Traditional Christmas Greeting: "Zalig Kerstfeest", "Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar" (Dutch)
Location: Western Europe
Tree Type: Traditional / Cultural

Decorations:
- The candles, glass ornaments, beads, angel hair, icicles and snowflakes represent the traditional ornaments used on the tree.
- The delft pottery, wooden shoes and tulips represent the culture of the Netherlands.

Traditions:
Christmas festivities in the Netherlands begin in late November, when a steamship carrying Sinterklaas and his assistant Zwarte Piet (Black Piet) arrives from Spain. Sinterklaas, a form of the bishop Saint Nicholas, spends his time until December 5 visiting schools, homes, and markets to question children about their behavior. He delivers presents on the eve of his feast day, December 5. When children fill their shoes with hay or carrots for his horse before going to bed, they know that they will wake up the next morning to find that Sinterklaas has puts sweets and gifts in their place before returning to Spain by boat.

Another Dutch Christmas tradition begins with advent and continues each Sunday until Christmas. As part of the Midwinter Horn Blowing, farmers stand over wells and blow long horns made out of one-year-old saplings. The haunting sound they create is meant to proclaim that Christmas is coming.

When Christmas does arrive, most people in the Netherlands attend church. Since Sinterklaas has already completed his job earlier, most families don't exchange gifts on Christmas Eve of Christmas day. Instead, the two-day celebration of Christmas is spent with family, friends, and of course good food. Kerststol (white bread with raisins, candied fruit, and almond paste), Krentebolletjes (current buns), venison, hare, goose and pudding are the tradition Dutch ways to finish off the Christmas season.