As a young family, we’re constantly discovering and creating our own family traditions. Marlon and I are both the youngest children, so we love finally being able to make the rules now that we’re parents—especially where Christmas is involved!
Not only do we get to draw on our own growing-up experiences of Christmas, but also on the traditions of the country and community we’ve chosen to live in. Because we live in the Netherlands, Sinterklaas becomes woven into our holiday fabric; because we live in cosmopolitan Amsterdam, friends from all over the world show us many new and different ways to celebrate Christmas.
Over the weekend, we found a new family tradition right here in Amsterdam: Santa’s Vintage Tram Ride.
Organized by the Amsterdam Mamas, a network for English-speaking parents in Amsterdam, Santa’s Vintage Tram Ride sets off every December from the Electrische Museumtramlijn Amsterdam.
This little museum dedicated to vintage electric trams is housed in the former Haarlemmermeerstation, a lovely old brick building in the Old South of Amsterdam.
The museum’s collection of old trams come from all over Europe and are in perfect working order. They ride every Sunday from Easter to the end of October, and can be hired for special events—which is exactly what the Amsterdam Mamas did for Christmas-loving young families like us.
Christmas with children is truly something special. It was a joy to see all the excited little ones climbing aboard this stately old tram from Vienna…
and sent off by the man of the hour, ringing a big gold bell… Santa Claus himself!
Our tram took us on a forty-minute ride on an old railway through the south of Amsterdam, which has since been reserved exclusively for the museum’s use.
As charming and picturesque as they are, these old trams are a lot of work and seemed to require constant manual adjustments. I can imagine how they would hold up traffic in a big city. Even the modern trams in Amsterdam can feel mind-numbingly slow, so I can see why these ones have been retired!
The museum tram conductors know their stuff. They are super friendly too! The eyes of the kindly old conductor in our tram positively sparkled when I came up to him to ask a question about the trams.
As he explained to me that each section of the old tramway needs to be unlocked with a key, and locked again after we passed, I watched another conductor let this boy down from the tram to do it for his mama’s camera. Such a simple kindness can create a great childhood memory.
For me, the best part of the day was getting to sing again! Alodia, another Pinay Amsterdam mama, organized a small choir to sing carols as the families boarded the trams. It all brought back to me how much I love to sing, how much I miss my choir, and how music is such a big part of my Christmas. Did I really let six choir-less Christmases come and go?!
Tala’s too young to know what it all means, but she’s part of all this too. She got to hear Mama sing Christmas carols…
and even meet Santa!
As a young family, living far from home has its challenges. It can be difficult without family support, and lonely without the friends you cherish the most or laugh the loudest with.
But there are times that being a young family abroad is totally worth it. The holidays, when we get to create our own family traditions, is one of those times. Creating our Christmas rituals here, in our little bubble, gives us the freedom to pick and choose, to make the rules, to have fun, experiment and be creative!
What new Christmas traditions have you adopted? I’d love to hear about them.
Hi, Deepa.
Long time reader here. I used to blog at pinaybythebay. Anyway, I love this post! Really resonated with me. We’re also a young family trying to build our own holiday traditions. My son loves going to the tree lot, picking out a tree and then bringing it home and decorating it. It’s not something my husband and I grew up with but it is now part of our yearly holiday traditions :0) Happy Holidays!
Hey Leah I remember your old blog! How are you? How old is your little boy now? Picking out the Christmas tree seems like a great holiday tradition. I hope we get to do it next year too.
Hi Deepa,
This was so awesome to read! Would you mind if I forward it to our volunteers of the Museum Tram!
So nice to hear Amsterdam Mamas and the Museum Tram brought Christmas to you! Although the singing done by you and Alodia and the other carolers is, in my humble opinion, the cherry on the cake. (or mince pie)
Hi Olga! Please feel free to share this post. Thank you so much for all your hard work!