One thing I can tell you about the Dutch – they love to drink and they love to party! So therefore it’s not surprising that celebrating New Year’s Eve in The Netherlands is always a fun, and sometimes quite wild, affair! There is music, there are parties, there are fireworks – everyone lets their hair down and has a wonderful time. So if that appeals to you, then why not head to Amsterdam this New Year?
The Dutch are one of the few countries in Europe who do not have a big celebration on December 25th for Christmas. They tend to exchange presents a few weeks earlier, on St. Nicolas’ Day (December 6th), instead. So whereas many other Europeans are feeling rather jaded when December 31st comes around, and still suffering from a surfeit of turkey and mince pies, the Dutch are well-rested and raring to go once more! And if you are looking for a party or a hot night spot, Amsterdam is most definitely the place to go!
Most people in Amsterdam will go out on New Tear’s Eve, – to a Bar, a club, a nightclub, to watch a live band, or, sometimes, to a friend’s home for a house party. The drink flows freely, and people traditionally eat oliebollen, which is a delicious type of doughnut, incredibly fattening, but almost irresistible when dipped in sugar and eaten in the fresh air. Oliebollen are sold from stalls and stands on street corners in Amsterdam on New Year’s Eve, and no December 31st would be the same without them.
Unlike in the UK and Ireland, there are not many street parties as such in Amsterdam on New Year’s Eve. It is more a case of go out and find your own entertainment in a bar or club. But what a choice you will have! Amsterdam is a truly cosmopolitan city which prides itself on it’s cultural diversity and liberal attitudes, so whatever your interest you will find something to suit in Amsterdam! There are nightclubs, specialising in all manner of different music genres, and all have special parties arranged for December 31st. So whether your personal taste is R & B, techno, hip-hop, garage, heavy metal, rock, or more main-stream pop music, there will be somewhere for you to go in the city on New Year’s Eve. Clubs such as The Zebra Lounge, Strand West 2008, and Boom Chicago, all have magnificent line-ups of live acts and DJs to entertain you coming into 2008. There are also many thriving gay clubs. And, don’t worry, if you prefer something more sedate, Amsterdam organises riverboat cruises with dinner for New Years Eve, and there are also plenty of classical concerts to attend.
At midnight, people will usually leave the bars to go out on the streets for firework displays. To be honest, there are lots of small firework displays throughout the entire evening, but at midnight, the main displays start in Dam Square. A good place to watch them is from one of the bridges overlooking the lovely Amsterdam Canals. One word of warning, – the streets of Amsertdam can be very crowded at this time, and many people are drunk. Being drunk and being in charge of fireworks is not a good combination, so take care! Bonfires are also lit in the streets, where Christmas trees are burnt. The fires are meant to be a sign of purging the old and seeing in the new.
So, in conclusion, if you want something a little different this year, why not go to Amsterdam this New Year’s Eve, or Oudjaarsavond (”Old Year’s Eve) as it is actually called in Dutch? A typical Amsterdammer’s approach to life is to say “live and let live”, and spending December 31st in that city, certainly is a case of eat, drink and be merry, and not be too easily shocked! But after all – what is wrong with that? GELUKKIG NIEUWJAAR!
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