Dutch Traditions Oudjaarsdag
We have some fine, and some not so nice (😱!) traditions in The Netherlands on the last day of the year.
Food
On Oudjaarsavond (New Year's Eve) you will find in every home as a centerpiece a dish on the table called 'Oliebollen'. These dough balls— with or without raisins—get deep-fried in hot oil, then dusted with powdered sugar. They taste surprisingly sweet and are quite filling. Never eat too much of them.
The dough is also used to bake 'Appelflappen', which could be compared with apple beignets. Slices of apples are dipped in the dough and deep-fried just like the oliebollen and dusted with powdered sugar.
My father used to make them on the last day of the year, he was quite good at it, the downside however was the whole house smelled like a frying pan for the rest of the day 😂 Some people still do bake them for themselves, but most will buy the treat at a bakery or pop-up stands on the streets or in front of stores. A newspaper even organizes a competition for the best oliebollen baker.
Music
Besides all the Christmas concerts, carols in the streets, and of course since 1999 the Top 2000, which actually started as a once only event but has now grown out to a tradition many people enjoy, there's a tradition mostly in the Eastern part of the Netherlands called 'Midwinterhoornblazen'.
The playing of wooden horns at midwinter is an old tradition on either side of the Dutch-German border. The tradition is generally thought to derive from Germanic Yule custom, both to summon help and to repel evil spirits. It is now practised as an announcement and celebration of Christmas: the horns are sounded from the beginning of Advent (late November or early December) to Epiphany (6 January).
Many villages and town neighbourhoods in the border region have groups of midwinter horn players, who sound their instruments one after the other. It has been listed as a national heritage tradition of the Netherlands
Bonfires
During the day, in many streets people organize bonfires. They gather around a fire ton, drink and eat and have good time wishing each other a 'Goed Uiteinde'. Or like they say in Germany, 'Guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr'. Meant to wish them a Happy New Year's Eve. And yes, it happens some throw their Christmas tree into the bonfire 😂
Though it's not without danger, especially when people had a bit too much to drink and get petulant. They start to gather as many Christmas trees and things get out of hand. It's because of this the larger cities like Amsterdam now prohibit bon fires in residential areas. The past years had too many accidents and mayors follow advice from fire fighters and emergency services.
There's also a tendency between some areas to make it a competition building the highest bonfire which got out of hand some years ago. Especially the cities Scheveningen and The Hague organize huge bonfires on the beach. They made it a competition between these two, though a couple of years ago the wind was strong which resulted in uncontrollable fire sparks endangering the residential areas nearby. Today there are regulations set and strictly monitored.
Carbid Schieten (Carbide Shooting)
A tradition mostly done in rural areas and in fact since years prohibited in residential areas (though they used to do it there!)
Basically, a small chunk of calcium carbide and a little bit of water is placed in a metal milk churn. The carbide decomposes into acetylene and a flame is held up to a small hole in the milk churn. The resulting explosion sends the lid of the milk churn across a field and much fun is had by all. Just be sure to wear proper ear protection. It's also prohibited to use the actual lid of the milk churn so instead the use balls.
The tradition of carbide shooting became popular at the beginning of the 20th century as a youthful rebellion. Today it's an officially intangible heritage with safety and organization being central.
Firework
Of course Firework isn't a Dutch tradition, it's a Chinese tradition. And many cities over the world organize their firework shows welcoming the New Year, as well as some large Dutch Cities, like Amsterdam which is broadcasted at midnight on NYE.
However many Dutch buy their own fireworks and set off their fireworks individually. They spend an awful lot of money on it, just to see it blown away in the air at NYE. Though it's only allowed on the last day of the year between 6pm and 2am, nobody really complies and in the days prior to NYE fireworks are constantly heard and seen. No way police would be able to maintain the order everywhere. At the time they arrive at the place the perpetrators are long gone setting of their firework on a different place.
All this isn't without risk as you can imagine. Many casualties already in the days prior, despite horrible warning video campaigns by the government, showing people who lost their fingers, eyesight, hearing etc. It doesn't help.
If the days prior are already bad, NYE itself is like a war zone. And at midnight it's completely crazy. Shortly after midnight everyone sets off their fireworks and the air is full of light, smoke and loud explosions. All around!
This is a small video I took shortly after midnight last year from my place:
(sound on)
It's been long debated to prohibit this individual use of fireworks, at some point heavier fireworks have been prohibited, though it's easy to get those in the countries around the Netherlands. I live just a 10 minute walk from the German border, today and yesterday long traffic jams mostly Dutch cars to and from Germany, the Lidl sells the firework they prefer. Despite strict border control we know lots of illegal fireworks will be set off, with all the associated risks.
This year though is the last year it is allowed, next year finally a law forbids the individual use of fireworks. Feared though is that many will use this last NYE to set off an extra amount of fireworks. And many people doubt the prohibition next year can be maintained. I don't think so either, though hopefully it will be a lot less. Not only because of the risks, but also for the animals and pets, who have a most horrible time these days of the year in The Netherlands.
