page_title: Culture of the Netherlands
section_title: Traditions
hierarchical_section_title: Culture of the Netherlands / Lifestyle / Traditions
caption_attribution_description: Nederlands: blauwe muisjes op beschuit
context_page_description: The culture of the Netherlands is diverse, reflecting regional differences as well as the foreign influences built up by centuries of the Dutch people's mercantile and explorative spirit. The Netherlands and its people have long played an important role as centre of cultural liberalism and tolerance. The Dutch Golden Age is popularly regarded as its zenith.
context_section_description: A prime traditional festivity in the Netherlands is Sint Nicolaas or Sinterklaas. It is celebrated on the evening before Sinterklaas' birthday on December 5, especially in families with little children. Sinterklaas has a companion known as Zwarte Piet, which in recent years has come under scrutiny in light of accusations of racist caricatures. In the United States the original figure of Dutch Sinterklaas has merged with Father Christmas into Santa Claus. In the Netherlands, gift-bringing at Christmas has in recent decades gained some popularity too, although Sinterklaas is much more popular.
  The national holiday is celebrated on 27 April with King's Day (Koningsdag) in honour of the King's birthday. The day is moved up to Saturday if it would otherwise happen on a Sunday. The day is known for its nationwide vrijmarkt ("free market"), at which many Dutch sell their secondhand items. It is also an opportunity for "orange madness" or oranjegekte, for the national colour, when the normally strait-laced Dutch let down their hair,  often dyed orange for the occasion.
  World Animal Day has been observed since 1929, primarily by the children of the Netherlands. It is as well known as Mother's and Father's Day.
  A widespread tradition is that of serving beschuit met muisjes when people come to visit a new-born baby and its mother. Beschuit is a typical Dutch type of biscuit, muisjes are sugared anise seeds. Blue muisjes are used for a baby boy, and pink muisjes are used for a baby girl.
  More regional traditions include the huge Easter Fires or celebrating Sint Maarten on the evening of November 11 when children go door to door with paper lanterns and candles, and sing songs in return for a treat.  This holiday is celebrated in some parts of Groningen, North Holland and the southern and middle part of Limburg and to a lesser extent in South Holland and Zeeland. This celebration marks the beginning of the dark period before Christmas and the long days of winter. The same thing happens on January 6 with Epiphany in some areas in the Catholic south of the Netherlands. In the past, home-made lanterns were used, made from a hollowed out sugar beet. In North-Brabant, Limburg and some other parts of the Netherlands people celebrate Carnaval similar to the carnival of the German Rhineland and Belgium Flanders.
caption: Beschuit with muisjes topping, blue for a boy
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