Amsterdam celebrates New Year on January 1, i.e. the first date of the first month of the Georgian calendar. New Year is referred as Oudjaarsdag or Oudjaarsavond, which respectively means “Old Year’s Day” and “Old Year’s Evening”. In some places, New Year’s Eve is referred as “Oud en Nieuw”, which in its literal meaning stands for “Old and New”.
Amsterdam offers an unmatchable and unforgettable experience of a lifetime with its New Year celebrations. With high-energy parties all over the Amsterdam, one doesn’t hold slightest of a chance to not have a New Year without high spirits and style. Celebrations begin on 29th December, and go on till the time of the arrival of New Year.
It can be said as amongst the finest places on the planet for a soul to be at the time of New Year, as the celebrations being made are exhilarating and forcefully dynamic. Even in the light of number of vibrant parties it hosts, Amsterdam also ensures to remain intact with the customs and traditions associated with the occasion of New Year.
New Year Celebrations in Amsterdam
Almost all the clubs, discotheques, pubs, hotels, and restaurants go into a detailed planning well before the arrival of New Year to decide the theme of the New Year parties. One gets to see the craziest and most unusual themes making it to the New Year parties, with party crowd getting in with the wackiest of costumes, and then singing, dancing, and celebrating to the celebration tunes.
However, one can also find typical New Year celebrations, where one can have good time celebrating New Year with one’s family. Also, there are adequate quality options for those who wish to spend their New Year Eve with their special one.
Other than that, large numbers of street parties are organized all around the town, where local people as well as tourists from all over the world come, gather, participate, and celebrate New Year. For the fact, these street parties hold the true soul of the Amsterdam New Year celebrations, as these actually hold and reflect the true essence of the Dutch tradition. Before heading to the midnight New Year celebrations, special dinners for the day are served to the guests in all such parties.
Traditionally, people in Amsterdam hold a tradition of consuming special sweet treats on New Year, as well as the during the entire month leading to it. The special sweet treats go with the name of ‘oliebollen’ and ‘appelflappen’. While oliebollen are round shaped doughnuts coated with icing sugar, appelflappen are delicious apple fritters.
One can easily find vendors and stalls selling these two special sweet treaties, a month ago before the date of New Year. There is also a celebrated tradition of lighting firecrackers, which is visibly more popular among small kids. Though, it’s difficult to find a person without champagne in hand, some exceptions which one might found can be seen bursting firecrackers.
Biggest Parties in Amsterdam
The biggest and grandest New Year party is celebrated on the face of Rijksmuseum on Museumplein, which invites everyone to be a part of it. Celebrations begin at around 9 and go on throughout the night till the wee hours of the first day of the New Year. Thousands of people roar out loud at 12, and then follow it by wishing everyone with New Year wishes. Also, people wish one another with the wishes of “Gelukkig Nieuwjaar”, which refers to prosperous New Year.
Other popular New Year party spots are Nieuwmarkt (Chinatown), Dam Square, Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein. The whole of Amsterdam remains in a festive mood, with the enthusiasm scaling highest at the point of the midnight when the clock rings twelve. Beautifully crafted shows of fireworks rise, dwell, and dissolve into the sky leaving behind delightful images. The best fireworks show occurs over the Amstel River, with the Magere Bridge, popularly known as skinny bridge, offering the best sight of it.