So far for our 12 Days of Christmas Around the World we have been to:
Day 1: New York
Day 2: Indiana
Day 3: California
Days 4: New Zealand
Day 5: New Zealand
Day 6: Singapore
Day 7: Poland
Day 8: Delaware
Day 9: Kentucky
Day 10: Southern California
Day 11: Australia
And today, our final day, we are visiting the Netherlands to see the very talented, Birgit Koopsen!
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Vrolijk Kerstfeest!! Merry Christmas wherever you are!!
Today it’s Christmas day and my turn to tell you something about how we celebrate Christmas here in the Netherlands.
Traditionally Christmas here is not about presents. It’s a Christian Holiday and our children do not believe in Santa. In the eyes of a lot of Dutch people Santa is very American. Due to commercial influences more and more people start giving presents at Christmas though.
But we have Sinterklaas, who could be Santa’s brother. He comes to Holland at the beginning of December on a boat filled with presents from Spain. On his birthday, December 5th, he spoils all the kids with presents. Most children believe in Sinterklaas until the age of about 8. Statistically Sinterklaas is the number one Dutch tradition and probably never will be beaten by Santa.
So how do we celebrate Christmas?
A lot of people go to church on Christmas Eve and spend one or both Christmas Days (we have first and second Christmas Day) with family. In my family we have our own traditions. Because both my father as my grandma from mothers side are German. And in Germany Christmas is celebrated with presents. There for my family comes together on Christmas Eve to spend time together, eat and have loads of presents under the Christmas tree. We all bring something for each other and for all the kids and the pile of presents is building up the week before Christmas Eve, making the children very curious and nervous, haha! Then on Christmas Eve they are finally allowed to open them!
First Christmas Day we spend with my family in law. We used to have a “traditional” Christmas dinner together, but in the last couple of years our family has grown so big that we don’t do that anymore. Nowadays every family member prepares and brings a dish and we have a big Christmas buffet (tapas style). We spent the day together, mostly going out for a wintery walk in the afternoon. We always hope for a white Christmas but don’t get that very often, unfortunately!
Traditional Dutch Christmas dishes are deer, pheasant, hare, red cabbage, Brussels sprouts, braised pears, and bread filled with almond paste, nuts and fruits and Christmas Wreaths made from filled chocolate. We drink Glühwein and hot chocolate with rum (mmmm!) Of course we have Christmas Cookies too, covered with almond. Marlijn loves to make them herself!!
Of course we decorate our homes for Christmas. The tree goes up about 2 weeks before and at the same time we fill our houses with candles, Christmas decorations, wreaths, lights and Christmas Music.
This year my Christmas tree is silver and white and I had just the perfect Prima Products to create a lovely Christmas ornament that fits the scene.
I covered a traditional white Christmas bubble with lace, added some flower centers and silk flowers and hung it with a piece of a Prima necklace.
- Lace 541354
- Flower Centers Dynasty Ivory 536138
- Madrigal Blossom White Librett 540128
- Scrapbook Jewelry Blizzard 544201
Something I love to do in the week before Christmas is go to a city where there is a Christmas market. I love the atmosphere, all the little sheds with Christmas decorations, all the lights when it gets dark in the afternoon and then drink hot Glühwein which warms your hands and inside. That’s what this LO is about.
- Road Trip Coll. Open Road 841850
- Tea and Silk Katsure 810450
- Holiday Celebration Snowflake 543150
- Annalee notecards 541989
- Strawberry Kisses journaling stickers 536671
- Alphabet stickers 541750
- Ribbon 810184
- Paisley Road Bhangra 841683
- Pearls and Crystals 300739
Last year we went to Bremen in Germany. Christmas markets in Germany are great! It was cold, there was even a little bit of snow and the Glühwein tasted so well!
I also love taking pictures of my little girl with her Christmas head on. I still have to make this year’s so here a couple older ones that I still love!!
Hope you all have the Christmas you hoped for and for those of you who lost someone you love this past year I hope that warm memories will fill your hearts!! -Birgit
