For Nashya Tamara (26), studying for a Master’s in Management, this is her first Christmas in the Netherlands, far away from her family in Indonesia. “I didn’t arrive in Maastricht until the middle of September. Everything here is new to me, from the seasons to the fact that people wear layers to stay warm.” The contrast with her own country is enormous. “In Indonesia, Christmas is important particularly to Christian families, like my own. But that’s only a small part of the population, Indonesia is a predominantly Islamic country. Christmas is everywhere here: the lights, the decorations, the Christmas markets... We don’t have that at home.”
And popping back home for Christmas isn’t feasible. “The flight to Indonesia is fourteen hours long and costs about 1500 euros. My parents won’t pay that for me, and I don’t think it’s necessary either. It’s easier to stay here, and I want to explore the area.” Thanks to a strict schedule and careful planning, she has managed to visit four Christmas markets between her various deadlines, including some in Germany. “I want to experience the traditions and celebrations here, even if I’m just by myself.”
She’s not yet sure exactly what she’ll do on Christmas Day. “Maybe I’ll visit a nearby city.” Whatever it is, she’ll need to take it easy: “I have a deadline four days after Christmas. It’s better just to keep working.” Tamara’s family will definitely see her over the holidays, albeit through a screen. “Of course, we miss each other, that’s why I’ll speak to them on a video call at Christmas. It’s not the same, but I know they understand why I’m here.”
For Chinese student Yawen Huang (23), first-year Globalisation and Law student, Christmas is “just another day. I’ll give my girlfriend a present – she’s from Limburg – but I won’t celebrate it. Visiting my in-laws, as many people do here, I think that would feel weird. Everyone seems to enjoy it so much, but I just feel like I don’t belong. It’s not my tradition.”
She is in the break room of the Law faculty, and behind her there is an informal Christmas party. “I don’t want to be part of it. What would I even celebrate? Chinese New Year is in February and that is important to me, you could compare it to Christmas. I will be going back to my family in China for that. Until then, I’ll just stay here.” She smiles. “The man with a beard, Santa Claus, that’s just weird.”
Still, she doesn’t want to skip Christmas entirely, so she is making some plans. She’s thinking of visiting a Christmas market in Germany and wants to cook something traditional with a Chinese friend, like she did last year.
Angeliki Ouzounaki (25) is staying in Maastricht for Christmas, but she won’t be alone: her parents will be joining her from Greece. The Human Decision Science Master’s student already has plans to explore Christmas markets in Maastricht, Valkenburg and Aachen. “They’ve never been here before. It’s an excellent opportunity to do it together.”
Not every student has the space to receive their family, but Ouzounaki is lucky. “I have a living room where my parents can sleep. We might even just stay here over Christmas, cook some nice food together and maybe go for a walk.”
Some Christmas traditions are less familiar to her, such as gift giving. That doesn’t play a huge role in her family. “We stopped doing it after the economic crisis in 2014. I don’t really mind. Even though we can afford it now, I still think it’s a good habit not to do it. Ultimately, it saves you money too.”