Easter in Holland Credit: Timeanddate
With the tulips in bloom and spring in the air, there is no better place to be than in Amsterdam during the long Easter weekend. The Easter in Holland stars on Good Friday, Christians in the Netherlands remember the crucifixion of Jesus on the hill known as Calvary or Golgotha near Jerusalem. It is a day of prayer for observant Christians and a holiday for some people. Special services are held in churches of a range of denominations. Christians attend a church service or spend some time in prayer and may fast or not eat meat.
Easter Sunday is a festive, family orientated day in the Netherlands. People prepare festive breakfasts, brunches or lunches. They may also search for and eat chocolate eggs that are supposedly delivered by the Easter hare. Church services are often longer than usual and may conclude with a festive meal. Easter fires (paasvuren) are held in rural areas in the northern and eastern parts of the Netherlands. Many people prepare an Easter breakfast, brunch or lunch with a range of seasonal and luxurious foods to share with family members, friends or neighbors. Later in the day, people may eat lamb, which is seen as symbolic of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Some people eat unleavened crackers, reminiscent of the matzo eaten during the Jewish observance of Passover. Families with children may decorate boiled eggs and hide boiled or chocolate eggs around the house or garden. Children are told that these eggs have been delivered and/or hidden by the mythical Easter hare (paashaas). Some organizations organize Easter egg hunts
Easter Monday is a day off work for many people in the Netherlands. It is not associated with a specific religious ritual, but is a time to relax, perform household tasks and enjoy the company of family or friends. Some people spend Easter Monday in much the same way as Easter Sunday. They eat a large festive breakfast or brunch and decorate or search for eggs. They may also perform household maintenance or seasonal tasks in their gardens, take a walk along the coast, and ride on a cycle while admiring the first signs of spring. Easter fires (paasvuren) are lit in some villages in the northern and eastern parts of the Netherlands.
Easter perfectly coincides with the best time to see Dutch flowers in their full glory! The fields in the countryside bloom with crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths and tulips from the end of March through to the beginning of May. For the ultimate flower experience, take a day trip to the Keukenhof.
easter eggs in Amsterdam (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
During Easter weekend, you'll find special brunches and dinners to suit every taste and budget. One famous classical composition tends to dominate Amsterdam’s concert halls and churches around Easter time. Away from those traditional works, other classical treats can be found in Amsterdam, such as the Schellingwouder Festival in the Schellingwouderkerk in Amsterdam-Noord. If you're after grand spectacles, there are two major family-friendly, theatrical performances taking place throughout the weekend. Riverdance, the Irish stepdancing classic. Then there's the Chinese National Circus, who'll perform theirShanghai Nights show. Or, for adults with energy to burn, the DGTL Festival presents around 80 DJs and live acts from the underground electronic music scene.
Some people who have Good Friday and Easter Monday off work use the time to take a short trip or vacation. In the Netherlands, some people have a day off work on Good Friday but others have to work. Banks and post offices are closed. Most stores and other businesses are open but may close earlier than usual. Public transport services operate a normal or slightly reduced service. There are some restrictions on selling alcohol on Good Friday. There may be some congestion on routes to popular destinations for short breaks.
Sources| timeanddate, iamsterdam
© 2014, Amsterdam City Tours Blog. All rights reserved.
On republishing any part of this post, you must provide a link back to this original post
