Christmas wishes for in-laws USA families love to send at the holidays carry warmth, gratitude, and a little American cheer. Whether you are writing to your mother-in-law in Texas, your father-in-law in Ohio, or your brother-in-law and sister-in-law across the country, the right words can make the family dinner feel even closer. This list brings together heartfelt, funny, and short messages made for American homes, snowy mornings, and long drives home for Christmas. In-laws become family in the truest sense at Christmas. They welcome you to the table, share treasured recipes, cheer for the same football team, and help trim the tree. A thoughtful wish thanks them for that welcome and tells them how much their love means through the year. Use these 45 wishes in a card, a text, a holiday letter, or a toast at the table. Pick one that fits your family, add a personal line about a shared memory, and send it early so it arrives before the turkey is carved and the eggnog is poured. Last up...
Christmas in Leiden turns one of the prettiest canal cities in the Netherlands into a glowing winter postcard. With 28 km of canals, 88 bridges, and gabled houses strung with lights, the historic center feels made for December evenings. The season begins when Sinterklaas arrives in mid-November and runs through the Winter Wonder Weken into early January, so a mid-December visit catches the nostalgic Christmas market, the floating ice rink, and the fairground all at once.
Unlike the big-city markets of Amsterdam or Cologne, Leiden stays local, walkable, and wonderfully uncrowded. Leiden Centraal station is a five to ten minute walk from the old center, trains from Amsterdam take about 35 minutes, and The Hague is only 10 minutes away. That makes Leiden an easy day trip, yet an overnight stay is worth it, when the lights come on over the water.
This guide gathers the 15 best things to do at Christmas in Leiden, from skating on a floating ice rink on the Nieuwe Rijn to candlelit concerts in the Pieterskerk, plus Dutch treats, family activities, and easy day trips. Dates for 2026 are provisional and follow the usual seasonal pattern, so please check visitleiden.nl or the official event pages before you travel, as times can change.
Whether you come with children, as a couple, or on a budget, Leiden has a festive plan for you. Vrolijk Kerstfeest means Merry Christmas in Dutch, and Fijne feestdagen means Happy Holidays, so you will hear both phrases everywhere in December. Pack warm layers and a bank card, since many Dutch venues take cards only.
Last updated: November 7, 2026
Jump to: Christmas Markets and Lights | Floating Ice Rink | Dutch Treats | Churches and Concerts | Day Trips and Family Fun | FAQ | More Christmas Inspiration
Christmas Markets and Lights in Leiden
The heart of Christmas in Leiden is the Winter Wonder Weken, a festive program spread across the historic center. Wooden chalets line the Hooglandse Kerkgracht, a nostalgic fairground fills the Garenmarkt, and the whole old town glows after dark.
- Browse the Nostalgic Christmas Market — The Nostalgische Kerstmarkt sets up wooden chalets around the Hooglandse Kerk, the Hooglandse Kerkgracht, and the Nieuwstraat, selling handmade gifts, decorations, and winter treats while choirs sing nearby. It typically runs over two weekends in mid-December, expected December 11 to 13 and December 17 to 20, 2026, with most days open from around midday to nine in the evening. Entry is free, so arrive in the late afternoon when the lights come on.
- Ride the nostalgic fairground on the Garenmarkt — The Winter Wonder Weken fair brings old-fashioned rides, a carousel, food trucks, and a winter terrace with mulled wine and hot chocolate to the Garenmarkt square. It is the liveliest corner of the season after dark, and it pairs perfectly with a market visit on the same evening.
- Take an evening lights walk along the canals — The prettiest free activity in Leiden costs nothing at all. Walk the Rapenburg, the Nieuwe Rijn, and the Hooglandse Kerkgracht after sunset, cross the little bridges, and climb the Burcht van Leiden for a view over the rooftops. The reflections of the lights on the water are the classic Leiden Christmas photograph.
Families
Children love the fairground rides and the choirs at the market, and the compact center means little legs never have far to walk.
Skating on the Canals and the Floating Ice Rink
The most famous sight of the season floats on the water. The Drijvende IJsbaan is a real ice rink built on pontoons on the Nieuwe Rijn, and skating there, with canal houses all around, is the one experience no other Dutch city offers.
- Skate the floating ice rink on the Nieuwe Rijn — The Drijvende IJsbaan typically opens in early December and runs into the new year, expected December 5, 2026 to January 3, 2027, daily from around ten in the morning to nine in the evening. Admission is a paid ticket, reported at about 9.50 euros with skate rental included, and an early evening session after dark is the most festive of all. Wear gloves, because the air above the water is cold.
- Join a KIK family morning at the rink — On Saturday and Sunday mornings the rink hosts family mornings aimed at children, with a gentler pace and a friendly atmosphere for first-time skaters. It is the best time for families with small children to enjoy the ice without the evening crowds.
- Warm up in a canal-side cafe — After skating, duck into one of the cafes along the Nieuwe Rijn or the Breestraat for hot chocolate, Glühwein, or Dutch pea soup. The contrast between the cold canal air and a warm cafe window is pure gezelligheid, the Dutch word for cozy togetherness.
Couples
An evening skate followed by mulled wine on a canal-side terrace is one of the most romantic dates in the Netherlands. Save the lights walk for after dinner, when the bridges are at their prettiest.
Dutch Treats and Festive Food
Dutch Christmas tastes of fried dough, warm spices, and spiced wine. The market stalls and bakeries of Leiden serve treats you will not find at home, and most cost only a few euros, so tasting your way around the center is the cheapest festive tour in town.
- Eat warm oliebollen from a market stall — Oliebollen are deep-fried Dutch doughnuts, crisp outside and soft inside, dusted with powdered sugar and often filled with raisins or apple. They are the classic Dutch New Year treat, sold at stalls all through December, and they taste best eaten hot, straight from the paper bag.
- Try Sinterklaas sweets: pepernoten, chocolate letters, and speculaas — The weeks before December 5 belong to Sinterklaas, and the shops fill with spiced pepernoten, chocolate letters in every initial, and crisp speculaas biscuits. Pick up a chocolate letter with your own initial as a gift, and taste the warm cinnamon and nutmeg flavors that define a Dutch December.
- Book a festive dinner in the old center — Leiden has cozy restaurants tucked into cellars and canal houses all around the Breestraat and the Pieterskerk quarter, serving everything from Dutch pancakes to seasonal winter menus. Book ahead for mid-December weekends, when the market crowds fill the tables, and look for restaurants with candlelit windows for the full festive feel.
Churches, Concerts and Christmas Culture
Leiden is one of the oldest university cities in the Netherlands, and its churches and museums give the season a quieter, deeper side. A candlelit concert or a warm greenhouse makes a perfect pause between the market and the rink.
- Hear a Christmas concert in the Pieterskerk — The Pieterskerk, consecrated in 1121, is the oldest parish church in Leiden, and its Advent and Christmas concerts fill the great Gothic hall with candlelight and choral music. Check the church agenda before your visit for concert dates, and try the Winterverhalen audio tour, which tells winter stories from the church in the izi.travel app.
- Visit the Hooglandse Kerk and the Waag — The Hooglandse Kerk towers over the Christmas market, and its Gothic interior is worth a quiet look between the stalls. Nearby stands the Waag, the historic weighing house, which hosts the House of Sinterklaas in late November and early December, a favorite stop for families with children.
- Spend a cold afternoon in the museums and the Hortus Botanicus — Leiden has thirteen museums, including the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, the national museum of antiquities on the Rapenburg, and Museum De Lakenhal for art and city history. The Hortus Botanicus, the oldest botanical garden in the Netherlands, offers warm tropical greenhouses, but note that it is closed from December 25 to January 1, so plan it for the days before Christmas.
Day Trips and Family Fun Around Leiden
Leiden sits in the middle of South Holland, with The Hague, the coast, and miniature Holland all a short train ride away. These easy day trips turn a Leiden weekend into a full festive tour without changing hotels.
- Visit the Royal Christmas Fair in The Hague — The Hague is only 10 minutes away by train, and its Royal Christmas Fair lines the Lange Voorhout with stalls, lights, and food stands from early December until around December 23, open daily and free to enter. Pair it with the city Christmas tree and an evening walk past the Binnenhof for a grand royal-city contrast to cozy Leiden.
- See Winter Weeks at Madurodam in The Hague — Madurodam, the miniature park, dresses its tiny Dutch towns in snow, adds more than 80,000 lights, and sets up fire pits and miniature Christmas markets for the winter season. It is a magical stop for children, and it is easy to reach by tram from The Hague Centraal.
- Join the Rotary Santa Run or walk the winter coast — The Rotary Santa Run, typically held in mid-December, sees hundreds of Santas walk through the historic center for charity, and spectators can join the fun for free. For a quieter day, take a short bus ride to Katwijk aan Zee or Scheveningen, where the North Sea wind, wide beaches, and beach pavilions make a bracing winter walk.
Budget travellers
Almost everything that makes Leiden special at Christmas is free: the market entry, the lights walk, the Santa Run, and the canal views. Spend on one rink ticket and a bag of oliebollen, and little else.
Frequently Asked Questions About Christmas in Leiden
When is the Leiden Christmas market in 2026?
The Nostalgic Christmas Market is expected to run over two weekends in mid-December, December 11 to 13 and December 17 to 20, 2026, around the Hooglandse Kerk and the Hooglandse Kerkgracht. These dates are provisional, so check visitleiden.nl before you travel.
What is the floating ice rink in Leiden?
The Drijvende IJsbaan is an ice rink built on pontoons that floats on the Nieuwe Rijn canal in the city center. It is expected to run from December 5, 2026 to January 3, 2027, with a paid ticket that includes skate rental, and it is the most unusual winter attraction in the city.
Is Christmas in Leiden good for families?
Yes, Leiden is one of the most family-friendly Christmas destinations in the Netherlands. Children enjoy the floating ice rink, the fairground rides, the House of Sinterklaas, and the Sinterklaas arrival in mid-November.
How do I get to Leiden at Christmas?
Trains run frequently to Leiden Centraal, about 35 minutes from Amsterdam Centraal and 10 minutes from The Hague. The old center is a five to ten minute walk from the station, and most Christmas events are within easy walking distance of each other, so no car is needed.
What Dutch Christmas foods should I try in Leiden?
Start with warm oliebollen, the sugared Dutch doughnuts sold at market stalls, then try pepernoten, speculaas biscuits, and a chocolate letter. For drinks, look for Glühwein, the spiced mulled wine, or a thick Dutch hot chocolate in a canal-side cafe.
What is the best time to visit Leiden at Christmas?
A weekend in mid-December is the best time, when the Nostalgic Christmas Market and the floating ice rink are open together. A weekend in late November suits the Sinterklaas arrival and the Lichtjes art market, while the days after January 1 still offer the rink before it closes.
More Christmas Inspiration
Keep the festive tour going with these guides from our blog.
- 15 Best Things to Do at Christmas in Gouda — Candlelit Gouda by Kaarslicht, the cheese market city dressed for December.
- 15 Best Things to Do at Christmas in Haarlem — Markets, lights, and canals in one of the prettiest cities near Amsterdam.
- 15 Best Things to Do at Christmas in Delft — Blue pottery, canals, and a fairytale Christmas in the city of Vermeer.
- 40 Best Merry Christmas Wishes in Dutch — Vrolijk Kerstfeest and more Dutch greetings to send to friends and family.
Vrolijk Kerstfeest from Leiden, and may your December be filled with light, warmth, and gezelligheid.
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