Christmas in Amsterdam

RollUp · Post by **RollUp** » Wed 16th Jun 2010 10:17 pm

What's it like? A big hullapalooza or business as usual? Coffeeshop deals? Anyone do presents? The Scoop..please!

westerkerk · Post by **westerkerk** » Wed 16th Jun 2010 10:21 pm

Dutch celebrate Christmas on 5th/6th December. Their Santa is St. Nicklas who lives in Spain for the majority of the year. There is also a character associated with St. Nik called Black Peter. He's like a black elf thing.

Been for xmas a few times. It's good. City looks amazing with all the lights and trees etc. Loved it.

Don't remember any coffeeshop specials but it's all open 24/25/26 Dec no problem.

Don't forget to eat the Ollenbollen. The apple ones are especially good

Boner · Post by **Boner** » Wed 16th Jun 2010 11:35 pm

westerkerk wrote:Don't remember any coffeeshop specials but it's all open 24/25/26 Dec no problem.

It certainly isn't all open during those dates, some of the smaller more local shops will be shut as will a lot of local bars/restaurants, I've been once and yeah it was ok but I'd rather just stick to the beginning of December where you get to feel the ambiance still.

Sir Niall of Essex-sire · Wed 16th Jun 2010 11:38 pm

Boner wrote:
westerkerk wrote:Don't remember any coffeeshop specials but it's all open 24/25/26 Dec no problem.
It certainly isn't all open during those dates, some of the smaller more local shops will be shut as will a lot of local bars/restaurants, I've been once and yeah it was ok but I'd rather just stick to the beginning of December where you get to feel the ambiance still.

Agree.

Christmas is for home, a huge feed and smoke while watching the Queen talk bollocks on the telly.

cantona7 · Post by **cantona7** » Thu 17th Jun 2010 05:03 am

Sir Niall of Essex-sire wrote:
Boner wrote:
westerkerk wrote:Don't remember any coffeeshop specials but it's all open 24/25/26 Dec no problem.
It certainly isn't all open during those dates, some of the smaller more local shops will be shut as will a lot of local bars/restaurants, I've been once and yeah it was ok but I'd rather just stick to the beginning of December where you get to feel the ambiance still.
Agree.

Christmas is for home, a huge feed and smoke while watching the Queen talk bollocks on the telly.

i dont mind being away personally. spend my 07 Christmas/08 new years in the uk(may possibly do it again this year) and while you guys do things diff i enjoyed it. loved the idea of Christmas lunch left the rest of my day free to do as i pleased. anyways iv kinda been to the dam at Christmas. that same year i spent dec 19-24th in Amsterdam..was quiet but really chill. i think grey are closed the 23rd. def not a big hullapalooza by any means.very quiet.

westerkerk · Post by **westerkerk** » Thu 17th Jun 2010 11:06 am

Alright, every shop might not be open in the whole city but I've been between 20 dec and 5th Jan in 2006 & 2007 and never found any reasonably central coffeeshop shut over key Christmas and New Year days. Even a few in de pijp.

Most have funny opening opening times though. Opening late and closing earlier etc.

I generally always go away at Christmas. Last two years I've been to Vietnam and India which I preffered to 'dam in all honesty but it's still a nice place to be over the festive period.

cantona7 · Post by **cantona7** » Fri 18th Jun 2010 01:33 am

westerkerk wrote:Alright, every shop might not be open in the whole city but I've been between 20 dec and 5th Jan in 2006 & 2007 and never found any reasonably central coffeeshop shut over key Christmas and New Year days. Even a few in de pijp.

Most have funny opening opening times though. Opening late and closing earlier etc.

I generally always go away at Christmas. Last two years I've been to Vietnam and India which I preffered to 'dam in all honesty but it's still a nice place to be over the festive period.

how did you like vietnam iv been to saigon and nah trang twice. didn't like saigon and nha trang was cool my first visit and less pleasant the second.

Iko · Post by **Iko** » Fri 18th Jun 2010 01:44 am

Christmas works for us because of the time off.
If i see a killer flight deal i'll be coming for Christmas as well.

westerkerk · Post by **westerkerk** » Fri 18th Jun 2010 01:14 pm

cantona7 wrote:
westerkerk wrote:Alright, every shop might not be open in the whole city but I've been between 20 dec and 5th Jan in 2006 & 2007 and never found any reasonably central coffeeshop shut over key Christmas and New Year days. Even a few in de pijp.

Most have funny opening opening times though. Opening late and closing earlier etc.

I generally always go away at Christmas. Last two years I've been to Vietnam and India which I preffered to 'dam in all honesty but it's still a nice place to be over the festive period.
how did you like vietnam iv been to saigon and nah trang twice. didn't like saigon and nha trang was cool my first visit and less pleasant the second.

Loved Saigon. Went twice in my month long trip. Nha Trang was ok. It was absolutely pissing it down with rain while we were there so it was fairly quiet. Seemed like the beach would be nice on a fairer day.

Hanoi was the best place though, unbelievably nice place. I loved it there and stayed for a week. My favourite city in the world I'd say, after Amsterdam of course. That I've been to.

Iko · Post by **Iko** » Fri 18th Jun 2010 03:11 pm

My favourite city in the world I'd say, after Amsterdam of course. That I've been to.<<<

Have you been to Vancouver?
One of the worlds hidden treasures imo.
Whenever i bring people there for the first time they are astounded by how beautiful it is.

QueenMab · Post by **QueenMab** » Fri 18th Jun 2010 11:01 pm

I've been to Amsterdam both leading up to and just after Christmas, but never on the actual day. According to buddies who were there, lots of the coffeeshops in the centre are open, and a good few of the hostels had nice parties and stuff going on. They city was basically open for business, but it was extremely quiet.

To me, the main attraction of going to Amsterdam then would be meeting the other people who are there while backpacking/without family, etc. A friend who I worked with spent Christmas '09 at a party in an old primary school that had been rented to some guys as anti-kraakers. They threw a huge party in the old school gym and used the cafeteria to cook a massive dinner that everyone pitched in with. It was basically just all the people they knew who didn't have family to be with on the day, and after dinner they had a jam session, drinks, smokes and then a DJ. What a crazy, 'only in Amsterdam' Christmas that must have been.

Can't wait for my first official Christmas there this year!

RollUp · Post by **RollUp** » Mon 21st Jun 2010 08:28 pm

So pretty much business as usual..

Well, those of us in town will have to make something happen then!

I'll organize a T & T as it gets closer to Xmas