New Year’s Eve… between the cold and the heat of the holidays in Amsterdam and Utrecht
This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
Heba Press from the Netherlands
The Netherlands experienced an exceptional night, combining extreme cold and noisy celebrations that lit up the sky.
New Year’s Eve 2025 was an event that brought together local residents and different communities, in an atmosphere full of joy and familiarity, especially in cities like Amsterdam and Utrecht, where the scenes varied between residential neighborhoods and working-class areas inhabited by Moroccans.
It is worth noting that the celebrations in the Netherlands are completely different from those I experienced for years on the streets of Casablanca and Ain Diab.
There, noise is the dominant feature; The streets are full of revelers and vandals, while security forces work with all their might to deter lawbreakers and maintain order amid the chaos caused by road accidents and the behavior of some drunk people.
In contrast, Dutch celebrations seem calmer and more disciplined, with security only appearing when necessary, reflecting a completely different festive culture.
From the start of the evening, the streets of Amsterdam and Utrecht seemed to be waiting.
Houses and apartments were lit to reflect the warmth of the families inside, while the alleys seemed almost empty except for a few children playing with small firecrackers.
As midnight approached, neighborhoods were filled with residents, young and old, carrying bags filled with different types of fireworks and crackers.
At midnight, the sky transformed into a breathtaking display of fiery meteors, which lasted for more than half an hour, as the sounds of the explosions were interspersed with laughter and cheers.
The scene resembled a scene from an action movie, but it ultimately reflected the collective joy at the start of a new year.
On the other side of the stage, restaurants and nightclubs in Amsterdam and Utrecht were packed.
Advance reservations make entry to these venues exclusive to those who have planned ahead. As for those who did not find a place indoors, they found their own celebration in residential areas or within families in the homes.
New Year’s Eve in the Netherlands presented a different model of celebration, where joy and order blended together.
As silence gradually returned to the neighborhoods as the fireworks went off, the memories of that night remained etched in everyone’s minds, distinct from other celebrations observed in different parts of the world.
Thus, each country continues to reflect its identity and social reality in the way it celebrates, but the objective is the same: to welcome a new year with hope and optimism, where the past becomes a memory and the future a blank page on hold. to write.
