Public holidays in the Netherlands
Encyclopedia
The Netherlands
has 13 main holidays. The Holiday
s in the Netherlands
are:
Even though Good Friday is a National Holiday, it is not a mandatory day off for commercial companies. However, most (semi-)governmental organizations, banks, and insurers honor this day with a day off work. If time off is given on this day, it is usually a mandatory day off work, subtracted from workers' time off, whereas other national holidays do not count towards vacation time.
Liberation Day is a national holiday once every 5 years. Many employees have a day off work, but this is not required by law.
Time off is not given for Remembrance of the Dead, which is a national holiday, or Saint Nicholas' Eve, which is not a national holiday.
The government also recognizes the period between Christmas and New Year as "equivalent" to holidays for the purpose of filings/payments to or by the government; if a term ends on such a day, the term is extended. If either First or Second Christmas Day falls on a weekend (i.e., Saturday or Sunday), there is no additional weekday given in exchange. That is, in years where First Christmas Day is a Saturday, there are no national Christmas holidays at all.
Recently, there has been some debate over whether or not the Islamic holiday of Eid ul-Fitr
(Suikerfeest in Dutch) should be a national holiday. This was met by opposition from political parties such as the PVV and SGP
, although many others had no problems with it. For now, Eid ul-Fitr is not an official national holiday, but it usually justifies a day off for Islamic employees. Those opposed to this proposition say that there are enough national holidays as it is.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
has 13 main holidays. The Holiday
Holiday
A Holiday is a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observance is warranted. It is generally an official or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations...
s in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
are:
| Date | English name | Dutch name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year's Day New Year's Day New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome... |
Nieuwjaar | The day before is called "Old Year's Day" and not "New Year's Eve." |
| March/April | Easter Easter Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday... |
Eerste Paasdag en Tweede Paasdag | The Dutch celebrate two days of Easter (on Sunday and the subsequent Monday). |
| April 30 | Queen's Day | Koninginnedag Koninginnedag Koninginnedag or Queen's Day is a national holiday in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Celebrated on 30 April , Koninginnedag is Queen Beatrix's official birthday. Though Queen Beatrix was born on 31 January, the holiday is observed on 30 April as it was the birthday of her mother and... |
Originally, Koninginnedag was celebrated on the birthday of the queen, Queen's day is nowadays celebrated on the birthday of the late Queen-mother (Juliana Juliana of the Netherlands Juliana was the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands between 1948 and 1980. She was the only child of Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Henry... ), as better weather is expected. If April 30 is a Sunday, Koninginnedag is celebrated on the April 29. |
| May 4 | Remembrance of the Dead Remembrance of the Dead Remembrance of the Dead is held annually on May 4 in the Netherlands. It commemorates all civilians and members of the armed forces of the Kingdom of the Netherlands who have died in wars or peacekeeping missions since the outbreak of World War II.... |
Dodenherdenking | Remembrance of all members of the armed forces and civilians of the Kingdom of the Netherlands who died in war situations or peacekeeping missions since the outbreak of the Second World War. Although this is not a national holiday, there is a national two minutes of silence at 8:00 PM local time, and an annual ceremony at Dam Square Dam Square Dam Square, or simply the Dam is a town square in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. Its notable buildings and frequent events make it one of the most well-known and important locations in the city.- Location and description :... . Not a national holiday |
| May 5 | Liberation Day Liberation Day (The Netherlands) In the Netherlands, Liberation Day is celebrated each year on May 5th, to mark the end of the occupation by Nazi Germany during World War II.... |
Bevrijdingsdag | Celebration of the 1945 capitulation of German Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... forces in World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... . Celebrated every year, but as of 2000, an official holiday once every 5 years. |
| 40 days after Easter | Ascension Day | Hemelvaartsdag | |
| 7 weeks after Easter | Pentecost Pentecost Pentecost is a prominent feast in the calendar of Ancient Israel celebrating the giving of the Law on Sinai, and also later in the Christian liturgical year commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Christ after the Resurrection of Jesus... |
Pinksteren | The Dutch celebrate two days of Pentecost (on Sunday and the subsequent Monday). |
| December 5 | Saint Nicholas' Eve | Sinterklaas Sinterklaas Sinterklaas is a traditional Winter holiday figure still celebrated today in the Low Countries, including the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as French Flanders and Artois... |
A predecessor of Santa Claus Santa Claus Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus... , Sinterklaas gives presents to the children. Not a national holiday |
| December 25, December 26 | Christmas Christmas Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days... |
Kerstmis | The Dutch celebrate two days of Christmas: Eerste Kerstdag (the first day of Christmas) and Tweede Kerstdag (Boxing day). |
Even though Good Friday is a National Holiday, it is not a mandatory day off for commercial companies. However, most (semi-)governmental organizations, banks, and insurers honor this day with a day off work. If time off is given on this day, it is usually a mandatory day off work, subtracted from workers' time off, whereas other national holidays do not count towards vacation time.
Liberation Day is a national holiday once every 5 years. Many employees have a day off work, but this is not required by law.
Time off is not given for Remembrance of the Dead, which is a national holiday, or Saint Nicholas' Eve, which is not a national holiday.
The government also recognizes the period between Christmas and New Year as "equivalent" to holidays for the purpose of filings/payments to or by the government; if a term ends on such a day, the term is extended. If either First or Second Christmas Day falls on a weekend (i.e., Saturday or Sunday), there is no additional weekday given in exchange. That is, in years where First Christmas Day is a Saturday, there are no national Christmas holidays at all.
Recently, there has been some debate over whether or not the Islamic holiday of Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr
Eid ul-Fitr, Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr , often abbreviated to Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting . Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity," while Fiṭr means "breaking the fast"...
(Suikerfeest in Dutch) should be a national holiday. This was met by opposition from political parties such as the PVV and SGP
Reformed Political Party
The Reformed Political Party is an orthodox Protestant Dutch political party. The term Reformed is not a reference to political reform, but is a synonym for Calvinist. The SGP is the oldest political party in the Netherlands in its current form, and for its entire existence has been in opposition...
, although many others had no problems with it. For now, Eid ul-Fitr is not an official national holiday, but it usually justifies a day off for Islamic employees. Those opposed to this proposition say that there are enough national holidays as it is.
External links
- CIA. Netherlands. 10 Jan. 2006. 10 Feb. 2006.
- Postbus51 http://www.postbus51.nl/nl/home/themas/cultuur-sport-en-vrije-tijd/feestdagen/welke-feestdagen-kent-nederland-en-wanneer-worden-ze-gevierd.html
- Calendar - Holiday Files http://www.mozilla.org/projects/calendar/holidays.html#N