Christmas holidays 2025
Region Central
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Christmas holidays
The christmas holidays 2025 runs from 21 December to 5 January.
The Christmas break lasts two weeks and always spans Christmas and New Year. All regions in the Netherlands share the same dates, making it a nationwide holiday period.
For many families, it is the cosiest holiday of the year, filled with family visits, Christmas dinners and baking oliebollen (Dutch doughnuts). The break typically starts on the Saturday before Christmas and ends on the first Sunday of January.
It is also a time when many Dutch people reflect on the past year and set resolutions for the new one.
Activities during the christmas holidays
Families visit Christmas markets, go ice skating on temporary rinks, and enjoy the festive season. After the excitement of Sinterklaas in early December, it is a time to relax and spend quality time together.
Many children spend their Christmas money or gift vouchers during the winter sales. The Christmas markets in Maastricht, Valkenburg and Dordrecht are among the most famous in the country, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.
On New Year's Eve, fireworks displays, carbidschieten (calcium carbide shooting) in the northern provinces, and oliebollen stalls are everywhere. Museums like the Rijksmuseum and NEMO often organise special winter programmes for children.
Practical info about the christmas holidays
Shops and supermarkets have adjusted opening hours on Christmas Day, the 26th and New Year's Day. Public transport runs a Sunday schedule on public holidays, so plan trips in advance, especially if travelling by train.
GP surgeries and pharmacies operate on a holiday roster, so check opening hours for your area beforehand. Many restaurants serve special Christmas menus, but reservations often need to be made weeks in advance.
Keep in mind that parking garages in city centres fill up quickly on busy shopping days.
Did you know this about the christmas holidays?
The Christmas break always covers exactly two weeks, including both Christmas and New Year. It is the only school holiday that never varies between the three regions and never shifts in its structure.
The Netherlands is one of the few countries in Europe where Sinterklaas (5 December) traditionally plays a bigger role than Christmas as a gift-giving holiday, although Christmas has been growing in popularity in recent years. The tradition of eating oliebollen on New Year's Eve dates back to the Middle Ages.
An estimated 300 million oliebollen are sold in the Netherlands every December.