Dutch Traditions for “That’s My World”

New Year's traditions in the Netherlands involve family, friends and food. The traditionally Dutch foods are oil dumplings and apple slice fritters. Plus, there is a performance of one of the Dutch cabarets on television which is combination of stand up comedy and political satire.

There is a lot of FIREWORKS and that causes sometimes terrible fires. Last year several schools were deliberately burnt down. This was not only caused by fireworks. It was never that bad in the previous years.
On New Year’s Day a great number of people are taking a swim in the icy cold North Sea, but not me!!! My husband did it once though.

As soon as the clock strikes twelve we embrace our relatives and friends, wishing them a happy New Year, then we drink a glass of red wine or glühwine. After this we go to our neighbours and walk about in the streets ,wishing everybody a prosperous new year.

OLIEBOLLEN
An oliebol (plural oliebollen is a traditional Dutch food. Oliebollen (literally oil balls) are traditionally eaten on New Year's Eve and at funfairs. They are also called smoutebollen in Belgium. Sometimes it is referenced in English as Dutch donut.
Oliebollen are a variety of donut made by using two spoons to scoop a certain amount of dough and dropping the dough into a deep fryer filled with hot oil. In this way, a sphere-shaped oliebol emerges.
The dough is made from flour, eggs, yeast, some salt, milk, baking powder and optionally some sultanas or currants or raisins and sometimes apple pieces and zest or succade. The dough needs time to rise for at least an hour. Oliebollen are usually served with powdered sugar.
They are said to have been first eaten by Germanic tribes in the Netherlands during the Yule, the period between December 26 and January 6. The Germanic goddess Perchta, together with evil spirits, would fly through the mid-winter sky. To appease these spirits, food was offered, much of which contained deep-fried dough. It was said Perchta would try to cut open the bellies of all she came across, but because of the fat in the oliebollen, her sword would slide off the body of whomever ate them. ( Wikipedia)
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