by Cessna Kleinmoedig Veeris and Emma van Nifterick | Autumn, Children, Cultural Holidays, Life in Amsterdam, New to Amsterdam
Get ready! Coronavirus or not, that time of year is upon us when Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) makes his way to the Netherlands. Here are some details about his arrival and presence in 2020. WHO/WHAT IS SINTERKLAAS? After King’s Day, Sinterklaas is the...
by Anastasia Drost | Autumn, Children, Children's Activities, Cultural Holidays, Life in Amsterdam, Seasons
Halloween, or ‘Hallowed Eve’, falls on 31 October, the night before the Catholic feast of All Saints Day. Originally of Celtic origin, Halloween has transcended countries and cultures; the opportunity to dress up in costume and give frights big and small to other...
by Mary Petiet | Book Reviews, Life in Amsterdam
Olga Mecking came to live in the Netherlands as an adult and was so delighted to discover the practice of ‘niksen’ (doing nothing) she wrote a book about it. With lockdowns here in the Netherlands practically pushing us into a forced stillness, there’s no...
by Tanya Kovarsky | Cultural Holidays, Life in Amsterdam, Spring
As a diverse community, Amsterdam Mamas is eager to hear about the celebrations and festivals of our members. Soon, the Jewish members of our community will celebrate the feast of Pesach, or Passover. Tanya Kovarsky explains Passover’s...
by Tasneem Hatimbhai | Cultural Holidays, Life in Amsterdam
As a multicultural community, Amsterdam Mamas encourages our members to share their culture’s holidays. Ramadan, Islam’s holy month of fasting, is celebrated with Eid-Ul-Fitr. Tasneem Hatimbhai shares her family’s journey of fasting and celebrations...