzipan treats that shape almond paste into everything from fruits to animals.
- Oliebollen, a doughnut hole-like bread with currents, raisins or apple bits typically dusted with powdered sugar.
- Speculaas, spiced cookies often cut into an intricate windmill or Sinterklaas molds.
- Stollen, a bread-like cake filled with marzipan and bits of fruit.
- Advocaat, a thick brandy-spiked variation of eggnog typically served over the holidays.
Christmas trees and decorations
While many Americans will put up Christmas trees around Thanksgiving, sometimes earlier, Christmas trees aren’t put up in the Netherlands until after Sinterklaas. So don’t expect to see decked halls until Dec. 7. Once the gift-giving season is over, Dutch homes are decorated with beautifully adorned Christmas trees, twinkling lights, and handmade wreaths called “kerstkransjes.”
These wreath-shaped cookies are traditionally iced and decorated with sliced almonds before being tied with ribbons and hung on the Christmas tree as edible decorations. They’re like the Dutch version of gingerbread men, but way more fun to say.
Christmas markets
Although Christmas markets have been a part of holiday celebrations in neighboring Germany since the Middle Ages, they are a relatively new concept in the Netherlands. However, a growing number of Dutch cities hold impressive Christmas markets each year.
If you visit the Netherlands during the holidays, be sure to check out one of these markets:
- Dordrecht Christmas Market: With nearly 300 stands spread over 1.5 miles, Dordrecht hosts the largest Christmas market in the Netherlands.
- Magical Maastricht Vrijthof: In the southern city of Maastricht, the Christmas market combines a fair-like atmosphere with a carousel and Ferris wheel.
- Christmas Town Valkenburg: Just east of Maastricht, the Christmas market in Valkenburg aan de Geul is held in the festively lit corridors of the Gemeentegrot and Fluvelengrot caves. It is billed as the largest underground Christmas market in Europe.
Ice skating
While you may think of the Netherlands as the land of colorful tulips, rustic windmills and gigantic rounds of cheese, you may also associate it with speed skating. After all, the Dutch have won more Olympic medals for the sport than any other in the world.
In many Dutch cities, temporary ice rinks are set up in winter, often surrounded by holiday decorations and light festivals that illuminate the longest, darkest nights of the year. Be sure to check out:
- Amsterdam Light Festival: The canals are decorated with light art installations from the end of November through mid-January.
- Gouda by Candlelight: For nearly 70 years, the Dutch town of Gouda has been illuminated with beautiful lights, from bulbs adorning a festive tree in the central market square to candles in the town hall windows.
Two days of Christmas celebrations
Dec. 25 and Dec. 26 are both public holidays in the Netherlands. The second day of Christmas, known as Tweede Kerstdag, is a time for extended family gatherings. Many families play games together, enjoy festive events and dig into holiday feasts.
The second day of Christmas in the Netherlands is also Saint Stephen’s Day. Some Dutch families will attend church to honor the first Christian martyr known for serving the poor and needy. An act of charity often follows Church attendance as a way for the family to focus on the season’s true meaning.
Traditional Dutch Christmas feasts
Both days of Christmas are celebrated with lots of food. As a country of sailors with a long coastline, fish is often featured on Christmas, including mussels, sea shrimp, salmon and eel, but some families also prepare goose, rabbit or pork. Another popular Christmas dish is a rollade — thin slices of beef, pork or chicken that are stuffed, rolled and roasted. Whatever the main dish, it is typically accompanied by vegetable side dishes.
Blowing the midwinter horn
An old tradition in rural eastern parts of the Netherlands involves blowing a handmade horn carved out of wood. This unique custom, known as midwinterhoornblazen, is performed during Advent and symbolizes the announcement of Christ’s birth. The midwinter horn is always blown solo, typically at twilight, releasing a melancholic tone that you can hear from miles away.
Epiphany: The end of the festive season
The Dutch holiday season concludes on Jan. 6 with the Feast of the Epiphany. Also known as Driekoningen, or Three Kings’ Day, it commemorates the three wise men’s visit to the baby Jesus. Families also take down their Christmas decorations on Jan. 6 and begin preparing for Carnival.
Tying a bow on Dutch Christmas traditions
Christmas in the Netherlands is a vibrant blend of unique traditions, delicious foods and festive activities. From the arrival of Sinterklaas to the grand feasts on Christmas Day and beyond, the Dutch know how to celebrate the holiday season in style.
Sage Scott was bitten by the travel bug as a preschooler when her family moved abroad for the first time. Now settled in America’s Heartland, Sage is a travel writer, world wanderer and photographer whose favorite color is golden hour. Follow her adventures at Everyday Wanderer.