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guitarnan
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Naturally, my two rival siblings don't want to study the same country during Advent/Christmas. Ds wants the Netherlands, because he's been there with the Boy Scouts. Fortunately, dd wants Sweden (thanks for the great thread and ideas!!!).
So, any Dutch Christmas traditions/recipes/crafts/etc. you know of will be very helpful.
Thanks!
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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JennGM
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Nancy,
Kelly in FL has already written some Dutch perspectives on St. Nicholas Day in this St. Nicholas Thread. Her M-i-l is Dutch, so she probably has some great ideas.
My family ALWAYS makes these speculaus cookies or Dutch spice cookies for St. Nicholas day. We incorporate the actual making of the cookies into a Cookie Making Party. I've included that in the St. Nicholas Thread. It's not really authentic Dutch.
St. Nicholas Center has a section on the Netherlands and how they celebrate St. Nicholas Day. There are some good links on this page.
I'm running out of computer time, but two books I have that are great for recipes and traditions: Christmas in the Netherlands from World Book...I found cheap copies on Ebay. Great photos. And my cookbook I recommend is Let's Go Dutch. Has a section in the back dedicated to Feast of St. Nicholas, Chrismta dn New Year's Eve (De Feest van St. Nicolaas, Kerstmis en Oudejaarsavond). Recipes for Christmas include Dutch Chocolate Christmas Log, Braised Rabbit (traditional for Christmas), Chestnuts in Sweet Wine, Christmas Fudge, Gin Balls, Oliebollen, Apple Fritters, and Bitter Balls. I'll be glad to type up any recipe, or give the Dutch name so you can give a search.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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JennGM
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And another thing...
I went to Czestochowa for the World Youth Day back in 1991. Our group from FUS went together with a group from the Netherlands. Since then I have kept up correspondence with one gentleman from the group. He is always telling me of the demise of the Dutch church...they can't attend daily Mass, rarely can get to Sunday Mass because of the lack of priests. And vocations they have none. It's so sad.
But any questions you want forwarded to him to give an accurate portrayal, let me know. He is always wanting to help in the promotion of the Catholic faith. He works with the Bishop there, and other Catholic press and offices.
Keep him in your prayers. He is engaged to be married to a wonderful woman. I'm so happy for him!
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Jennifer G. Miller
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Family in Feast and Feria
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guitarnan
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Jenn,
Wow, how amazing. My husband was just commenting that, since there are so many Dutch books published on Catholic topics (and German books), he assumes that their Churches are in crisis. Your information verifies his theory. (So, were your ears burning about two hours ago?)
My cousin (Protestant missionary) and her husband have just returned to the USA after several years in Amsterdam. I am sure that the information you've been given by your friend is correct; the Christian denominations are all having a hard time there. My cousin also tells me that there's a huge Muslim immigrant population in Amsterdam. The face of western Europe is changing very quickly.
I'll look at your links tomorrow (dh has to work tonight!) and ask about recipes, for sure. Thanks!!! (And, I'm hungry!!!!)
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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JennGM
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guitarnan wrote:
Wow, how amazing. My husband was just commenting that, since there are so many Dutch books published on Catholic topics (and German books), he assumes that their Churches are in crisis. Your information verifies his theory. (So, were your ears burning about two hours ago?)
My cousin (Protestant missionary) and her husband have just returned to the USA after several years in Amsterdam. I am sure that the information you've been given by your friend is correct; the Christian denominations are all having a hard time there. My cousin also tells me that there's a huge Muslim immigrant population in Amsterdam. The face of western Europe is changing very quickly. |
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The Netherlands and Germany are huge examples of having traditions just for the sake of "tradition" and not with the religious significance attached to it. My sister's husband's family is from Germany, and he had some cousins who lived here for a few years before returning back to Germany. She found her faith living in the US, and is distressed at the hollowness and lack of participation in the Church in Germany. It's no coincidence that we have a Pope from that region!!!
You will find an influence of Indonesian culture in the Dutch world, as Indonesia was part of the Dutch kingdom for many, many years. To this day this is where many from the Netherlands spend their vacation. They were affected by many losses when Bali had those tragedies--bombings and the tsunami.
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Kelly
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Interestingly enough, Mother Mary Francis of the Poor Clares (of "Right to be Merry" fame) sent out a group of her nuns to start a foundation in Holland in the past ten years or so. We had a nice visit with the PCs in New Mexico some years back, and I seem to remember Mother writing me something to the effect that it was no accident that the Poor Clares chose the Netherlands as their "point of entry" into "foreign" missions, and that it is a country in need of a great deal of prayer. My own mother-in-law, whom I love dearly, is a prime example. Though Catholic in name, she and her family are about as apostate as they come, never attending Mass, and pro-birth control, pro-cohabitation and anti-marriage (marriage is definitely outre in Holland!), pro-euthanasia, pro-abortion, and pro-just about everything else our Church opposes!
That being said, they come by this historically. Poor Holland has been subsumed by the individualistic, humanist, Protestant, mercantile mindset since the 1500s when power-hungry William of Orange foreswore his Catholic faith and threw in his lot with the Huguenots et. al (this is the same "William the Silent" that "Story of the World" gushes over, so  )After all the 16th century religious wars that took place in the Low Countries, Holland separated from what is now Belgium, and became a Protestant country. Belgium stayed with Catholic Spain, and to this day, retains its officially Catholic status. Although there are still Catholics in Holland, especially in certain areas, the country hasn't been officially "Catholic" in centuries, though many of the Catholic traditions remain, being practiced, as Jenn put so aptly , for tradition's sake, rather than religion's sake.
On a happier note, the Dutch can be some of the warmest-hearted people on earth, a quality reflected in some wonderful living books that take place in Holland. If you haven't already read "Winged Watchman" by Hilda von Stockum, you need to put it on your list! It's a lovely book about wartime Holland---it has a nice chapter on the visit of Saint Nicholas that I've read out loud to my kids and we've all enjoyed repeatedly. Von Stockum's other book, "Andries" also takes place in Holland and is enjoyable, and also has a chapter on their celebration of Christmas. Another great read is "Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates"-which you've probably read-but if not, it's "worthy", very snowflakey and Christmasy feeling. And you might enjoy reading Mother Mary Francis' book, "Forth and Abroad", on the Poor Clare foundation in Holland. I love her books!
Besides the St. Nicholas Center, which is a great resource (thank you, Jenn, for that referral!), there are many other online resources for Dutch Christmas items. I'm having Brain Lapse at the moment, but I know you can find a bunch of purveyors of Dutch goodies by googling. I've bought on-line everything from imported gouda to Dutch specialty cookies and candies. It's fun surfing at any rate.
Last but not least, don't forget to bake Speculaas. That's a must for any self-respecting Dutch celebration.  Evelyn Birge Vitz has a nice chapter on baking Speculaas and general St. Nicholas Feast Day ideas in her book, "A Continual Feast"---a book I think is a must for any Catholic kitchen!
Kelly in FL
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JennGM
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Kelly wrote:
| Interestingly enough, Mother Mary Francis of the Poor Clares (of "Right to be Merry" fame) sent out a group of her nuns to start a foundation in Holland in the past ten years or so. We had a nice visit with the PCs in New Mexico some years back, and I seem to remember Mother writing me something to the effect that it was no accident that the Poor Clares chose the Netherlands as their "point of entry" into "foreign" missions, and that it is a country in need of a great deal of prayer.....And you might enjoy reading Mother Mary Francis' book, "Forth and Abroad", on the Poor Clare foundation in Holland. I love her books! |
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There's another thing we have in common, Kelly! I just eat up her writings! For a long time I was sure I had a vocation to the Poor Clares...she painted such a beautiful and inspiring picture, but also very human!
Kelly wrote:
| Besides the St. Nicholas Center, which is a great resource (thank you, Jenn, for that referral!), there are many other online resources for Dutch Christmas items. I'm having Brain Lapse at the moment, but I know you can find a bunch of purveyors of Dutch goodies by googling. |
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Here are a few sites I found that have quite a bit of information:
Dutch Food, Traditions and Customs. Scroll down to find loads of information.
All Things Dutch has the foods and stuff from the Netherlands. Check out the holiday page with the St. Nicholas ornaments. Quite affordable! And the St. Nicholas and Krampeter (sp) chocolate!
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Jennifer G. Miller
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JennGM
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My friend Hans kindly gave me a short summary of traditions in his country for Christmas, and gave me permission to post:
There are some good sites. The site of www.meertens.knaw.nl is reliable but under construction. It is an ethnographic site but very informative. They are developing a special section about customs around feasts like advent and christmas. You can also visit www.kersttijd.nl. This is a catholic site, orthodox in his point of view. They give some christmas songs and liturgical information. Both are dutch.
Advent and Christmas Season are full of tradition. We know the Advent wreath. Every sunday, we light a candle, so if we have lighted four candles, we are near Christmas. I suppose, you know this custom too. The wreath is of german origin (nineteenth century) and it served pedagogical purposes. The advent wreath isn't liturgical in the strict sense of the word.
During the last week of advent, there are many christmas-concerts in churches and theaters. Choirs are singing christmas-carols of different times. Orchestras played pieces of Händel and Corelli. At the eve before christmas, catholics are going to church. The attendance of the Night-Mass is diminishing but churches still are crowded, also in Holland. Protestants visit the church at the morning of 25th december. After the Mass they drink coffee and eat Christmas bread, a bread with raisins. It isn't a dutch custom to give presents to each other. We are giving presents and joking with someone's peculiarities at Saint Nicolas (5th december) but some families have changed their habits influenced by foreign customs.
Most families place a christmas-tree in the house, decorated with balls and lights. Catholics know also the nativity scene. They place Jesus in his craddle at Christmas Night. At 6th january (Epiphany), the scene is completed by placing little statues of the three magi. In protestant circles, this custom is unknown.
During the evening, there is a great christmas dinner. At 12 o' clock p.m. we look to the Urbi et orbi. It is a special moment. At Saint Stephen (26 th december) we visit other families.
At 28th december, the feast of the Holy Innocents, we know some customs. The youngest child may choose the food. He is the boss in house.
I suppose, the dutch way of celebrating Christmas doesn't differ much from the U.S.A. In our country, father Christmas is gaining terrain and after the celebration of Saint Nicolas, he is appearing in our streets. It is strange that a catholic country like Belgium knows Father Christmas while a protestant country like Holland celebrates Saint Nicholas. I suppose, it is due to the influence of Amsterdam. Saint Nicolas is the patron saint of our capital.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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To touch on what Kelly said, when I visited the Netherlands, we visited St. John's Cathedral in 's-Hertogenbosch (also called St. Jan's). This tours (and others we took) were all marked with stories of the history of Protestant rule vs. Catholic times. The cathedral's frescoes had been whitewashed several times when taken over by the Protestants. Only in recent years had they unearthed some of the frescoes they thought had been completely destroyed. They were amazingly beautiful! There were other beautiful works of art gutted or destroyed by the anti-papists. Very sad...I know not an isolated event.
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Jennifer G. Miller
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4Real Forums : Across Time and Place
Topic: Dutch Christmas
