Halloween in the Netherlands

Is there even a Halloween Dutch style? Halloween is certainly not celebrated here on the scale it is in the USA or England. However, the popularity of Halloween in the Netherlands is on the rise.

History of Halloween

Halloween is steeped in history, but here is a very brief recap.

Celebrated on the 31st October, Halloween (from All Hallows Eve) originates from an ancient Celtic New Year festival around in what is now Ireland, the UK and northern France. It marks the eve before All Saints Day, a day Christian martyrs are honoured.

It hit American shores and became the huge trick or treat dress up celebration that it now is.

Popularity of Halloween in the Netherlands

I have noticed that Halloween gets bigger every year in the Netherlands. When I arrived on Dutch shores in 2000 the word Halloween was barely uttered in the month of October. Now it’s common to see Halloween related goodies in the shops and the odd spookily decorated house towards the end of this month.

My former neighbourhood even started organising a spot of trick or treating for the children and then their old school also started marking Halloween in some way.

Where we now live a group usually organises something around Halloween, but more for the older kids as it is designed to be spooky! Sometimes there is trick or treating for the younger children.

Amusement parks here usually host some kind of Halloween inspired weekend.

Supermarkets stock pumpkins to carve.

Amsterdam Mamas organises a Halloween event.

Notably if you live in an area of the Netherlands that celebrates Sint Maarten on 11 November you will see much less in the way of Halloween celebrations.

Halloween is growing in popularity in the Netherlands, that’s for sure, but it’s certainly still not even close to being on the scale of the USA or even England. And I doubt it ever will.

Halloween Our Style

Over the years, we have now and then celebrated Halloween as a family in our own way – with Halloween treats, games and costumes.

halloween-our-style Halloween in the Netherlands

At the end of the day you can make of Halloween what you want.

Over to You

Does your Dutch neighbourhood mark Halloween? Or do you join in celebrations for Sint Maarten on the 11th November? Did you do anything for Halloween in your birth country? I’d love to hear about your Halloween then and now!

10 comments

Catie: Imperfect Mum 1 November 2015 9:21 am

I agree Halloween is definitely getting more popular, even in my very Dutch non expat world here in Rijnsburg. We went out last night to some friends and neighbours and saw other children out and about too and parties in houses. It is definitely growing in popularity. #mysundayphoto

Neesie 1 November 2015 9:31 am

I'm not a great fan of Halloween but it appears I may be in a minority. Everywhere you look there's in the UK has everything you could possibly want for Halloween.
I do feel for any little ones who don't like scary things (I include myself here) because there's no escape from it.
Have a great Sunday and thanks for sharing.

OneDad3Girls 1 November 2015 10:35 am

It seems that Halloween is getting bigger and bigger everywhere. Never seen it so popular

Thank you for linking up

Amanda van Mulligen 1 November 2015 2:47 pm

We had more children this year at our doir than any other year for sure. Curious to see how far it grows……

Amanda van Mulligen 1 November 2015 2:48 pm

My boys don't like scary things so we keep it light 😃

Amanda van Mulligen 1 November 2015 2:50 pm

I saw a comment from an American expat in Britain that it seemed to be huge there this year too! Much be commerce seeing a huge cash cow there somewhere…….. 😃

Coombe Mill 1 November 2015 8:14 pm

Looks like am amazing effort on outfits, I hope the evening was as good

La Torontoise 3 November 2015 12:09 pm

Dear all, I come from Toronto where Halloween is very big. before coming to the Netherlands, I worked for a big telecom company and my employer had it's annual Halloween competition for the Best Halloween Costume. Employees were invited to wear their costumes on that day and some departments used this as a great occasion for partying all day long:-)
Unfortunately, I reside here near the Bible Belt area and any Halloween-related activity is received with very little enthusiasm (to put it mildly). I have an American colleague and she threw a Halloween party for all expat children.

Stuart | Invading Holland 30 October 2019 3:53 pm

In the games studio were I work people dress up for the day on Halloween. Last year I dressed up as Van Gogh. This year I’m going to be dressing up as a Brexit zombie.

Amanda van Mulligen 30 October 2019 4:09 pm

I truly hope there will be photos. That sounds like an awesome workplace.