Overview
- Data from Openingstijden.nl, reported by ANP, show roughly 40% of supermarkets open on Christmas Day and nearly 90% on Boxing Day, with some municipalities still entirely closed.
- Shoppers crowded stores across provinces on Wednesday for final ingredients, with early queues and fast‑emptying shelves reported in places like Apeldoorn and Lelystad.
- Small food businesses described heavy workloads and staff shortages, with a Utrecht‑area butcher working until 03:00 to finish orders and scaling back due to fewer hands.
- Households and charities are welcoming people who would otherwise be alone, including matches with asylum seekers coordinated by Stichting Present, alongside long‑running inclusive dinners hosted by families.
- Churches across Utrecht and beyond prepared for strong Christmas Eve attendance from regulars and many occasional visitors, with services ranging from traditional masses to spoken‑word programs.