Christmas in Amstelveen with Nana and Pops

Having been back twice to the US in 2025 (Bowdoin Reunion and West Coast Summer tour), we wanted to be home this year for Christmas. We were thrilled that Nana and Pops decided to come to spend it with us as the holidays are always better with family. They arrived on the 22nd and it was full on holiday mode.

Someone was happy to see his grandparents.

We had a number of friends who were also home for the holidays and wanted to bring people together as we know the holidays can be hard when you are on your own here. So we hosted a Christmas Eve lunch for 4 sets of friends and kiddos and had a great time chatting and playing silly games I found on instagram. 

Party prepping- cookie decorating time! 

Practicing the "reindeer hooves" marshmallow game

Jude learned this cup stacking game at school and set it up for us to play. 

Hershey kiss shuffleboard/tic-tac-toe. 

Forgot to take a photo when Sharon, Matt, Molly, Casey and kids were still there! 

Maeve asked all day to open her one present before Christmas, but we made her wait until after our sushi dinner. 

Playing a new pompom stacking game from Nana and Pops

When my parents are home for Christmas, Christmas Eve is a busy night as my dad sings in the church choir until late. When we are home, we don't usually spend the evening all together, so it was nice that they got a break from that routine and could relax at our house. 

Reading Twas the Night Before Christmas

We worked hard and completed this sweet London at Christmas puzzle together in one day! 

All is Calm, All is Bright 

Santa came! 

I made these stockings when my parents last came for Christmas in 2016

Stockings in our bed and then downstairs to open gifts and eat a breakfast sausage casserole. 

Waffle maker for Maeve

Panini press for dad (this was ours- his was waiting back in Miami)

Opening gifts from the kids. Always the best part. 

Spoiled by family from afar

A lovely, lazy Christmas day

We made pork shoulder ragu for dinner served with pappardelle we brought back from Italy. 

The day after Christmas, Pops and I headed into the city for his Christmas gift experience- a visit to the Japanese Head Spa with me. After a detailed scalp analysis, we enjoyed a 40 minute head and shoulder massage with thorough shampooing and a cascading water spray. Ahhhhh.... 

Then we walked to Museumplein to meet the rest of the crew who were ice skating (or attempting to ice skate in Maeve's case). She was much more content to get a hot chocolate and watch. 

A few other people had the same idea... 

From the rink, we walked to a tour boat for the light boat festival. We booked a long boat, which was set up with tables and unfortunately, we couldn't all be together. The kids preferred to enjoy the ride from the open air on the back of the boat and we joined them there for much for the trip. The theme was World of Legacy. We didn't get the commentary about the art riding in the back, but enjoyed a lot of the installations! 

A beautiful evening to be on the water. Brisk, but not windy. 

From the boat, we went for dinner at Pizza Beppe and then I took Nana and Pops by tram to the Amsterdam Tram Museum for the last of their Christmas gift experiences- an hour long ride on a historic tram on a special route through the city to see the street lights. We got a warm drink in cookie in the cafe and then took off. There was commentary in Dutch and English and I learned a lot of new facts about Amsterdam while enjoying the lights!

My favorite street during the holidays- Utrechtsestraat

We earned a nice, lazy day at home on Saturday before leaving Sunday for a week in Madrid!