Christmas in the city

Maria Kooistra

In the category ‘what do the nicest people in the Netherlands do at Christmas?’ it's Maria Kooistra's turn today, Maria Kooistra, also known as Pascale from Meerdijk (you know, from Goede tijden, Slechte tijden) and nowadays especially incredibly busy as a jewelry designer.

And Maria's love lives in the woods, so you understand that the ‘Last Christmas level’ is rising by the minute. From baking cookies, playing Monopoly to making homemade fat balls for the birds; this is Christmas in its Maria Kooistra style. And I want to live in the woods right now.

Where do you settle for the ultimate Christmas?

‘On Christmas Eve, there's the alternative midnight mass at the city theater, I've wanted to go there for years and maybe I'll just do that this year. In fact, I'm going. And that's this coming Sunday.’

Which movie?

‘Miracle on 34th Street, Elf, The Nightmare Before Christmas and especially Julie & Julia. That movie is about the life of Julia Child. And because of this favorite movie, we always have boeuf bourguignon on our Christmas menu. Hence the Christmas choice, because otherwise there's actually very little Christmasy about the whole film.’

What do you pull out of the closet for Christmas dinner?

‘Everything!’

Wine?

‘For the perfect wines, I'm letting my love loose in the Sligro this week. Then it's more than fine.’

2017: three words?

‘Everything is love.’

Christmas menu?

‘The boeuf bourguignon is definitely the shining highlight of our Christmas meal, and this year I'm making a vegan version with portobellos in addition to the regular one.’

Nice Christmas song?

‘Driving Home for Christmas is stuck in my head.’

Oliebollen or apple fritters?

‘Oliebollen.’

Fireworks freak?

‘Oh no, I hate fireworks. It should be banned in my opinion, or well, at least regulated.’

Are you excited about new year's resolutions?

‘Yes, I really enjoy that. Although there's a danger in not keeping your resolutions, which makes you feel like a huge loser for most of the year. That's less fun.’

What has 2017 taught you?

‘Not to make too many plans for yourself.’

Special New Year's wish?

‘That we become more aware of the necessity to do it together on this planet. That we are powerful as a collective, but that we also take our individual responsibility. My daughter is an example for me: she buys her cosmetics in bulk and is super conscious about creating less waste.’

What do you hope to find under the tree?

‘Nothing. And that is something. You can actually order ‘nothing’ through Greenpeace and I think that's a brilliant and beautiful action.’