Yesterday Marco and I went to Roger’s for Christmas Eve. Much fun was had by all — Roger even got me a new game: Rack-o. I charged ahead for the first few games, but in the end Roger won by getting to 500 points first!
We also ordered some pizza. I was surprised to see a promotional flyer on the box – spend €25 and get a firework (vuurwerk) for free (worth €11.95). These Dutchies love their fireworks so much they even offer it with their pizza!
Over the last week or so I’ve seen a lot of Christmas trees around The Hague. One tree that I was not expecting to see was in De Passage. It’s not the best picture but it’s not a small tree either! (The black wall in the background is the construction area before the Apple store).
This was unexpected because of the agreement between a not-yet-opened Apple store and De Passage. In the contract between Apple and the shopping area, it was stipulated that there would be no more Christmas tree in the center as it would block the view of the storefront. Of course, people were quite annoyed by this. But Marco and I found out a few days ago that the tree was back! Only for this year, as a consolation because the Apple store isn’t yet open.
I also found a smaller Christmas tree at Central Station in The Hague:
Good news for Marco – the rest of his Christmas presents just arrived (via Amazon UK/PostNL) so he will have a present filled Christmas this year! He was even nice and went downstairs to get the package from the mailman. Nothing like waiting until the afternoon of Christmas Eve, but I ordered things pretty late this year.
Here are the Christmas lights that Bijenkorf put up a week or two ago:
The decorations are not actually strands of individual lights, but rather sections of net which descend down the entire length of the windows and have the lights woven into them.
In other news, I officially got the news last night that I passed all four sections of B1, so it is on to B2! There are two sections starting next month, both Tuesday/Thursday nights. One starts the 14th and one starts the 21st. The class will be done by the end of June. That seems like a far away date right now… but it is really not.
I received an email from the US embassy today. This is nothing special as I’m voluntarily on their mailing list. Usually I receive information about protests in the area and similar.
It must be that time of the year, because I received an email about fireworks safety today… Most of it would be useful information to the craziness that is that is Dutch fireworks culture, but some of it is amusing:
The Netherlands is known for its extensive use of fireworks in celebrating New Year’s Eve. Officially, fireworks can be lit between 1000 on Tuesday, December 31, 2013, to 0200 on Wednesday, January 1, 2014. The legal sale of fireworks (for those aged 16 years and older) starts on the morning of Friday, December 27, 2013. For those unfamiliar with this celebration, it can be quite distressing for young children and pets. Or adults, depending on where you go!
What will the police do to prevent these problems?
The Dutch police have zero tolerance for people using fireworks before or after the permitted times/dates. (In actuality fireworks will start going off a day or two before its legal.) Illegally purchased/ stored fireworks and all remaining fireworks in possession will be seized from any individuals or groups if caught before that date. Anyone under the age of 16 found possessing fireworks may be sent to HALT, the Dutch juvenile reform bureau, for mandatory awareness training.
Some trends you should be aware during the permitted firework time:
1. Groups throw fireworks indiscriminately on the street and in gardens. Quite true. You really have to be aware of your surroundings (perhaps this isn’t a big deal everywhere).
2. Fireworks are tossed fireworks in mailboxes, dumpsters, and garbage containers; causing damage to the owner’s property. I can see that, yes.
3. Fireworks are thrown at pedestrians, bicyclists, cars, and pets, and in mail slots. I’m not quite sure that it happens that often, but you do have some evil spirited folks out there.
4. Fireworks may be launched from holes in street manhole covers. At first I read this and thought they meant that people go into the manhole covers and wait for people to come by, and then jump out and throw fireworks at them…
5. Stacking and setting fire to old Christmas trees at various (designated) locations on public streets. Generally the rule is that Christmas trees don’t get put out until a few days after New Year’s, for just this reason…
6. Possibility of increased criminal activity over New Year’s Eve, especially in areas frequented by large crowds.
When could problems occur?
In particular, right before and after New Year’s Eve; right after the sale of fireworks begins, and at locations where young people gather. Normally this is from dusk until after midnight.
What can you do to improve your safety?
Adults should always directly supervise children who are handling fireworks. Be alert and extremely cautious of fireworks lit in your direct vicinity. Beware of unexploded fireworks lying on the ground – consider such items as “live.” When lighting fireworks, remember they can explode sooner than expected, and can follow a different route than planned. Avoid wearing nylon or other flammable clothing and always use eye protection. Never keep lit fireworks in hands or pockets. In case of injury, call 112, or go immediately to the nearest hospital.
What can you do to prevent or minimize problems, damage or loss?
Inform your children that the police will inevitably be called in regarding any dealings involving illegal fireworks; i.e., possessing (illegal) fireworks or lighting fireworks before 1000 on Dec 31. Keep your windows, including transom windows closed and garbage containers out of reach. Empty your outside mailbox and if removable, bring the mailbox inside as soon as mail has been delivered. If you have a mail opening in your door, close it with wood or hard plastic (using screws or tape). Use your external light fixtures to illuminate your garden, and set timers to illuminate the interior of your unoccupied premises. Call 112 if you observe or hear people causing dangerous situations by throwing fireworks in your vicinity.
Really, the biggest thing is paying attention to your surroundings and what the people (including strangers) around you are doing. One time Marco and I walked a bit closer to a bonfire in the middle of the street. We saw someone throw something into the fire and we instantly bolted about 10 feet away. (It turned out to be nothing, but better safe than sorry. It really can get insane at times!)
Okay, so we still have a few weeks to go for Christmas. Though you wouldn’t know it in the Netherlands – it seems the day after Sinterklaas all of the Christmas decorations start going up. Though Marco keeps saying that Sinterklaas is a more important holiday for a kid than Christmas is…
This is at the Grote Markt Plein. Of course, the tree was being constructed the day after a somewhat annoying storm. It was still raining when this picture was taken, with occasional high wind gusts. But they persevered!
So earlier today I went into the bedroom and noticed that Sinterklaas had arrived! He left some wrapped gifts and candy on the bed – including speculaasbrokken, kruidnoten, and jelly beans. Some of the gifts for Marco and I included a small train set, sparklers (fireworks) and chocolate letters. We have enough chocolate for the entire month, I think.
Sint and Piet also left me a very lovely poem. It is written here in its entirely, so click if you want to read all of it!
Lieve Niki,
De Sint heeft een erg groot boek,
Waarin staat of je lief bent geweest.
Zo ja dan komen Sint & Piet op bezoek,
En is het op pakjes avond een groot feest.
Here is a glimpse of the somewhat simpler Thanksgiving dinner Marco and I had in the Netherlands:
Since a real turkey is a bit harder to find (and cooking one is more annoying!) we got a half chicken from Albert Heijn as well as some turkey breast in the back of the photo. We also had green beans, applesauce, sweet rolls, as well as mashed potatoes and gravy. Let it be known Marco bought potatoes and mashed them himself like a true Dutchie. 😛
So yay – Thanksgiving in the Netherlands!
When I went to grab my shoes earlier this afternoon to do a few errands, I found a gift from Sinterklaas in my shoe!
the gift, placed on top of my netbook keyboard for size comparison
It’s tradition to leave small gifts in the shoes of children. This can happen anytime between the day Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet arrive and December 5, though it does not need to happen every day. Children are given larger gifts on December 5 itself.
Stickers, candy, and a tiny plastic book. Dank je, Sinterklaas. 😉
Yesterday, Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet arrived from Spain. Their boat arrived in Scheveningen. To mark this occasion, The Hague had a parade throughout the city streets. It was a rather long parade as it started in Scheveningen itself at 12:30 and ended at 4:10.
There are only three things you need to know about the Sinterklaas parades:
1. 99% of the participants are dressed up as Zwarte Piet (Sinterklaas’ helper)
2. One person is dressed up as Sinterklaas
3. Zwarte Piet passes out kruidnoten, a small, hard ginger cookie, to children.
Oh… and sometimes if you have kids, they will beg you to run from one street to the next in an attempt to get more candy. At least that is what Marco’s mom said he wanted!
cute donkey… probably one of the few things that wasn’t freezing during this parade!
one of the more enthusiastic floats, with a conductor in front (in red)
As you can see, most floats still had advertising. It helps pay for the parade. But then of course you also have more obvious advertising…
There are also some Zwarte Piet who really got into the act, either riding past on roller skates (hard to do on cobblestone streets!) or in general just having fun like these Piets:
the guy in the black jacket was previously just an onlooker, but is now immortalized forever!
Here is Sinterklaas near the end of the parade (and some Spanish noblemen):
All in all a fun parade, though it was weird to be watching another parade so soon after returning from Disneyland Paris, where extravagant on-the-hour parades seem to be a specialty.
It is now officially the holiday season in the Netherlands! And it will be that much harder to resist gevulde speculaas…
When I turned the television on this morning I switched to Nick, Jr. For most of the summer I used to watch only children’s tv programming when I was alone, though these days I only watch one program: Timmy Tijd (Wiki: English) on that channel. What can I say – the animation is for this little preschool sheep is cute. It uses the same animation as Wallace & Gromit. I don’t even watch it for the language as there are no words! After watching Timmy Tijd I switch over to Comedy Central for episodes of Sam Sam, Het Zoonetje in Huis, and Kees & Co – all Dutch comedy shows.
But I noticed this morning that the show after Timmy Tijd was something different – a show by the name of Kleine Klaas. The description reads:
Deze oude, wijze man die elk jaar op 5 december cadeautjes uitdeelt, was ooit natuurlijk een kleine jongen. This wise, old man who gives out gifts every year on December 5 was also of course once a small boy.
Van wie heeft hij eigenlijk die stoomboot gekregen? Waarom kan hij zo goed gedichten schrijven? En waarom stopt hij zomaar cadeautjes in je schoen? Kortom, hoe werd hij Sinterklaas? Je ontdekt het door het kijken van deze leuke filmpjes. Who did he actually receive the steamboat from? Why can he write such good poems? And why does he put gifts in your shoe? How did he become Sinterklaas? You can discover this by looking at these fun videos.
Sinterklaas arrives in the Netherlands on November 17 this year (usually he arrives on a Saturday). There will be a parade in The Hague. And of course he does not arrive alone – Zwarte Piet (black Pete) comes along as well. This year the discussions of racism seem to have intensified, with even the United Nations briefly involved before retreating and dropping the case. The controversy with the character is that the actor uses “black face” as decoration, although this is used regardless of your skin tone.
Of course, Sinterklaas (celebrated on December 5) is not the same as Santa Clause (celebrated on December 25 in America and other countries). Sinterklaas leaves gifts in your shoe and is real in a child’s mind. Santa Clause is not celebrated as such in the Netherlands – the gifts you get on December 25 (and 26!) are known to be from your parents. The idea of Santa Clause actually originated from Sinterklaas – which I found a bit odd as an American!
Life in the Hague 