New Year traditions

With the new year being well and truly under way (Happy New Year, everyone, by the way!) it is time to reflect on a few of the traditions we have in the Netherlands and how we brought them over here.

The first big difference is the fact that in the Netherlands, fireworks is something you do in front of your house, with a very thick jacket on. Here it is sitting outside in shorts and t-shirt, overlooking the city and seeing what the group of professionals have set up. Not quite as much fun, I have to admit, even though there were about 100 people joining us.

In Kai’s words:

this night we went to our school oval to look at the fireworks that was held in the city. it was a bit strange because we saw the fireworks really good but we couldn’t hear a sound of the fireworks. and there were people everywhere to look at the fireworks.

in the Netherlands it was quite different because here in Australia you have to look at the fireworks. and in the Netherlands you got to light the fireworks.

Deze nacht gingen wij naar het school plein om te kijken naar het vuurwerk dat was gehouden in de stad. Het was een beetje raar omdat wij het vuurwerk heel goed zagen maar wij konden niks horen. In Nederland is het anders. Hier in Australië moet je naar het vuurwerk kijken en in Nederland mag je het vuurwerk aansteken.

The one tradition we did bring from the Netherlands is oliebollen, which we made ourselves. Yummy!

The other big, Dutch tradition is the nieuwjaarsduik. Admittedly, doing it in 30 degrees weather and 26 degrees water is not quite as tough as doing it in freezing temperatures (both weather and water), as is more normal in the Netherlands. But, on the other hand, who am I to complain?

We had planned to do this ourselves anyway, but Willemijn found a group of Dutchies having similar plans via Facebook. So we joined in. (Hint: the left-over oliebollen did not survive this event…)

In Luka’s words:

On 11 o’clock’ we went to st. kilda beach! At 12 o’clock’ we counted of from 10 to 0. Then on the count 0 we run to the water and we jumped in the water.

Om 11uur gingen we naar st. kilda beach! Om 12 uur tellde we af van 10 tot 0. Toen op de tel 0 gingen we in het water.

This new year was still very much in the “Dutch style”. I think next year we’ll have to see how the Aussies do it.