A guide to Christmas trees for expats in The Hague

Spending your first Christmas in The Hague? Welcome! The Dutch take their holidays seriously, but some customs work a little differently from what you may be used to. This guide explains when people put up their tree, where to get a real one, how to get it home without a car, and what to do with it in January.

Sinterklaas first, then the tree

In the Netherlands, December starts with Sinterklaas, celebrated on the evening of 5 December. Many Dutch families wait until after that date to put up their Christmas tree, so each celebration gets its own moment. That said, plenty of people in The Hague, especially international households, put their tree up in late November. There's no rule: do what feels right.

Real or artificial?

The most popular real tree in the Netherlands is the Nordmann fir: soft needles, a full shape and excellent needle retention. Our real trees are cut trees (in Dutch: gezaagd), not trees in a pot with roots (met kluit). An artificial tree (kunstkerstboom) is a practical choice if you'll be travelling over the holidays or want to reuse it for years.

Sizes are in centimetres

Dutch trees are sold by height in centimetres, usually in ranges such as 125–150 cm or 150–175 cm. A simple rule: take your ceiling height and subtract about 30 cm for the stand and topper. Many apartments in The Hague have ceilings of 2.40–2.60 m, which makes a 150–175 cm tree a safe choice. If you live in an older building with high ceilings, such as in the Statenkwartier or Benoordenhout, a 175–200 cm tree will look great.

Watch out for Dutch stairs

If you live in an upstairs flat, you'll know the famously steep Dutch staircases. A wide tree won't always make it round the bend. Choose a slightly smaller size, or let someone else do the carrying: we carry every tree inside and up the stairs, and set it up in the stand.

No car? No problem

Many expats in The Hague don't own a car, and taking a two-metre tree on the tram is not an option. That's exactly why we deliver. Order online, choose a delivery date, and I'll bring the tree in my own car, carry it inside and set it up. Order before 20:00 for next-day delivery, or pick an exact one-hour slot from two days ahead. The whole website, including checkout and emails, is available in English.

Useful Dutch words

Paying

Card payment at the door is not something every small business offers. With us you can pay cash or via Tikkie, a popular Dutch payment request app linked to your bank account, or by bank transfer.

Getting rid of the tree in January

The municipality of The Hague traditionally organises Christmas tree collection in early January; check the municipality's website for current dates. You can also choose our pickup after Christmas extra and I'll collect it in the period 2–10 January.

Where do we deliver?

Throughout The Hague, including Scheveningen, Bezuidenhout and Ypenburg, as well as nearby towns such as Wassenaar, Voorburg and Delft. See the full delivery area, read how to keep your tree fresh, or order your Christmas tree for delivery in The Hague.