St Nicholas' Eve/Sinterklaas 2023 in the Netherlands

December 5 is St. Nicholas’ Eve in the Netherlands, a time of gift-giving and parties. It is the day before St. Nicholas’ Day but the big celebrations happen on December 5.

Is St Nicholas' Eve/Sinterklaas a Public Holiday?

St Nicholas' Eve/Sinterklaas is not a public holiday. Businesses have normal opening hours.

Celebrate Saint Nicholas’ Eve

St. Nicholas (also known as Sinterklaas) celebrations include family gatherings, exchanging presents and treats, and festive songs dedicated to the saint. In the three weeks leading up to St. Nicholas, children leave a shoe by the fireplace in the evenings and sing a song for Sinterklaas in the hopes that they will find a small gift from him in the shoe in the morning. Gifts are usually small and can be a mandarin or candy.

At this time of the year, St. Nicholas is seen with his helper, Piet, in shopping centers, schools and hospitals throughout the Netherlands.

Public Life

St. Nicholas’ Eve is not an official public holiday in the Netherlands.

About Saint Nicholas’ Eve

St. Nicholas’ Eve and Day both commemorate the life of St. Nicholas, a Christian saint who is popular among children because of his reputation as a bringer of gifts. The legendary figure of St. Nicholas is derived from Nicholas of Myra who officiated as a bishop in 4th century Greece.

While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know.