Dutch holidays and traditions: Koningsdag, Sinterklaas and more

Want to understand the Netherlands? Look at how it celebrates. In one year you'll see a whole country dressed in orange, children leaving a shoe by the fireplace, and streets that smell of fried dough on New Year's Eve. This post walks through the main holidays and traditions, with the Dutch words and wishes that go with them.

The calendar at a glance

Which days you actually get off depends on your employer and your contract. Good Friday (Goede Vrijdag), for example, is a day off for some people but not for most.

Koningsdag: the whole country in orange

On Koningsdag (King's Day), the Netherlands celebrates the birthday of King Willem-Alexander, born on 27 April. When the 27th falls on a Sunday, the celebration moves to Saturday 26 April. From 1949 to 2013 the country celebrated Koninginnedag (Queen's Day), usually on 30 April.

Orange is the colour of the royal family, the Huis van Oranje, so people wear orange clothes, hats and wigs. Typical sights:

• The vrijmarkt (free market): anyone can sell their old things on the street, in most places without a permit (local rules on times and areas apply). Children sell toys and play music for coins.
• Street parties and festivals, especially in Amsterdam, where the canals fill with boats.
• Orange treats like the tompouce, a cream pastry, with orange icing.

Useful words:

• Ik draag iets oranjes. — I'm wearing something orange.
• We gaan naar de vrijmarkt. — We're going to the free market.
• Fijne Koningsdag! — Happy King's Day!

4 and 5 May: remembrance and freedom

These two days belong together.

On 4 May, Dodenherdenking (Remembrance of the Dead), the Netherlands remembers the civilians and soldiers who died in the Second World War and in later wars and peacekeeping missions. At 8 p.m. the whole country observes two minutes of silence (twee minuten stilte). Much of the public transport stops, traffic quietens, and many people stand still in the street. Flags hang at half-mast in the evening. The national ceremony takes place on the Dam in Amsterdam, in the presence of the King. It's a serious day, so keep celebrations for the 5th.

On 5 May, Bevrijdingsdag (Liberation Day), the country celebrates the end of the German occupation in 1945. There are free festivals (bevrijdingsfestivals) all over the country. Liberation Day is an official national holiday every year, but whether you get the day off depends on your employer or collective labour agreement (cao). Many people traditionally only get it off once every five years, in "round" years such as 2025 and 2030.

• Om acht uur zijn we twee minuten stil. — At eight o'clock we are silent for two minutes.
• Op 5 mei vieren we de vrijheid. — On 5 May we celebrate freedom.

Sinterklaas: the most Dutch celebration

For many Dutch children, the biggest festival of the year isn't Christmas but Sinterklaas. According to the story, the white-bearded saint arrives by steamboat (de stoomboot) from Spain in mid-November. The arrival, de intocht, is broadcast on TV and celebrated in towns across the country.

In the weeks that follow:

• Children put their shoe by the fireplace or door (hun schoen zetten), with a carrot for Sinterklaas' horse, and sing songs. The next morning there's a small present or sweets in it.
• Shops fill with pepernoten and kruidnoten (small spiced biscuits), speculaas and chocolate letters (chocoladeletters), usually the first letter of your name.

The main evening is pakjesavond (present evening) on 5 December, the eve of Saint Nicholas' name day. Families exchange presents. Among adults it's common to draw names (lootjes trekken), so everyone buys one present, often wrapped in a homemade surprise (a creative disguise) with a funny rhyming poem (een gedicht).

The figure of Sinterklaas' helper, Piet, has been the subject of public debate. The traditional Zwarte Piet with a blackface look was criticised as racist, and many places, including the national TV broadcast, now use roetveegpieten: Piets with soot smudges from the chimney. Practices still differ across the country.

• Wat heb je van Sinterklaas gekregen? — What did you get from Sinterklaas?
• We hebben lootjes getrokken. — We drew names.

Kerst: two days of Christmas

The Netherlands has two days of Christmas: eerste kerstdag (25 December) and tweede kerstdag (26 December). Many families visit one side of the family on the first day and the other side on the second.

Common traditions are a Christmas tree (de kerstboom), a long dinner and gourmetten: everybody grills small pieces of meat and vegetables on a tabletop grill. Because of Sinterklaas, some families give fewer presents at Christmas, while others celebrate both. Many employers give staff a kerstpakket, a Christmas hamper.

• Fijne kerstdagen! — Merry Christmas! (literally "pleasant Christmas days")
• Prettige feestdagen! — Happy holidays!

Oud en Nieuw: oliebollen and fireworks

Oud en Nieuw (old and new) is New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. On oudejaarsavond people eat oliebollen, deep-fried balls of dough with powdered sugar, often with raisins, and appelflappen (apple turnovers). You'll see oliebollen stands everywhere in December.

At midnight the sky fills with fireworks (vuurwerk). Fireworks are a much-debated topic: many municipalities have fireworks-free zones or local bans, and the rules for consumer fireworks have been changing, so check what applies where you live. On 1 January, some brave people take a nieuwjaarsduik, a New Year's dive into the cold sea or a lake.

• Gelukkig nieuwjaar! — Happy New Year!
• De beste wensen! — Best wishes!

Pasen: Easter

Pasen also has two days: eerste paasdag (Easter Sunday) and tweede paasdag (Easter Monday), which is a day off for most people. Typical traditions are an Easter brunch (paasbrunch), and children looking for Easter eggs (paaseieren zoeken). Many people also use the long weekend to go to a garden centre or a furniture store.

• Vrolijk Pasen! — Happy Easter!
• Fijne paasdagen! — Happy Easter! (literally "pleasant Easter days")

Birthdays: the circle and congratulating everyone

A Dutch birthday party at home has a reputation: guests sit in a circle (de kring) in the living room, drink coffee with a slice of cake (taart), and chat. When you arrive, you go round and shake hands with or kiss everyone, saying Gefeliciteerd!, not only to the birthday person but also to their relatives:

• Gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag! — Happy birthday!
• Gefeliciteerd met je vader! — Congratulations on your father('s birthday)!

At work and at school, the person whose birthday it is usually brings treats for everyone. This is called trakteren. Many Dutch homes also have a birthday calendar (verjaardagskalender), traditionally hanging in the toilet, so nobody forgets.

• Ik trakteer op taart. — I'm treating everyone to cake.

For more birthday phrases, see Dutch greetings and small talk.

Quick summary

• Koningsdag: 27 April (26 April if the 27th is a Sunday), orange clothes and the vrijmarkt.
• Dodenherdenking, 4 May: two minutes of silence at 8 p.m.
• Bevrijdingsdag, 5 May: an official holiday every year, but many people only get the day off every five years.
• Sinterklaas: pakjesavond on 5 December, with pepernoten, surprises and poems.
• Kerst: eerste en tweede kerstdag, 25 and 26 December.
• Oud en Nieuw: oliebollen and vuurwerk.
• At birthdays, sit in the circle and congratulate everyone.

Practise it

Learn the vocabulary of celebrations in Holidays, make sure you know your dates with Months, and practise inviting people and accepting invitations in Invitations. Need help with dates and times? Read numbers and time.