Holland celebrates Queensday on the birthday of the Queenmother Juliana.There are festivals and events on 30 april in the whole country.These events are organised by the local orange association.
Queen Beatrix visit on 30 april, together with other Royal family members the festivals in two places in Holland. You can watch this on television.
Sint maarten
The celebration of Sint Maarten
Children walk with their selfmade lights through the village.
They sing at the doors and get, when they are finished, some sweets.
This is an old tradition in Holland, based on the story of Sint Martinus, a rich nobleman who gave half his robe to a poor man.
This is one of the dutch songs that the children sing when they come at the door:
Sint Maarten Sint Maarten
The cowes got tails
The girls are wearing skirts
There’s coming Sint Martinus
Old and NewYear
Old and New is a great festival, as in many other countries.
It’s the end of the old year and the beginning of the new year. The most important is the lightening of the fireworks. It’s tradition that the fireworks starts the beginning of the new year. In Holland people eat a lot of “oliebollen”, (picture)
Mothersday
On the second sunday of may is the celebration of mothersday. We make our mothers feel special by giving them extra attention, presents(a lot of them made in school) and of course, breakfast in bed!
This is a way to thank them for everything they did for us.
Fathersday
Fathersday is on the third sunday of june. On this day we make our fathers feel special and give them presents and we are very nice to him. This is to thank them for their hard work.
Sinterklaas festival
A man with a beard, dressed like a bishop. He arrives with a steamboat from Spain.
He rides on horseback, by night ,across the roofs, He knows all our good and bad stuff of the children, because it is in his big book. He visits all the schools on the 5th of December.
He’s got a helper, called black Pete, with a bag en bundle of twigs. He crawls through chimneys.
He throws sweets . The children put their shoes in front of the fireplace, sing a song and get a lot of presents.
Sinterklaas is a very old tradition in Holland. In many countries the children get present at Christmas, but in Holland this happens on the 5th of December: Sinterklaas!
Carnaval
Carnaval is a big festival that is celebrated outside. People dress up as well known people or as anything they like, like a cow or a princess. They also have a big parade with colourfull wagons. They dance and sing and have a good time. This feast is related to the catholic church to have a big feast before the period of abstination starts.
Liberationday
Every year on the 5th of may we celebrate Liberationday in Holland. All public servants are free, schools are closed, because we remember the end of Worldwar II. On the 5th of may 1945 all of Holland was freed from the occupation by the germans. On the 4th of may, at eight o clock in the evening, all of Holland is quiet for 2 minutes to remember the people who were killed during the war. There is a big ceremony in the centre of Amsterdam.
