Netherlands Edition
Ano Viejo leads today's complete edition for Netherlands.
Daily Edition
Official observances, world days, local context, and everyday celebrations for people who need something worth reading, sharing, or talking about today.
Not an official holiday, but try finding someone at work. The country gathers at the coast to watch the Valparaiso fireworks, eats twelve grapes at midnight for twelve wishes, and toasts with champagne. The Valparaiso show is three kilometers of fireworks over the bay and it is spectacular. The grapes are mandatory.
The fireworks over Sydney Harbour are watched by a billion people worldwide and by a hundred thousand people standing in the Domain with warm champagne and sore feet. The countdown is shouted. The kiss at midnight is given. And someone has already set off illegal fireworks in the suburban backyard and the dog is under the bed.
Another midnight celebration with the whole family. The leftover pan dulce from Christmas reappears, the sidra is still flowing, and someone counts down from ten. Paper fireworks in the street, hugs all around, and the unshakeable feeling that next year, surely, things will be better. "El ano que viene si," the eternal Argentine hope.
The last day of the year is celebrated with oliebollen (deep-fried dough balls with raisins) and fireworks. The Dutch spend over 65 million euros on fireworks every New Year's Eve, and the fireworks are spectacular. The tradition is to light the fireworks at midnight, and the entire country erupts in a cacophony of light and sound. The oliebollen are sold at stalls on every street corner, and the tradition is to eat them hot, with powdered sugar. The New Year's Eve is also celebrated with the "nieuwjaarsconference" (New Year's conference), a tradition where a comedian performs a one-man show on television, making fun of the events of the past year. The nieuwjaarsconference is a Dutch institution, and the most famous performer is Wim Kan, who started the tradition in 1954.
