Christmas in Holland

Vrolijk Kerstfeest! (Merry Christmas)

What is most important to us during the holidays? To me, it's the traditions. Traditions that were started in my family and traditions that were started in my own family, after I got married. Every country and family has it's own traditions... mine are based on growing up in my native country, the Netherlands.

Christmas celebrations in Holland begin on the last Saturday of November, when Sinterklaas ( Saint Nicholas) arrives via a steam ship from Spain. Children crowding into the harbor in Rotterdam for a glimpse of the ship carrying Sint Nicholaas, zwarte Piet ( black Peter) and their gifts. We now take our grand children to the New Westminster quay (in BC) to greet Sinterklaas.

Dutch Christmas traditions have melded political ideology, folklore, religion and legend into the holiday symbol of Saint Nicholas. In Holland, Sinterklaas is depicted as a tall, slender man wearing a red bishop’s robe and tall bishop’s hat. He carries a bishop’s miter and rides a white horse. His helper, Black Peter, who is garbed in the Renaissance fashion of puffed velvet breeches, rides alongside Saint Nicholas on a mule, his face covered in soot.

We received our presents and sugar candy on Dec 5th, from Sinterklaas.
Zwarte Piet would jump from roof to roof, sliding up and down chimneys, leaving gifts in the little wooden shoes left by the hearth.
Children would sing Sinterklaas songs and fill their shoes with hay and carrots for Sint Nicholaas’s horse and Black Peter’s mule.

Christmas was purely a family holiday. We had a tree, first with real candles, later with colored lights that my parents seem to have forever, they never broke, candy wreaths and beautiful shaped ornaments.
On Christmas Day we would have (and still have) a delicious breakfast with a Kerststol, ( fruit and almond paste bread) evening, as soon as it was dark, we would turn off all the lights ... lit lots of candles and we would have a candle-light dinner. My mom with the help from my Dad would make the turkey and all the trimmings.

In Holland we also have a 2de Kerstdag (Second Christmas day = Boxing day). We would go visit family and in the evening enjoy another wonderful candle-light meal... usual with a delicious "rollade" (rolled pork) and turkey left-overs. My memories of Christmas are of a warm and "gezellig" cozy holiday. When I married my husband we made our own traditions, we have adopted the tradition of hanging stockings and gift giving on Christmas morning.

Sinterklaas still sends us a chocolate letter and presents every year. We still have our delicious breakfast and candle-light Christmas dinner, and the table has some extra decorations...Crackers. That's still our Christmas today... a blend of traditions from our youth, countries and new country. Vrolijk Kerstfeest! - Merry Christmas!

It's the most wonderful time of the year

It's the most wonderful time of the year.
With the kids jingle belling,
and everyone telling you,
"Be of good cheer,"
It's the most wonderful time of the year.

There'll be parties for hosting,
marshmallows for toasting and
caroling out in the snow.
there'll be scary ghost stories and
tales of the glories of Christmases
long, long ago.

It's the most wonderful time of the year.
There'll be much mistletoeing
and hearts will be glowing,
when loved ones are near.
It's the most wonderful time of the year.