Onderwijs

A different kind of Christmas

I come from Singapore, a place where the majority of the population isn’t religiously tied to Christmas. As most Singaporeans are either Buddhists, Hindus or Muslims, Christmas day is mainly an excuse for us to paint the town red and party late into the night.

But don’t get me wrong, I’m not implying that Singaporeans are only interested in having superficial fun. Many of us love the idea of hanging out with our loved ones on Christmas day, even if we don’t believe in going to church. My family doesn’t think much of Christmas, but they were always lovingly tolerant of my Christmas parties with friends. Christmas in Singapore always filled me with lots of warmth and laughter.

So imagine my loneliness when I first came to the Netherlands. Naturally, I knew beforehand that Christmas is a very different affair here. But I wasn’t ready for the feeling of isolation I would experience. As many of you reading this will understand, I felt extra vulnerable being new here. It wasn’t at all nice, and I missed my family and friends terribly. I felt so lost.

My husband, despondent from knowing that I was terribly homesick, gallantly agreed to take me to Oberhausen, the German city that’s home to Europe’s biggest indoor mall, ‘Centro’. One month before Christmas, a Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas Market) runs outdoors from one end of the mall to the other. The first time I saw it, I was bowled over. Perhaps it wasn’t the biggest Weihnachtsmarkt in the world, but I loved it. Two rows of traditionally decorated, lighted huts served as stalls. On a cold winter evening, we walked along the promenade, weaving in and out of the crowd, tasting the piping hot sausages and potato cakes we bought from the huts, and joking and laughing till our sides ached.

At that moment, I had a flash of clarity. Something different was taking place inside me. I was happy and content. I realized it was my choice to be here, and no one else should be responsible for the way I felt. Sure, life was going to be very different for me now, but it was up to me to take it or leave it. Taking control of my emotions was such a relief! When we came back to the Netherlands, we had a quiet Christmas with my husband’s family. By the end of the holiday season, I no longer felt reluctant to reach out to the people around me.

My best friend once gave me a photo frame that says, ‘Friends are the family we choose for ourselves’. I’ve just come to realize how true that is. In the past year, I’ve made friends here, friends with whom we now celebrate important holidays with. A particular girlfriend, concerned that I would be homesick, often asked me out or would have us over to her place for home-cooked dinner. Nowadays I certainly have a family here I’ve chosen for myself. And guess what? I feel none the worse for it. In fact, I’m already thinking about what to cook for Christmas, considering how many friends I will be having over for dinner.
Concerts & Markets

Until December 30th, Den Haag hosts a series of kerstconcerten (Christmas concerts), ranging from classical, ‘Combattimento Concert Amsterdam’, to acoustic Christmas pop, ‘And So This Is Christmas’. For a complete concert listing: denhaag.com.

Christmas also brings Kerstmarkten (Christmas Markets), and in the Netherlands Kerstmarkten are found virtually everywhere, from Haarlem to Apeldoorn, Den Haag to Maastricht. Historically, these markets have long been a part of Dutch Christmas tradition. I find visiting the markets most magical in the evening, when it’s dark and the stalls are brightly lit. If you’d like to combine Christmas with adventure travel, visit one of Germany’s weihnachtsmarkten. Köln, for instance, has seven major weihnachtsmarkten. Nearby Aachen also has a Christmas market.

Shinyie Lim, Singapore

www.kerstmarkten.nl

www.hollandsemarkten.nl.

I come from Singapore, a place where the majority of the population isn’t religiously tied to Christmas. As most Singaporeans are either Buddhists, Hindus or Muslims, Christmas day is mainly an excuse for us to paint the town red and party late into the night. But don’t get me wrong, I’m not implying that Singaporeans are only interested in having superficial fun. Many of us love the idea of hanging out with our loved ones on Christmas day, even if we don’t believe in going to church. My family doesn’t think much of Christmas, but they were always lovingly tolerant of my Christmas parties with friends. Christmas in Singapore always filled me with lots of warmth and laughter.

So imagine my loneliness when I first came to the Netherlands. Naturally, I knew beforehand that Christmas is a very different affair here. But I wasn’t ready for the feeling of isolation I would experience. As many of you reading this will understand, I felt extra vulnerable being new here. It wasn’t at all nice, and I missed my family and friends terribly. I felt so lost.

My husband, despondent from knowing that I was terribly homesick, gallantly agreed to take me to Oberhausen, the German city that’s home to Europe’s biggest indoor mall, ‘Centro’. One month before Christmas, a Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas Market) runs outdoors from one end of the mall to the other. The first time I saw it, I was bowled over. Perhaps it wasn’t the biggest Weihnachtsmarkt in the world, but I loved it. Two rows of traditionally decorated, lighted huts served as stalls. On a cold winter evening, we walked along the promenade, weaving in and out of the crowd, tasting the piping hot sausages and potato cakes we bought from the huts, and joking and laughing till our sides ached.

At that moment, I had a flash of clarity. Something different was taking place inside me. I was happy and content. I realized it was my choice to be here, and no one else should be responsible for the way I felt. Sure, life was going to be very different for me now, but it was up to me to take it or leave it. Taking control of my emotions was such a relief! When we came back to the Netherlands, we had a quiet Christmas with my husband’s family. By the end of the holiday season, I no longer felt reluctant to reach out to the people around me.

My best friend once gave me a photo frame that says, ‘Friends are the family we choose for ourselves’. I’ve just come to realize how true that is. In the past year, I’ve made friends here, friends with whom we now celebrate important holidays with. A particular girlfriend, concerned that I would be homesick, often asked me out or would have us over to her place for home-cooked dinner. Nowadays I certainly have a family here I’ve chosen for myself. And guess what? I feel none the worse for it. In fact, I’m already thinking about what to cook for Christmas, considering how many friends I will be having over for dinner.
Concerts & Markets

Until December 30th, Den Haag hosts a series of kerstconcerten (Christmas concerts), ranging from classical, ‘Combattimento Concert Amsterdam’, to acoustic Christmas pop, ‘And So This Is Christmas’. For a complete concert listing: denhaag.com.

Christmas also brings Kerstmarkten (Christmas Markets), and in the Netherlands Kerstmarkten are found virtually everywhere, from Haarlem to Apeldoorn, Den Haag to Maastricht. Historically, these markets have long been a part of Dutch Christmas tradition. I find visiting the markets most magical in the evening, when it’s dark and the stalls are brightly lit. If you’d like to combine Christmas with adventure travel, visit one of Germany’s weihnachtsmarkten. Köln, for instance, has seven major weihnachtsmarkten. Nearby Aachen also has a Christmas market.

Shinyie Lim, Singapore

www.kerstmarkten.nl

www.hollandsemarkten.nl.

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