Ask an Expat: Holiday Store Decorations in Den Haag, Netherlands
japra | Nov 19, 2009 | Comments 25
Today’s Ask an Expat is really a follow up to a question Julia asked over a month ago: “I was walking around Target the other day and noticed a whole aisle devoted to Christmas decorations!!! What are the holidays like there? Is Christmas over-merchandised like it is here?”
Julia, as you can see in the photos below, it seems like merchandising is very low key here and very Sinterklaas focused—at least for now. I think I read somewhere that the Dutch don’t put their Christmas trees up until after Sinterklaasdag (6 December). If this is true, expect another update to this question!
There don’t seem to be any holiday carols blaring in the stores either. Most of the shops are still playing dance music. Again, maybe things will change after Sinterklaasdag. I did hear one Sinterklaas song on the radio yesterday. Most of it was in English. I wanted to write down some of the words, but I was driving at the time. And as usual, I’ve forgotten what I tried to remember. Sigh.
As for store interiors, holiday decorations are very minimal too. All the good holiday deals are marked with a Zwart Piet silhouette or some other Zwart Piet sign. Like our helpful “Santa’s elves” in the States, the Zwart Pieten are pointing out the good stuff.
Lastly, I finally found some Christmas cards yesterday while I was at the V&D. They said Prettige Kerstdagen en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar :-)
DeBijenkorf window with Sinterklaas.
DeBijenkorf window with Zwart Piet.
One of the pedestrian (and bicycle) streets in the Centrum shopping area.
Inside the beautiful Passage shopping area in the Centrum.
A close up of one of the many Zwart Pieten hanging off the lamps in the Passage.
The centrepiece in the Passage. Lots of Zwart Pieten. In the background you can see Sinterklaas overlooking the crowds.
Here’s a close up.
One of H&M’s windows. Not really Christmas or Sinterklaas themed, but this says 80s to me (I think it’s the heels with the socks). It makes me think “Girls Wanna Have Fun.”
~
Any questions for me? Just leave ‘em in the comments and I’ll try to answer them next Thursday :-)
About the Author: JaPRA is an expat Texan living in England with her husband (Mr. DJ), their 17-year old daughter (Roxi), and their dog Trudy.
Oh wow!!! I love these photos. I love European Christmas decos even more than British. I enjoy the American thing with lights on houses and all that, but it all treads so close to being tacky so often that I also cringe a little. But Europeans seem to do it so well. Lucky you!
Michelloui, it is lovely to witness how Christmas is celebrated in different countries :-)
PS There are such BEAUTIFUL Christmas ornaments in England. I have a very nice collection from our last two years there. I especially love ones I found in the garden centres.
I love that Passage shopping center. It looks like a really great place to window shop. I have to say, The Zwart Pieten hanging from the post looks like my kids when I’m begging them to smile for the camera.
Thanks for the pictures – walking around Target looking at Christmas decorations with 80 degree weather outside DOES NOT get one excited about Christmas.
Julia, I was thinking about putting some Christmas carols on my ipod for the next time I’m in the Centrum. It doesn’t feel like Christmas is coming quite yet…
I get excited about Christmas as soon as the leaves start to fall. It’s so interesting seeing Zwart Pieten – my reaction is so negative. It’s neat to see such a clear example of cultural difference!!
Lucylucia, you’re not alone in your reaction. It was quite a shock to us as well. But Zwart Piet is so beloved here. He is very friendly and gives out the treats during the parades. He is also the one who shimmies down the chimney bringing gifts to the children. I think the whole back story and evolution of the Sinterklaas and Zwart Piet story is interesting and important to learn… especially for American expats in Holland ;-)
I’ll insert the Zwarte Piet Wikipedia link here in case somebody missed it in my other post: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwarte_Piet
I’ll bet the Christmas Markets will be a lot more festive!
I think you’re right, Christine. I’m looking forward to it :-)
I stumbled upon your blog via some flickr contacts and had a nice surprise. Your blog is so elaborate that one could imagine there’s a small company behind japra ;-)
Keep it up and thanks for sharing this with us! S
(I’m french and live in Amsterdam).
Welcome, Sophie! I’m glad you stopped by :-) Thanks for your kind words {blush}.
How are you enjoying Amsterdam? I think it is such a fun city. I love all the museums there!
Oh, man. Leave it to us ugly Americans to start with the Santa Claus commercials in October! The ads from the paper are spilling out into the street and getting clogged in the loo! If I hear one more carol before (ugly American) Thanksgiving, I’m going to plotz!
However…
I love the season, so I would relish the gentle, sneaking-up-to-Christmas thing the Dutch seem to do. I love all your pictures, and those shop window colors!!
Now I have to go look up Zwart piet. I feel really dumb.
Chris, I do like this laid back style of merchandising. I am going to start playing my own Christmas carols after Thanksgiving, though ;-)
PS I had no idea who Zwart Piet was before I moved here! So you’re not dumb.
The pictures of that pedestrian street and the indoor shopping area have me wishing I were spending the holidays in Den Haag! I bet the street is gorgeous lit up at night.
Anne, it really is beautiful at night… er after nightfall, which is about 5pm. LOL!
Christmas seems to arrive earlier every year Already twinkling trees are appearing in house and shop windows !
Barbara, I think the lights are so pretty. I’ll miss going to Savill Garden in Windsor Great Park this year :-(
I love your photos – it must be lovely to experience this time of year in a completely new world – all the places I have been over Xmas (UK, SA, Australia) might have celebrated Xmas differently but our stories were still the same.
Emm, I’m really enjoying my time here in the Netherlands… in case you couldn’t tell!
Netherlands is the best country to visit for and i went there twice in Christmas days and the decoration is very beautiful and better than from all Europe
Ezine
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Amazing photos!
I love Christmas but I tend to put on too much weight! The photos of Christmas over there really look amazing though!
Really amazing images! It makes me feel all festive already!
Well, I am living in The Netherlands, so thank you for posting this!
Great article! I absolutely love it! I want to go see it for myself!