Dutch Holiday Traditions Through International Eyes

A Season of Light and Oliebollen

Sint-Maarten

Sint-Maarten is celebrated on 11 November. A small disclaimer first: it’s mainly a children’s tradition (with parents following behind). These days, not as many families celebrate it as before, but in the north of the Netherlands you can still see children going from house to house. Think of it as the sweet version of Halloween - Dutch children sing songs in exchange for sweets. If you’re enthusiastic, you could try to join in yourself, but make sure you learn one of the traditional songs and bring your handmade lantern. I can’t guarantee how people will react though, ahah. 

If you’re an international student living in a shared house, my best advice is to buy some small sweets, so you don’t end up facing disappointed little faces when you open the door. And if nobody comes, you can always keep the snacks for yourself. Another way to avoid the disappointed faces if you forgot to buy sweets, according to one of my colleagues, is to switch off the lights and pretend you’re not home - your choice, ahah. 

If you want to surprise a Dutch friend or classmate, you can give them a chocolate letter or some pepernoten. If you can, you should even put it in their shoe. I didn’t grow up with this tradition, but it always makes me happy when I receive a chocolate letter with my name - firstly, it’s delicious, and secondly, they know how to spell my name (yes, it’s Hristina with an H). 

WinterWelVaart, held between 19 and 21 December, fills the canals at Hoge der A, Lage der A and Kleine der A with historic ships decorated with Christmas lights. The atmosphere is something truly special. At the same time, the Wintergoud Market is held between Grote Markt and Hoge der A, connecting directly to WinterWelVaart. 

You can also visit Via Vecchia - the small street between Gedempte Kattendiep and Steentilstraat. Around this time it’s beautifully decorated, full of lights and Christmas trees, and it’s very “Instagrammable”, and surrounded by great restaurants you might want to try. 

New Year’s Eve

Last year was my first New Year’s Eve in Groningen. One thing I learned - Dutch people absolutely love fireworks like no one else. I’ve never seen anything like it. The sky keeps lighting up for such a long time that it becomes a whole show by itself. It’s definitely a must-see.  

Another winter classic is oliebollen. By now, you’ve probably seen the food trucks selling these delicious fried dough balls covered in powdered sugar. The original ones are my favourite, but you should also try the raisin or apple versions and decide for yourself. According to folklore, oliebollen were believed to protect people from evil spirits and bring good fortune - whether you believe that or not, they are everyone’s comfort food during the cold months. 

Vrolijk kerstfeest en een gelukkig nieuwjaar!

As an international student myself, I truly enjoy the festivities happening from mid-November until the New Year. If you can join some of the celebrations or even cook something together with your Dutch friends, I highly encourage you to do it. Explore these traditions with open-mindedness and curiosity. You can still keep your own ways of celebrating, and who knows, maybe you’ll introduce your Dutch friends to some of your traditions too. Living in Groningen means experiencing many new things, and maybe one of them will be celebrating Christmas three times, ahah. I believe we can all learn from each other and take the best from every tradition. So enjoy the holidays wherever you are and with whomever you’re spending them.