Every country has its own New Year's Eve traditions. The French have theirs, the Italians have theirs, the British have their own, and so on and so forth. Of course, this also includes the Dutch too. Now, how the Netherlands celebrates New Year's Eve is pretty interesting. The Dutch are already quite unique for many things, heck, their capital city alone is quite the top tourist destination because of it. But when it comes to New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, the Dutch have a few age-old traditions that those who aren't won't help but be fascinated by. Here are five that are actually quite fun!
UPDATE: Due to the Omicron variant of Covid-19, many of the events listed in this article have been canceled. Please be advised.
Go to a Party
If you're familiar with the Dutch and their
social customs, you've already known that they're pretty open, personable, and extremely friendly. And it's most evident during the holidays. Beyond the big year-end parties and events, you can expect that a lot of the Dutch will want to spend New Year's Eve with as many people as possible. Even when the gathering is just at their homes, you can still expect the place to be as packed as ever. The Dutch are known to celebrate holidays with get-togethers and the more people there are, the better. Remember this if you're ever invited to a New Year's Eve soiree here!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Join The New Year’s Eve Lottery
Here in the Netherlands, specifically in Amsterdam, people join in on the New Year's Eve lottery in the hopes of winning big just in time for the new year. Usually, people would buy their tickets around Christmastime, some even go so far as to buy them in bulk to improve their chances of winning. And come New Year's Eve, right before the clock strikes twelve, the numbers are shown on TV, while everyone is crossing their fingers hoping to win the jackpot. Are you willing to try your luck in this annual tradition yourself? The stakes get higher and higher as time goes by!
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Burn All The Christmas Trees
As far as the Dutch are concerned,
their holidays stop on January 1. And how would you know this? On the first day of the year, communities come together to burn their Christmas trees, all in one huge bonfire. Though the tradition itself seems pretty 'witchy,' it's actually a pleasant time where people come together and help each other out. Neighbors helping neighbors, the youth helping the elderly—practically everybody joins in on the fun. Admittedly, however, the sight of burning Christmas trees may look sinister for those who are unfamiliar with the tradition.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Eating Oliebollen
Although the holidays are the perfect excuse to get your
Dutch pastry fix, you can expect that most of the Dutch are zeroing in on one particularly traditional treat on New Year's Day: Oliebollen! These doughnut-like dumplings sprinkled with powdered sugar are a must-have on the first day of the year. You can expect every dinner table, bakery, or holiday market in the Netherlands to be filled them during the holiday! But why is this particular pastry so important? Well, the Dutch believe that eating them on New Year's Day will ward off evil spirits and bad luck for the coming year.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Swim if You Dare
Yep, you read that right! Although the holiday season falls in winter in Amsterdam, as well as the rest of the Netherlands, the Dutch still find it within themselves to take a cool dip in the sea. Referred to as either the 'Amsterdam New Year's Day Swim' or the 'Scheveningen New Year's Dive,' the tradition started back in 1965 when a small swim club decided to dive into Scheveningen beach on the first day of the year. It caught nationwide attention and, since then, many others have joined in on the annual dip.
Source: Flickr.com/ Maurice Haak
The Dutch are pretty extraordinary already getting to know their many traditions will fascinate you even further. Especially during New Year's! There are some things that only the Dutch are willing to do to start the new year right!
Whether you choose to follow these New Year's Eve traditions or not, spending the holiday in a
Dutch luxury home isn't so bad!
