New Year's Day
Historical Context
New Year's Day falls on 1 January every year. Most businesses and shops are closed.
New Year's Day on 1 January has been celebrated for centuries as the start of the calendar year. In the Netherlands, the date was established with the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1583. It is one of the most universally observed days off.
The Dutch celebrate New Year's Eve with oliebollen (deep-fried dough balls), appelflappen (apple turnovers), and champagne. At midnight, fireworks are set off across the country. On 1 January, the traditional Nieuwjaarsduik (New Year's Dive) sees thousands of people plunging into the freezing North Sea, most famously at Scheveningen beach.
Regional Traditions
Scheveningen
The neighbourhoods of Scheveningen-Dorp and Duindorp compete each year to build the largest bonfire on the beach, ignited at midnight on New Year's Eve. The organised competition between the two neighbourhoods emerged in the 1990s and has been on the Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2014.
Scheveningen
The original Dutch New Year's Dive started in 1965. Now 8,000 to 10,000 participants plunge into the North Sea at noon on 1 January, each receiving the iconic orange Unox hat and warm pea soup afterwards.
Drenthe & Overijssel
Carbidschieten (carbide shooting) sees farmers shoot metal milk churns into the air using calcium carbide and water at midnight. The tradition may trace back to Germanic midwinter rituals and has been on the Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2014.