baby feetroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Freebies for newborns in the Netherlands

When your new baby is delivered, this will undoubtedly be the best present ever. Though, did you know that you can get other deliveries – for free – for when you bring your newborn home, if you know where to look? Read on to know what surprises…
Studio Drift NYE drone showroyalty free (promo for event)
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Online happenings for January

During the current period of lockdown, people are looking for digital entertainment and so here’s a short round-up of activities for online inspiration and pursuits to pass the time during January. Why not travel around the country – virtually…
Compulsary negative coronavirus test for all travellersHarm Jakob Tolsma
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Compulsary negative coronavirus test for all travellers

A compulsory negative COVID-19 test result is now required for all airline passengers, including Dutch nationals. The Dutch government recently amended the travel restrictions, valid for all incoming passengers including EU residents. The…
Oliebollen, a Dutch New Year's tradition
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Oliebollen, a Dutch New Year's tradition

It is a Dutch tradition to eat 'oliebollen' on New Year's Day. What's that, what's their origin, where to buy the best ones and how to bake them? Here we go... Oliebollen? Oliebollen are a traditional Dutch delicacy eaten during winter.…
Rachel Smets no regretsroyalty free (author's own pic)
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Live life without regrets

Living life without regrets needs you need to take the leap. Are you ready? Regret is poison. Imagine being 90 years old and you're looking back upon your life and all you can think is: What if I had done it?' What if I had done what…
festive food sparklesroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Festive food deliveries in Haarlem: order a tasty New Year treat!

The period between Christmas and New Year can be a hazy, lazy time and it is understandable if you don’t fancy cooking for yourself. After such a hard time for the horeca industry, it can be a good idea to support our favourite restaurants…
candles in the windowroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Christmas from home in Haarlem: shining light on an Irish tradition

Making sure there is a candle flickering in the window is one tradition from home that will be lighting up my festive time in Haarlem this year. It is an Irish tradition, now brought to the Netherlands. Not travelling home for Christmas is…
festive hot cocoa and whipped creamroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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A festive Dutch lesson for Christmas lovers

Ho, ho, ho! Christmas is here! The – normally – most wonderful time of the year is definitely going to be somewhat different this year, and maybe even difficult for some of us, so we thought it would be a good idea to try to raise everyone’s…
Haarlem corona patient to Germany
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A coronavirus patient from Haarlem taken by helicopter to German hospital

On Monday 21 December, a  coronavirus patient from Haarlem was taken by helicopter to a hospital in Dortmund. This is first infected patient in two months that has been transported to Germany. The last time patients were admitted to…
Ukraine trees with snowroyalty free (reuse possible without attribition, but attribute at the end of the article anyway)
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Festive Traditions: Ukraine vs the Netherlands

Many expats celebrating the festive season in the Netherlands will also incorporate traditions from home. Sometimes it can be an overwhelming time, especially for kids, and parents need to decide what to celebrate and when, how to accommodate…
upside-down reflection
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Can we really compare our cultures?

Across the globe, ways of life differ immeasurably – yet people are people. They will always compare – and, generally, they will always like to complain (at least a little bit). So, it might be only natural that when you experience a new…
Christmas treeroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Feeling blue this festive season?

Some of us, this year more than ever, might be dreading the upcoming festivities. Not being able to travel home to be with loved ones is going to be tough for so many people. While some might be putting a brave face on, determined to decorate…
YouTube gives visitors the option to see less alcohol and gambling adscottonbro via Pexels
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YouTube gives visitors the option to see less alcohol and gambling ads

YouTube will give visitors to the video site the option to see fewer alcohol and gambling ads, the company announced on its blog. The option is expected to be available globally in Google Account Settings in early 2021. Alcohol and gambling…
rise in corona cases december 2020
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8894 new infections yesterday, 1600 more than the weekly average

A total of 8894 new confirmed coronavirus infections were reported to the RIVM as of Friday morning on 11 December, which is 120 more than the previous day. The weekly average is 7264. The number of infections has increased rapidly over the…
steak and rosemaryroyalty free (can be reused without attribution)
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Putting wild game on the menu

Most of our favourite comfort food is born in the recipes that mom made for us when we were kids – but as our palettes mature and we learn to cook on our own, we venture away from mom’s recipes and build our own comfort food repertoire.…
xmas cardroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Writing Christmas cards to Haarlem's elderly residents

It’s the festive season and a perfect time to do a good deed for fellow residents in the city, right? How about penning a little message on a Christmas card as a surprise for someone who might not otherwise receive any Christmas mail? It could…
Bermuda hometown

Let's talk about hometowns: Bermuda

Capitals, cities, towns, villages, neighbourhoods. We all come from somewhere and it’s time to meet each others' hometowns and who knows, we might put some new places that we have never heard of on our bucket list! In this post, we hear from…
An interview with Sinterklaas (Photo: Rodi)
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An interview with Sinterklaas

The Shallow Man recently had the dubious honor of interviewing the world’s angriest not black man, Zwarte Piet. Like many of his supporters, I found him to be very emotional, irrational and downright aggressive. There were a number of questions…
Dutch Language exercise: Sinterklaas & Zwarte Piet

Dutch Language exercise: Sinterklaas & Zwarte Piet

Dutch Language exercise: choose the correct answer for each of the gaps. Sinterklaas woont in Spanje en Zwarte Piet is zijn helper. De Sint is een oude plan man maan baan met een lange witte baard. Hij heeft een mijter op zijn hoofd…
Sinterklaas
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Sinterklaas versus Santa Claus

They both work in the same sector, wear red, and have a big white beard. For Piet's sake: what's the difference?  The Big Day Sinterklaas: Sinterklaas' "heerlijk avondje" / delicious is 5 December, although Sint arrives with a steamer…
Simpel Award Website of the year 2020!Simple
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Simpel voted Website of the Year 2020

On 26 November, 2020, Simpel was voted the 'Website of the Year 2020' by the Dutch public, making it the overall winner of the 20th edition of this exciting election. The Website of the Year election* is the largest online public award…
From December 1, face masks compulsory in all indoor public places in the NetherlandsUnsplash
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From 1 December, face masks compulsory in all indoor public places in the Netherlands

To reduce the spread of the coronavirus, it is compulsory to wear a face mask in all public indoor spaces for everyone aged 13 and older from Tuesday 1 December. Anyone not wearing a mask can be fined €95. The new law provides a legal…
Christmas wreathroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Haarlem happenings in December

December is here and the festive season is just around the corner! Things won’t be quite the same as usual – there is no annual Kerstmarkt* this year – though, there are still some festive (and non-festive) events happening, all the while…
booksroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)
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Family sagas my grandmother would have loved to read

The recent passing of my grandmother has made me think of how some of my favourite books depict grandparents and family relations. My grandmother passed away on 6 October 2020. Due to COVID-19 related restrictions, I was not able to go…
hometown vancouver

Let’s talk about hometowns: Vancouver, Canada

Capitals, cities, towns, villages, neighbourhoods. We all come from somewhere and it’s time to meet each others' hometowns and who knows, we might put some new places that we have never heard of on our bucket list! In this post, we hear from…
stop people pleasingroyalty free (author's own pic)
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Addressing the need to be liked

It is time to stop being a people pleaser and instead make time to build more self-worth. You are a kind person, that's great, but when do you become a people pleaser? The difference between being nice and being a people pleaser is the…
primary school abacusroyalty free (re-use possible without attribution)
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Choosing a primary school in Haarlem

The process of picking the perfect primary school starts a long time before your child actually heads off for their first day. In the Netherlands, kids start school shortly after turning 4-years old and the application deadline will be 12 months…
hometown boscotrecase

Let’s talk about hometowns: Boscotrecase, Italy

Capitals, cities, towns, villages, neighbourhoods. We all come from somewhere and it’s time to meet each others' hometowns and who knows, we might put some new places that we have never heard of on our bucket list! In this post, we hear from…
woman in the light and treesroyalty free (re-use possible without attribution)
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Intensive mothering: the concept fully explained

Have you ever heard of ‘intensive mothering’? It could be a term relevant to all mothers in 2020 – as it has been quite an intensive year, right? Though, it is actually a concept that was introduced in the 1990s. Read on to discover more…
Hometown questionnaireroyalty free (reuse possible without attribution)

Let's talk about hometowns: share your story!

Capitals, cities, towns, villages, neighbourhoods. We all come from somewhere and it’s time to discover each other’s hometowns – who knows, as a result we might put some new places that we have never heard of before on our bucket list!…