surprise

nl-noun

surprise f (plural surprises, diminutive surprisetje n)

surprises (plural)
surprisetje (diminutive neuter)

(Netherlands) a gift wrapped in an ingenious or creative manner; often given anonymously during Sinterklaas celebrations in a similar way to secret Santa


Sint

Sint m (plural Sinten, diminutive Sintje n)

Sinten (plural)
Sintje (diminutive neuter)


Kerstmis

Afrikaans: Kersmis

Negerhollands: Christmes

From Middle Dutch kersmisse. Equivalent to Kerst (“Christ”) + mis (“mass”).


Pasen

Negerhollands: paes, pascha, paska

→ Virgin Islands Creole: paska (dated)

From Middle Dutch paschen, paesschen, the plural of pasch, paesch, from Latin pascha, from Ancient Greek πάσχα (páskha, “Passover”), from Aramaic פסחא (paskha), from Hebrew פסח (pésakh). The word was spread in the West and North Germanic languages from the diocese of Cologne, where it still lingers in the compound Central Franconian Pooschdaach (“Easter Sunday”). Compare Old Saxon pāscha, Old Norse páskar.

cog

Easter, the major Christian feast commemorating the Resurrection of Christ.

als Pasen en Pinksteren op een dag vallen


kerstman

nl-noun

kerstman m (plural kerstmannen, diminutive kerstmannetje n)

kerstmannen (plural)
kerstmannetje (diminutive neuter)


marsepein

marsepein m (plural marsepeinen, diminutive marsepeintje n)

marsepeinen (plural)
marsepeintje (diminutive neuter)

marzipan (sweet confection made of almond paste, sugar and egg white); a portion of it


paasei

paasei n (plural paaseieren, diminutive paaseitje n)

paaseieren (plural)
paaseitje (diminutive neuter)

Compound of Pasen (“Easter”) + ei (“egg”).

Easter egg (egg-shaped chocolate confection)


kerstfeest

kerstfeest n (plural kerstfeesten, diminutive kerstfeestje n)

kerstfeesten (plural)
kerstfeestje (diminutive neuter)

Afrikaans: Kersfees


kerstavond

kerstavond m (plural kerstavonden, diminutive kerstavondje n)

kerstavonden (plural)
kerstavondje (diminutive neuter)

Christmas Eve (evening before Christmas Day)


Koninginnedag

Koninginnedag m (plural Koninginnedagen, diminutive Koninginnedagje n)

Koninginnedagen (plural)
Koninginnedagje (diminutive neuter)

/koːnɪˈŋɪnəˌdɑx/

From koningin (“queen”) + -e- + dag (“day”), thus “Queen's Day”.

A former national holiday in the Netherlands, occurring on April 30th (or April 29th, if it would otherwise fall on a Sunday) as an official celebration of its current queen's birthday.


kerstboom

kerstboom m (plural kerstbomen, diminutive kerstboompje n)

kerstbomen (plural)
kerstboompje (diminutive neuter)

→ Papiamentu: kèrstbom

A Christmas tree, a decorated tree set up during the Christmas holiday season.


kerstbal

kerstbal m (plural kerstballen, diminutive kerstballetje n)

kerstballen (plural)
kerstballetje (diminutive neuter)

A bauble (spherical decoration) used as Christmas decoration, especially in Christmas trees.


kerstlied

kerstlied n (plural kerstliederen, diminutive kerstliedje n)

kerstliederen (plural)
kerstliedje (diminutive neuter)

A Christmas song, such as a Christmas carol, Christmas hymn or pop song.


Sinterklaas

→ English: Santa Claus

→? Saterland Frisian: Sunderkloas

The holiday dedicated to Saint Nicholas.


Sint-Nicolaas

Saint Nicholas of Myra, patron saint of Amsterdam and of children


oudejaarsavond

oudejaarsavond m (plural oudejaarsavonden, diminutive oudejaarsavondje n)

oudejaarsavonden (plural)
oudejaarsavondje (diminutive neuter)


Nieuwjaar

Negerhollands: nieuwe jaar

→ Munsee: niwuyaal


Zwarte Piet

1984, Het Goede Doel (Henk Westbroek and Henk Temming), Sinterklaas (song)

I make a kind of joke about Black Pete’s sack, but the Saint is apparently too busy then, because I don't get an answer.

Ik maak een soort van grapje over de zak van Zwarte Piet, maar Sint heeft het dan blijkbaar druk want antwoord krijg ik niet.

Black Peter, the companion of Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas)


paashaas

paashaas m (plural paashazen, diminutive paashaasje n)

paashazen (plural)
paashaasje (diminutive neuter)

From Pasen + haas, calque of German Osterhase.


paasdag

paasdag m (plural paasdagen, diminutive paasdagje n)

paasdagen (plural)
paasdagje (diminutive neuter)

eerste paasdag: Easter Sunday

tweede paasdag: Easter Monday


paasfeest

paasfeest n (plural paasfeesten, diminutive paasfeestje n)

paasfeesten (plural)
paasfeestje (diminutive neuter)

Compound of Pasen (“Easter”) + feest (“feast”).


Bevrijdingsdag

Liberation Day, i.e. VE Day (Victory in Europe day): celebrated as a holiday on May 5th in the Netherlands


kerstkaart

kerstkaart f (plural kerstkaarten, diminutive kerstkaartje n)

kerstkaarten (plural)
kerstkaartje (diminutive neuter)


sinterklaasavond

sinterklaasavond m (plural sinterklaasavonden, diminutive sinterklaasavondje n)

sinterklaasavonden (plural)
sinterklaasavondje (diminutive neuter)

The evening with presents, which is on the day of Sinterklaas, 6 December (in Belgium) or the day before (in the Netherlands).


kerstcadeau

kerstcadeau n (plural kerstcadeaus, diminutive kerstcadeautje n)

kerstcadeaus (plural)
kerstcadeautje (diminutive neuter)


sinterklaaslied

sinterklaaslied n (plural sinterklaasliederen, diminutive sinterklaasliedje n)

sinterklaasliederen (plural)
sinterklaasliedje (diminutive neuter)


hulpsinterklaas

hulpsinterklaas m (plural hulpsinterklazen, diminutive hulpsinterklaasje n)

hulpsinterklazen (plural)
hulpsinterklaasje (diminutive neuter)

A helper Sinterklaas, named to explain the fact that Sinterklaas can be at more than one place at the same time.


strooigoed

A mixture of confectionery that is often strewn around rooms during Sinterklaas celebrations, for children to pick up. The main ingredient is typically kruidnoten.


taaitaai

taaitaai m (plural taaitaaien, diminutive taaitaaitje n)

taaitaaien (plural)
taaitaaitje (diminutive neuter)

From taai + taai, meaning "tough-tough" because of the difficulty of biting through them.

taaitaai, a kind of soft and tough dough biscuit eaten during Sinterklaas celebrations.


kruidnoot

kruidnoot f (plural kruidnoten, diminutive kruidnootje n)

kruidnoten (plural)
kruidnootje (diminutive neuter)


speculaas

speculaas m or n (plural speculazen, diminutive speculaasje n)

speculazen (plural)
speculaasje (diminutive neuter)

From earlier speculatie, via the intermediate form speculasie, which was interpreted as a diminutive and the modern form was back-formed from it.


pepernoot

pepernoot f (plural pepernoten, diminutive pepernootje n)

pepernoten (plural)
pepernootje (diminutive neuter)

From peper + noot. Compare German Pfeffernuss, whence English pfeffernusse.


adventskalender

adventskalender m (plural adventskalenders, diminutive adventskalendertje n)

adventskalenders (plural)
adventskalendertje (diminutive neuter)


chocoladeletter

chocoladeletter f (plural chocoladeletters, diminutive chocoladelettertje n)

chocoladeletters (plural)
chocoladelettertje (diminutive neuter)

A letter of the alphabet, made of chocolate. Commonly eaten during Sinterklaas celebrations.


pakjesavond

pakjesavond m (plural pakjesavonden, diminutive pakjesavondje n)

pakjesavonden (plural)
pakjesavondje (diminutive neuter)

(Netherlands) The evening before 5 December, when Sinterklaas brings presents to children (in Belgium the gift-giving is the morning after).


goedheiligman

goedheiligman m (plural goedheiligmannen, diminutive goedheiligmannetje n)

goedheiligmannen (plural)
goedheiligmannetje (diminutive neuter)

From goed (“good”) + heilig (“holy”) + man (“man”). Compare Central Franconian Hellije Mann.


schoen zetten

(intransitive) to put out one's shoe, traditionally at the fireplace, so that Sinterklaas can leave treats in it


Suikerfeest

First attested in the early 20th century. From suiker (“sugar”) + feest (“feast, party, celebration”), loan translation of Turkish Şeker Bayramı.

Eid al-Fitr; the religious celebration at the end of Ramadan, on the first day of the tenth month of the Muslim lunar calendar.


paasbaken

Compound of Pasen + baken. Probably from a Dutch Low Saxon term like paasboake.


paasvuur

nl-noun

paasvuur n (plural paasvuren, diminutive paasvuurtje n)

paasvuren (plural)
paasvuurtje (diminutive neuter)


Koningsdag

Koningsdag m (plural Koningsdagen, diminutive Koningsdagje n)

Koningsdagen (plural)
Koningsdagje (diminutive neuter)

From koning (“king”) + -s- + dag (“day”), thus “King's Day”.

A national holiday in the Netherlands, occurring on April 27th (or April 26th, if it would otherwise fall on a Sunday) as an official celebration of its current king's birthday.


paastak

Easter branch (branch of a shrub decorated with Easter-related ornaments)


nieuwjaarsnacht

nieuwjaarsnacht m (plural nieuwjaarsnachten)

New Year's Eve (night from 31 December to 1 January)


Maanfeest

Maan + feest, a calque of French fête de la lune.


Vreugde der Wet

Calque of Hebrew שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה (simkhát torá).

cal

שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה


lichtfeest

nl-noun

lichtfeest n (plural lichtfeesten, diminutive lichtfeestje n)

lichtfeesten (plural)
lichtfeestje (diminutive neuter)

From licht (“light”) + feest (“festival, holiday”).

compound

A festival or holiday of light, such as Sint-Maarten, Diwali or Hanukkah.


Channeke

From Yiddish חנוכּה (khaneke), from Hebrew חֲנֻכָּה (chanuká).

(Judaism) Synonym of Chanoeka (“Hanukkah”)


Chanoeklaas

Blend of Chanoeka + Sinterklaas. A similar formation can be found in English Chrismukkah, a merger of Hanukkah and Christmas, and similarly German Weihnukka. (Whereas in many Western countries presents are typically given on Christmas, the Dutch do so on Sinterklaas, yielding this merger of Hanukkah with Sinterklaas instead of with Christmas (Kerst).)

(Judaism) A fusion of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah and the Dutch Christian holiday Sinterklaas, as practised by some Dutch Jews.


Sinterkerst

(informal) Sinterklaas and Christmas, treated as a single holiday.