Celebrating American Holidays in the Netherlands for Expats
The first Thanksgiving after we moved to the Netherlands, we sat on our couch eating a hastily assembled meal of roasted chicken and mashed potatoes. No cranberry sauce. No pie. No family crowded around a big table.
It was the loneliest meal we'd ever eaten.
But that was year one. By year two, we had a full Friendsgiving with twelve other Americans crammed into our apartment in Rotterdam, each of us contributing something from our home state's traditions. Someone even managed to track down canned pumpkin.
Here's what we've learned about keeping American holidays alive when you're living in the Netherlands under the Dutch-American Friendship Treaty (DAFT).
Thanksgiving: The Big One
Thanksgiving is the holiday that hits hardest when you're abroad. Christmas has overlap with Dutch traditions. Halloween is growing in popularity. But Thanksgiving is uniquely American, and nobody here understands why you need the fourth Thursday in November off work.
Finding a Turkey
This is the first challenge every American in the Netherlands faces.
Whole turkeys are not a standard Dutch grocery item. You won't find one sitting in the cooler at Albert Heijn. Here's where to look:
Lindenhoff Poultry is the go-to for many expats. You can pre-order a whole turkey for around 40-60 euros, but you need to order at least two to three weeks ahead. They sell out fast once expat networks start buzzing.
Sligro, the wholesale store, sometimes stocks turkeys. You need a business account to shop there, but if you're on DAFT, you likely have a KVK registration that qualifies you.
Albert Heijn occasionally carries turkey breast, which honestly works better anyway. Dutch apartment ovens are small, and fitting a whole bird in there is a real adventure.
Pro Tip: Consider turkey breast your first year. The small Dutch ovens make cooking a whole turkey stressful, and the breast is easier to find and prepare. Save the whole turkey ambition for when you've figured out your kitchen.
Sourcing the Rest of the Meal
Some Thanksgiving staples are easy to find. Potatoes, butter, green beans, onions, and sweet potatoes are all available at regular Dutch supermarkets.
Other things require a hunt. Canned pumpkin can be found at Kelly's Expat Shopping for around 8 euros a can. Cranberries show up frozen at Albert Heijn but fresh ones are nearly impossible. Cornbread mix doesn't exist here, so you'll need to make it from scratch.
For more on tracking down American ingredients, check out our guide to finding American products in the Netherlands.
Hosting Friendsgiving
Our biggest piece of advice: make it a potluck. Dutch kitchens and ovens are small. Asking one person to cook an entire Thanksgiving dinner is a recipe for a meltdown.
Assign categories. Someone handles the turkey or main protein. Someone else does mashed potatoes. Another person covers dessert. You'd be surprised how creative people get when they can't find the exact ingredients they're used to.
Post in Facebook groups like Americans in Amsterdam or Expats in the Netherlands to find people looking for a Thanksgiving gathering. Every year, people who don't know anyone yet are looking for a table to join.
Some restaurants also do Thanksgiving dinner — book early if you'd rather let someone else handle the cooking. The American Church in Amsterdam hosts a community Thanksgiving potluck that's open to all and is a great way to meet people.
What We Wish We Knew: Don't try to replicate your family's Thanksgiving exactly. You'll be disappointed. Instead, focus on the feeling: good food, good people, gratitude. The specific dishes matter less than the company.
Fourth of July Abroad
The Fourth of July is tricky because it's a regular workday in the Netherlands. Nobody here has any reason to give you the day off, and there are no fireworks, no parades, and no hot dog eating contests.
Making It Work
We take the day off and host a small barbecue if the Dutch weather cooperates. We invite other Americans and a few Dutch friends who are curious about the holiday.
Getting supplies is easier than Thanksgiving. Burgers and hot dogs are available at any supermarket, though Dutch hot dogs taste different from what you're used to. Decorations can be found at Flying Tiger or Action for cheap, or ordered from Amazon.de.
Some expat groups organize Fourth of July meetups in parks like Vondelpark in Amsterdam or Zuiderpark in The Hague. Check Facebook groups or Meetup.com a few weeks before.
Our tradition: We blast an American music playlist, grill burgers on our tiny balcony, and make everyone say one thing they appreciate about the Netherlands and one thing they miss about America. It's become our favorite Fourth of July tradition.
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Book a CallHalloween: Growing but Different
Halloween is gaining popularity in the Netherlands, especially among younger Dutch people and families with kids. But it's still nothing like the American version.
There's no widespread trick-or-treating culture. Some expat neighborhoods organize it, particularly in areas near international schools. Adult costume parties at bars and clubs are the main way Dutch people engage with Halloween.
Celebrating with Kids
If you have children, connect with other American families through expat groups. Some neighborhoods in Amsterdam Zuid, Amstelveen, and Wassenaar organize trick-or-treating routes. The key is planning ahead and coordinating with other families.
Celebrating without Kids
Amsterdam and Rotterdam have Halloween bar events. They're more club night than trick-or-treating, but they're fun. We hosted a costume party one year and our Dutch friends loved it. They treated it like a novelty, which made it more fun for everyone.
Pumpkins are easy to find at Albert Heijn and local markets in October. Carving them with friends makes for a great evening activity.
Christmas: Dutch Meets American
Christmas in the Netherlands exists, but it plays second fiddle to Sinterklaas on December 5th. Dutch Christmas is quieter, less commercial, and centered on family meals on both December 25th and 26th.
Blending Traditions
We've learned to embrace both. We participate in Sinterklaas with our Dutch friends, which involves writing poems and giving creative gifts. Then we celebrate American-style Christmas at home.
Christmas trees, decorations, and holiday markets are everywhere. The Amsterdam Light Festival in winter is genuinely beautiful. What's different is the intensity. There's less pressure, less commercialism, and more simplicity.
Reality Check: You will probably feel homesick during the holidays, especially the first year. That's normal and okay. Video call your family on Christmas morning, keep some of your traditions, and give yourself permission to feel sad. It does get easier. For more on this, read our honest take on dealing with homesickness.
Other American Holidays Worth Noting
Memorial Day and Labor Day are non-events here. Regular workdays with no recognition. We honestly stopped noticing after the first year.
Super Bowl Sunday is actually Super Bowl Monday morning in the Netherlands. The game starts around midnight and ends at 4 AM. Some bars in Amsterdam show it, including Coco's Outback and various sports bars. You can also just watch the recording the next day and stay off social media.
Easter overlaps nicely with Dutch traditions. Easter Monday is a public holiday in the Netherlands, and the Dutch take brunch seriously around Easter. This is one holiday that translates well.
Dutch Holidays You Should Embrace
Part of living in the Netherlands is adopting new holidays. These are the ones we've come to love:
King's Day (April 27) is the biggest party in the country. The whole nation wears orange and celebrates in the streets. Amsterdam becomes one giant festival. It's more fun than most American holidays, honestly.
Liberation Day (May 5) commemorates the end of World War II occupation. Festivals and concerts happen across the country. It's a meaningful day that gives you perspective on Dutch history.
Sinterklaas (December 5) involves the gift-giving tradition with poems. It's charming once you understand it, and participating with Dutch friends helps you feel more integrated.
Tips for Surviving Holiday Homesickness
Start new traditions. Don't try to perfectly recreate what you had at home. Create something new that acknowledges where you are now.
Find your people. Connect with other Americans through expat groups, the American Church in Amsterdam, or InterNations events. Celebrating with people who understand makes all the difference. For more on building community, see our guide to making friends as an American in the Netherlands.
Plan ahead. Order your Thanksgiving turkey early. Buy decorations before the Fourth of July. Planning gives you something to look forward to and prevents last-minute stress.
Call home. Video calls with family during holidays help bridge the distance. Schedule them so everyone is expecting it.
Give yourself grace. It's okay to miss home. It's okay to cry on Thanksgiving. It's okay to feel weird watching fireworks on New Year's Eve instead of the Fourth of July. These feelings are part of the experience.
What We've Learned After Multiple Years
The first year of holidays abroad is genuinely hard. We won't sugarcoat that. You'll question whether moving was worth it, and every Instagram post from back home will sting.
But by the second year, something shifts. You've built traditions. You've found your people. You have a Thanksgiving potluck crew and a Fourth of July barbecue routine. The holidays become something new rather than something you're missing.
By the third year, you're excited about King's Day and Sinterklaas alongside the American holidays. Your celebration calendar gets richer, not smaller.
Home is where you make it. And making it means creating new traditions while honoring old ones.
For more on adjusting to Dutch culture, see Dutch directness: what Americans need to know.
Common Questions
Do Dutch people celebrate American holidays? No, but they're curious and often happy to join if invited. Halloween and Thanksgiving are becoming more known. Fourth of July is completely foreign to them.
Should I take time off work for American holidays? That's up to you. Most expats take Thanksgiving off (or work from home). Fourth of July is harder since it's mid-week. Christmas overlaps with Dutch holidays so you'll have time off anyway.
Where can I meet other Americans for holidays? Facebook groups (Americans in Amsterdam, American Women's Club), the American Church, InterNations events, and through friends. Post in groups asking who's celebrating — you'll find people. For more on building community, see making friends as an American in the Netherlands.
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