Making Christmas special in corona times

It’s that time of the year again! But this year “that time of the year” will not be the usual affair. We won’t be gathering to welcome Sinterklaas. There will be no Christmas markets to visit, and we might even be banned from visiting friends and family for Christmas dinner, breakfast or brunch. And most likely we won’t be able to visit our favorite restaurant to enjoy a family meal without having a sink full of dirty dishes. And we have no one but the corona virus to thank for it all. Grrrr…

However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it cannot be the most wonderful time of the year. All it means is that we have to make an extra effort to bring joy to the festivities. Here are some things you can try to make sure the festivals remain festive: Can you believe the winter holidays are just around the corner? With the ongoing corona crisis and the US election stealing most of the thunder, the holidays have come upon us quickly this year. Corona is also responsible for the Dutch government strongly advising against holiday travel, if possible. But no worries, fortunately the Dutch winter holidays are centered around family, so the celebrations will more or less be the same this year as in other years – though some with a little ‘corona-twist’ … Sinterklaas The celebrations begin in mid-November when Sinterklaas – the season’s gift giver for children – arrives in the Netherlands. Though he’s often referred to as the ‘Dutch Santa Claus’, he is quite different from the portly, jolly white-bearded man that Canadians, Americans and others celebrate. In the Netherlands Sinterklaas is a tall, slender man whose red and white trimmed garb resembles that of a bishop. Moreover, he comes from Spain rather than the North Pole. Sinterklaas and his helpers, all called Piet, arrive in the Netherlands by boat. Normally the arrival city is announced ahead of time and throngs of children flock to the location to welcome him. This year, however, the name of the city was not revealed and the public celebration will be cancelled because of the national corona measures. Still, as in previous years, Sinterklaas’ 2020 arrival will be televised. Most places also have their own welcoming ceremony for Sinterklaas, but these events will not take place this year. 1. Decorations – Usually we feast our eyes on the beautifully decorated city streets and Christmas markets. My personal favorite is the Maastricht market. However, as this year we shouldn’t and most probably won’t be able to visit our favourite Christmas wonderlands, why not bring the Christmas sparkle to our homes?

Set up a tree; it can be so much fun hanging all the baubles with young kids. Decorate the windows and door frames with tinsel garlands. Put up a wreath. Let the kids go all out with Christmas-themed window stickers.

Light up your gardens and your balconies with LED light strings and garden gnomes. All those miniature Christmas villages look lovely on the windowsills. Make a nativity scene in your backyard. It can be a great project to keep the kids busy during Christmas break.

You can even have a Christmas house decoration competition with your neighbours. Remember what Ted did with his living room and Marshal with his house in How I met your mother? Now there is an idea!

2. Food – A festival isn’t a festival until the delicious smell of food wafts from the kitchen, slowly filling the entire house. As we may have to skip the visit to grandma and hence miss her cooking this year, and the restaurants may remain closed as well, this might be the best time to sharpen the edges of our rough cooking skills. Let your partner and kids be your sous-chefs. Muffins, cupcakes, cookies, sticky buns, casseroles, make whatever you can and even what you can’t. What do you have to lose? There is no need for perfection or stress about presentation either, as there will be no one there to judge or criticize you. It can and his helpers return to Spain, which is traditionally considered the beginning of the Christmas season. Kerstmis Unlike other countries, particularly Canada and the US, the actual day of Christmas in the Netherlands is a lowerkey event with family, church going and an evening meal. This is a day for remembrance and relaxing with family. In recent years, gift exchange at Christmas has become more common, especially in families without children, while those with kids stick to Sinterklaas. Tweede Kerstdag (Boxing Day) is the Dutch ‘second day of Christmas’, another day that is spent with family and friends. While other cultures celebrate Christmas on 24 and 25 December, the Dutch – thanks to their protestant roots – do not do anything on December 24, but rather use the day after Christmas as their bonus Christmas day. Oud & Nieuw Rounding out the winter holidays in the Netherlands is Oud &Nieuw, which literally means ‘old and new’, i.e. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. And boy, do the Dutch love to celebrate this holiday! Normally the days leading up to 31 December are filled with a crescendo of fireworks that lead to an all-out explosion of fireworks from every spot – residential and city-organised. You would think it was the turn of the millennium every year, but it’s just how the Dutch love to traditionally celebrate this ringing in of every year. However, this year corona is forcing a change in tradition – at least for the fireworks. It is expected that the government will announce a national ban on fireworks due to the corona virus, as well as the experiences in recent years. With firework-related injuries breaking records in the past years, police, fire departments, municipalities and most importantly the healthcare industry have be a great way to make lasting memories and who knows, it might become one of your Christmas traditions!

3. Entertainment – Play the classics! And don’t forget to dance to the tune. Jingle Bells by Bobby Helms, It’s the most wonderful time of the year by Andy Williams, and Let it snow by Frank Sinatra are my all-time favorites. Watch Christmas themed movies. Board games are a wonderful idea on any family night, so why not on Christmas and New Year’s Eve as well?

Keep in touch – Sadly, the new way of showing your care for our loved ones is by keeping away from them. This year it’s more important than ever to let them know that, even though we might not be able to see each other, they are always in our hearts and minds. Send greeting cards to everyone, even people you haven’t spoken to in years or aren’t especially close to. They might be in the greatest need of some love and kindness, as festivals tend to make us feel most lonely. Write a personal message, include a family photo or if you have crafty kids, let them make the cards. Send a small gift, if you can; it doesn’t have to expensive. Make time for a call or video chat. Ever since corona, all my cousins and my siblings get on a video call once a month. We can’t always hear each other and often end up either repeating ourselves or saying ‘what’ a dozen times, but hey, that’s half the fun of it.

These are difficult times and yes, pakjesavond, Christmas and even New Year’s won’t be the same. But different doesn’t necessarily have to mean bad.

VROLIJK KERSTFEEST: Christmas in the Netherlands

Written by Priyanka Sharma called for the government to ban fireworks in order to relieve pressure on the emergency services during these uncertain times.

But fear not, the Dutch have an awesome indoor traditional and it revolves around food! If you do not own one, getting a ‘gourmetset’ will make truly Dutch for the holidays. Gourmet (unlike the original French word, you pronounce the ‘t’ on the end) is a style of eating where mini portions of meats and vegetables are cooked in individual-sized pans on a flat griddle-type of stove that sits in the middle of the eating table. Sauces, salads and sliced baguette are typical accompaniments to add to your dish, making each portion you cook a unique ‘gourmet’ creation.

There’s no doubt about corona changing our lives, but with the family being the focal point of the winter holidays in the Netherlands, the Dutch holiday season will still have the special meaning and magic that make the winter holiday season – even if slightly altered to keep everyone safe.

Written by Marla Thomson

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