The Dutch Royal December celebrations

The Dutch royals celebrate a traditional royal Christmas, but earlier in the month, they also have the Sinterklaas celebrations.

Queen Máxima is from Argentina, and sometimes, the family spends Christmas with her family. They have been spotted in Argentina several times over the years.

The Dutch don’t have the tradition of opening Christmas gifts on Christmas, as many have already exchanged gifts on Sinterklaas Eve. Sinterklaas comes from Spain with his “Black Peters” and carries gifts. Children who have been bad are threatened with a rod with bound sticks or even being taken back to Spain in a bag. He usually arrives by boat in grand fashion.

However, it is becoming more common to give gifts on Christmas.  Some even do so by drawing lots, similar to a Secret Santa. A lot of Dutch people have a Christmas breakfast and brunch and do “gourmetten” – where each person has their own little pan of food cooking beneath a grill plate – in the evening.

©RVD

Both the 25th and the 26th are considered official holidays in the Netherlands. They are known as “first” and “second” Christmas Day.

King Willem-Alexander will release a pre-recorded Christmas speech on Christmas Day around 1 P.M.