Pasen is the Dutch term for Easter. In the Netherlands, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday are official holidays and most people have the day off.
Most of the Easter traditions that are celebrated in the Netherlands are pretty universal, like painting and hiding eggs. In the eastern part of the country there is a more unusual tradition: Easter fires (Paasvuren). For weeks before Easter, people will be busy collecting wood to create a high pile. This is then lit on Easter Sunday or Monday. The tradition is so popular that the whole eastern part of the country smells like smoke on these days, especially if the weather is a bit foggy.
Collecting wood for the Easter fire. Credits: Klaas van Buiten, Nationaal Archief
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