Christmas Day in the Netherlands: An Overview
Christmas Day (Eerste Kerstdag, or "First Christmas Day") is celebrated in the Netherlands on 25 December, as in most of the Western world. It is a public holiday, and it is followed by a second public holiday on 26 December, known as Tweede Kerstdag ("Second Christmas Day"). Together the two days form the core of the Dutch Christmas season, which in the Netherlands is distinct from, and in some ways secondary to, the earlier gift-giving festival of Sinterklaas.
Origins and Historical Background
Christmas in the Netherlands has its roots in the Christian liturgical calendar, where 25 December marks the Feast of the Nativity. The celebration of Christ's birth on this date became established across Western Europe in late antiquity and the early Middle Ages, and the Dutch territories shared in this tradition through the influence of the Catholic Church. Following the Reformation, the Netherlands became a predominantly Protestant country, and the religious character of Christmas was reshaped accordingly, with an emphasis on church attendance and family gatherings rather than on the saint's-day customs that had grown up around the season.
The modern Dutch Christmas is also shaped by the older, separate tradition of Sinterklaas, celebrated on 5 December (St Nicholas's Eve). Because Sinterklaas is the occasion for gift-giving in the Netherlands, Christmas Day itself has traditionally been more centred on church, family, and food than on presents.
Religious Observance
For practising Christians, Christmas Day is marked by church services. Many Dutch churches hold a midnight service on Christmas Eve and a service on the morning of Christmas Day. The Christmas message and the nativity story remain central to the liturgy in Catholic and Protestant congregations alike. For much of the population, however, Christmas is primarily a secular family occasion, and regular church attendance on the day is not universal.
Customs and Traditions
- Family gatherings: Christmas Day is typically spent with close family, often at home or at the home of relatives.
- The Christmas tree: As in many countries, a decorated tree (kerstboom) is a common feature of Dutch homes during the season, usually put up in the weeks before Christmas.
- Christmas cards and greetings: Sending cards and wishing others a "Vrolijk Kerstfeest" (Merry Christmas) is a widespread custom.
- Two days of celebration: The pairing of Eerste and Tweede Kerstdag gives Dutch families two consecutive holidays, often used for visiting different branches of the family or for outings.
- Advent and the run-up: The weeks before Christmas are marked by Advent customs, including the Advent wreath and, in some homes, the lighting of candles on successive Sundays.
Food and Drink
Dutch Christmas food is hearty and seasonal, reflecting the winter climate. Traditional fare includes:
- Gourmetten: A popular Christmas-season activity in which family or friends sit around a table-top grill or hot plate (gourmetstel) and cook small pieces of meat, fish, vegetables, and other items themselves. It is especially associated with the Christmas period.
- Kerststol: A rich, sweet bread filled with almond paste and dried fruit, eaten at Christmas and closely related to the year-round stol.
- Roast meats and game: A festive main course such as roast pork, beef, or game is common at the Christmas table.
- Oliebollen and appelflappen: Though especially associated with New Year's Eve, these deep-fried dough treats are also eaten during the wider winter holiday season.
- Warm drinks: Mulled wine (glühwein), hot chocolate, and other warm beverages are typical of the cold-weather festivities.
Civic and Public Observances
Christmas Day and Boxing Day (Tweede Kerstdag) are official public holidays in the Netherlands. Most shops, offices, and schools are closed, and public transport runs on a reduced holiday timetable. The period between Christmas and New Year is a quiet time in Dutch public life, with many businesses shut or operating limited hours. Towns and cities are decorated with Christmas lights and street decorations during the season, and Christmas markets are held in many places in the weeks leading up to the holiday.
Regional Variations
Dutch Christmas traditions are broadly similar across the country, but there are some regional and local differences. In the southern provinces, which are historically more Catholic, religious observance tends to be more prominent than in the predominantly Protestant north. Local Christmas markets and regional food specialities vary from place to place, and some towns have their own distinctive seasonal events. The overall pattern, however, is a shared national celebration centred on family, food, and, for many, church.
Christmas Day in Context
In the Netherlands, Christmas Day is best understood alongside the other celebrations of the winter season. Sinterklaas on 5 December is the main gift-giving occasion, while Christmas itself is more focused on family meals, church, and quiet time together, followed by the second holiday on 26 December. This division of the season into distinct celebrations gives the Dutch Christmas its particular character within the wider European tradition.