{"id":170757,"date":"2024-12-10T11:45:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-10T09:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/christmas-in-the-netherlands-2\/"},"modified":"2024-12-12T07:52:06","modified_gmt":"2024-12-12T05:52:06","slug":"christmas-in-the-netherlands-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/en\/christmas-in-the-netherlands-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas in the Netherlands \u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>By Jorietha Rabie<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the Netherlands we celebrate St Nicholas on 5 December and then Christmas on 25 December. It is not the same celebration and St Nicholas doesn\u2019t replace Father Christmas.<br><br>Our family has decided to use the opportunity to exchange our large gifts on St Nicholas\u2019 Eve, instead of on Christmas Day like we used to do. On Christmas Day we only exchange small gifts that fit in the Christmas stocking, and we focus on the true meaning of Christmas while enjoying our time together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I cannot describe how much we miss our family and friends who cannot be with us. I miss sitting with them around a big kitchen table in the heat (and darkness) of South Africa. Especially when I see how everybody celebrates Christmas with grandmothers and grandfathers. &nbsp;<br><br>Being so far from my loved ones is one of the most difficult things ever, but I am unbelievably thankful for the friends I have made here in the Netherlands and that we can share this special time with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We have a large group of friends here who are also from South Africa, and we are like family to each other. We still enjoy a traditional South African meal here in the Netherlands. We move our furniture out of the way in our small houses \u2013 everybody brings not only food but also tables and chairs. We try to see how many of our \u201cfamily in the Netherlands\u201d can fit into these houses. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery.kb-gallery-wrap-id-170757_c4374a-14{margin-top:20px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:20px;margin-left:0px;}.kb-gallery-id-170757_c4374a-14.kb-gallery-ul.kb-gallery-type-fluidcarousel .kt-blocks-carousel figure .kb-gal-image-radius, .kb-gallery-id-170757_c4374a-14.kb-gallery-ul.kb-gallery-type-fluidcarousel .kt-blocks-carousel figure .kb-gal-image-radius img{height:300px;}.kb-gallery-id-170757_c4374a-14 .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kb-gal-image-radius, .kb-gallery-id-170757_c4374a-14 .kb-slide-item .kb-gal-image-radius img{border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;;}.kb-gallery-wrap-id-170757_c4374a-14.wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery{overflow:visible;}.kb-gallery-wrap-id-170757_c4374a-14.wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery .kt-blocks-carousel{overflow:visible;max-width:100%;}<\/style><div class=\"kb-gallery-wrap-id-170757_c4374a-14 alignnone wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery\"><div class=\"kb-gallery-ul kb-gallery-non-static kb-gallery-type-fluidcarousel kb-gallery-id-170757_c4374a-14 kb-gallery-caption-style-bottom-hover kb-gallery-filter-none\" data-image-filter=\"none\" data-lightbox-caption=\"true\"><div class=\"kt-blocks-carousel splide kt-carousel-container-dotstyle-dark kt-carousel-arrowstyle-whiteondark kt-carousel-dotstyle-dark kb-slider-group-arrow kb-slider-arrow-position-center\" data-slider-anim-speed=\"400\" data-slider-scroll=\"1\" data-slider-arrows=\"true\" data-slider-dots=\"true\" data-slider-hover-pause=\"false\" data-slider-auto=\"\" data-slider-speed=\"7000\" data-slider-type=\"fluidcarousel\" data-slider-center-mode=\"true\" data-slider-gap=\"10px\" data-slider-gap-tablet=\"10px\" data-slider-gap-mobile=\"10px\" data-show-pause-button=\"false\"><div class=\"splide__track\"><ul class=\"kt-blocks-carousel-init kb-blocks-fluid-carousel splide__list\"><li class=\"kb-slide-item kb-gallery-carousel-item splide__slide\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner\"><figure class=\"kb-gallery-figure kadence-blocks-gallery-item-hide-caption\"><div class=\"kb-gal-image-radius\"><div class=\"kb-gallery-image-contain\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00005.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" data-full-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00005.jpg\" data-light-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00005.jpg\" data-id=\"104355\" class=\"wp-image-104355 skip-lazy\"\/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"kb-slide-item kb-gallery-carousel-item splide__slide\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner\"><figure class=\"kb-gallery-figure kadence-blocks-gallery-item-hide-caption\"><div class=\"kb-gal-image-radius\"><div class=\"kb-gallery-image-contain\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00002.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" data-full-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00002.jpg\" data-light-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00002.jpg\" data-id=\"104351\" class=\"wp-image-104351 skip-lazy\"\/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"kb-slide-item kb-gallery-carousel-item splide__slide\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner\"><figure class=\"kb-gallery-figure kadence-blocks-gallery-item-hide-caption\"><div class=\"kb-gal-image-radius\"><div class=\"kb-gallery-image-contain\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00003.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" data-full-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00003.jpg\" data-light-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00003.jpg\" data-id=\"104353\" class=\"wp-image-104353 skip-lazy\"\/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"kb-slide-item kb-gallery-carousel-item splide__slide\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner\"><figure class=\"kb-gallery-figure kadence-blocks-gallery-item-hide-caption\"><div class=\"kb-gal-image-radius\"><div class=\"kb-gallery-image-contain\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00001.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" data-full-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00001.jpg\" data-light-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00001.jpg\" data-id=\"104349\" class=\"wp-image-104349 skip-lazy\"\/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Christmas time in the Netherlands is unbelievably beautiful. All over Europe there are lights and Christmas markets where you can ice-skate outside and enjoy gl\u00fchwein. We try to visit at least one or two of these markets with our friends. We dress in warm clothes and turn it into a whole outing for the day or weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery.kb-gallery-wrap-id-_35533f-5b{margin-top:20px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:20px;margin-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery .kb-gallery-type-masonry.kb-gallery-id-_35533f-5b{margin:-5px;}.kb-gallery-type-masonry.kb-gallery-id-_35533f-5b .kadence-blocks-gallery-item{padding:5px;}.kb-gallery-id-_35533f-5b .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kb-gal-image-radius, .kb-gallery-id-_35533f-5b .kb-slide-item .kb-gal-image-radius img{border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;;}<\/style><div class=\"kb-gallery-wrap-id-_35533f-5b alignnone wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery\"><ul class=\"kb-gallery-ul kb-gallery-non-static kb-gallery-type-masonry kb-masonry-init kb-gallery-id-_35533f-5b kb-gallery-caption-style-bottom-hover kb-gallery-filter-none\" data-image-filter=\"none\" data-item-selector=\".kadence-blocks-gallery-item\" data-lightbox-caption=\"true\" data-columns-xxl=\"3\" data-columns-xl=\"3\" data-columns-md=\"3\" data-columns-sm=\"2\" data-columns-xs=\"1\" data-columns-ss=\"1\"><li class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner\"><figure class=\"kb-gallery-figure kadence-blocks-gallery-item-hide-caption\"><div class=\"kb-gal-image-radius\" style=\"max-width:640px;\"><div class=\"kb-gallery-image-contain kadence-blocks-gallery-intrinsic\" style=\"padding-bottom:125%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00015.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" data-full-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00015.jpg\" data-light-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00015.jpg\" data-id=\"104346\" class=\"wp-image-104346\"\/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div><\/li><li class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner\"><figure class=\"kb-gallery-figure kadence-blocks-gallery-item-hide-caption\"><div class=\"kb-gal-image-radius\" style=\"max-width:640px;\"><div class=\"kb-gallery-image-contain kadence-blocks-gallery-intrinsic\" style=\"padding-bottom:125%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00013.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" data-full-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00013.jpg\" data-light-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00013.jpg\" data-id=\"104344\" class=\"wp-image-104344\"\/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div><\/li><li class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner\"><figure class=\"kb-gallery-figure kadence-blocks-gallery-item-hide-caption\"><div class=\"kb-gal-image-radius\" style=\"max-width:640px;\"><div class=\"kb-gallery-image-contain kadence-blocks-gallery-intrinsic\" style=\"padding-bottom:125%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00012.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" data-full-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00012.jpg\" data-light-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00012.jpg\" data-id=\"104342\" class=\"wp-image-104342\"\/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div><\/li><li class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner\"><figure class=\"kb-gallery-figure kadence-blocks-gallery-item-hide-caption\"><div class=\"kb-gal-image-radius\" style=\"max-width:640px;\"><div class=\"kb-gallery-image-contain kadence-blocks-gallery-intrinsic\" style=\"padding-bottom:125%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00010.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" data-full-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00010.jpg\" data-light-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00010.jpg\" data-id=\"104340\" class=\"wp-image-104340\"\/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div><\/li><li class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner\"><figure class=\"kb-gallery-figure kadence-blocks-gallery-item-hide-caption\"><div class=\"kb-gal-image-radius\" style=\"max-width:640px;\"><div class=\"kb-gallery-image-contain kadence-blocks-gallery-intrinsic\" style=\"padding-bottom:125%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00009.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" data-full-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00009.jpg\" data-light-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00009.jpg\" data-id=\"104338\" class=\"wp-image-104338\"\/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div><\/li><li class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item\" tabindex=\"0\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner\"><figure class=\"kb-gallery-figure kadence-blocks-gallery-item-hide-caption\"><div class=\"kb-gal-image-radius\" style=\"max-width:640px;\"><div class=\"kb-gallery-image-contain kadence-blocks-gallery-intrinsic\" style=\"padding-bottom:125%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00008.jpg\" width=\"640\" height=\"800\" alt=\"\" data-full-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00008.jpg\" data-light-image=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00008.jpg\" data-id=\"104336\" class=\"wp-image-104336\"\/><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<p><br>All the shops are closed on Christmas Day, and your Dutch neighbours bring you Christmas cards. People put the cards on the fireplace in the living room or hang them over a piece of string. It is nice to see how much the Dutch value a card and that they do not care about expensive gifts.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00007.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-104334\" style=\"width:292px;height:365px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Jorietha Rabie In the Netherlands we celebrate St Nicholas on 5 December and then Christmas on 25 December. It&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":213,"featured_media":167186,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1021],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-170757","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":1021,"label":"Blog"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00000.jpg",640,800,false],"author_info":{"display_name":"AfriForum W\u00eareldwyd","author_link":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/en\/author\/sue-ann\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":1021,"name":"Blog","slug":"blog","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1021,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":1784,"filter":"raw","term_order":"0","cat_ID":1021,"category_count":1784,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Blog","category_nicename":"blog","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00000.jpg","fimg_url":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/jorietha-kersfeesNL-00000.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170757","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/213"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=170757"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170757\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":203579,"href":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170757\/revisions\/203579"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/167186"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=170757"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=170757"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wereldwyd.co.za\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=170757"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}