If you are used to Christmas being the big gift event, the Dutch calendar reshuffles things: the presents come at Sinterklaas on 5 December, so Kerst (Christmas) is calmer, and oud en nieuw (New Year) is the loud one. Here is what to expect and the words to join in.
Two days of Christmas
The Netherlands has two Christmas public holidays:
- Eerste Kerstdag (First Christmas Day, 25 December)
- Tweede Kerstdag (Second Christmas Day, 26 December)
Both are days off, often used to see different sides of the family, or to split a quiet day and a bigger meal. Most shops close, see shop opening hours and feestdagen. Tourism guides like Holland.com list the holiday dates, and newcomer guides like IamExpat explain how the Dutch festive season differs from elsewhere.
The Christmas dinner: gourmetten
The classic festive meal is gourmetten: everyone cooks their own small portions at the table on a gourmetstel (a tabletop grill), little pans of meat, fish, veg and egg, over a whole cosy evening. Variations include steengrillen and fonduen (cheese or oil fondue). It is the gezellige heart of a Dutch celebration, and it pairs with typical Dutch foods and increasingly with dishes from the country’s Indonesian and Surinamese kitchens.
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| Kerstmis / Kerst | Christmas |
| de kerstboom | Christmas tree |
| het kerstdiner | Christmas dinner |
| gourmetten | tabletop-grill dinner |
| Vrolijk kerstfeest! | Merry Christmas! |
Oud en nieuw: oliebollen and fireworks
Oud en nieuw (literally “old and new”) is New Year’s Eve, and it has its own rituals:
- oliebollen and appelflappen: fried dough treats sold from stalls in late December.
- the oudejaarsconference: a comedian’s televised year-in-review.
- at midnight, traditionally vuurwerk (fireworks), though the rules are tightening and some municipalities now restrict or ban consumer fireworks, so check local rules.
You wish everyone Gelukkig nieuwjaar! (Happy New Year) and often een fijne jaarwisseling (a good turn of the year). 1 January, Nieuwjaarsdag, is a public holiday. Onze Taal notes the wishes are said in the first days of January too.
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| oud en nieuw | New Year’s Eve |
| de oliebol | fried dough ball |
| het vuurwerk | fireworks |
| Gelukkig nieuwjaar! | Happy New Year! |
| de goede voornemens | New Year’s resolutions |
Where it connects
Christmas and New Year sit with the other Dutch celebrations: Sinterklaas, the seasons and winter rituals, 4 and 5 May, and the country’s multicultural holidays.
The bottom line
Dutch Kerst is the calm, family-and-food festival (the gifts came at Sinterklaas), with two holidays, Eerste and Tweede Kerstdag, and a gourmetten dinner. Oud en nieuw brings oliebollen, the oudejaarsconference, and (where still allowed) vuurwerk at midnight, with Gelukkig nieuwjaar! all round. Learn the festive words, and you will feel at home at the table and on the street.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the festive vocabulary, Eerste Kerstdag, gourmetten, oliebollen, oud en nieuw, gelukkig nieuwjaar, in five-minute lessons, so you can join a Dutch Christmas and New Year with confidence.
Frequently asked questions
Why are there two Christmas days in the Netherlands?
The Netherlands has two public holidays at Christmas: Eerste Kerstdag (25 December) and Tweede Kerstdag (26 December). Both are days off, often spent with different sides of the family or split between a quiet day and a bigger meal. Because the main gift-giving festival is Sinterklaas on 5 December, Christmas itself is calmer and more about food and family than presents.
What is ‘gourmetten’ at a Dutch Christmas?
Gourmetten is a beloved Dutch Christmas (and celebration) dinner where everyone cooks their own small portions at the table on a tabletop grill called a gourmetstel, little pans of meat, fish, vegetables and egg. It is social and slow, lasting the whole evening. A related ritual is steengrillen or fonduen (cheese or oil fondue). It is the cosy, gezellige heart of a Dutch festive meal.
What happens on oud en nieuw (New Year’s Eve) in the Netherlands?
Oud en nieuw (literally old-and-new) is New Year’s Eve. People eat oliebollen and appelflappen (fried dough treats), watch the oudejaarsconference (a comedian’s year-in-review), and at midnight there is traditionally vuurwerk (fireworks), though rules are tightening and some municipalities now restrict or ban consumer fireworks. You wish everyone Gelukkig nieuwjaar! and often a fijne jaarwisseling. 1 January (Nieuwjaarsdag) is a public holiday.
What is the best app to learn Dutch for the holidays?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the festive vocabulary you need, Eerste Kerstdag, gourmetten, oliebollen, oud en nieuw, gelukkig nieuwjaar, in five-minute real-situation lessons, so you can join Dutch Christmas and New Year celebrations and small talk with ease.
