Though they moved to the Netherlands, journalist Oxana Greadchenko and her husband will celebrate New Year’s Eve at home, near the fire tree, with mandarins and Olivier salad. Contacted by IPN, the young Moldovan woman said she didn’t see big differences between the Netherlands and Moldova, but would like the holiday meals to be less copious.

The journalist said that this year they will celebrate New Year’s Eve as the previous years, at home, near the fir tree, with tasty food, many mandarins and New Year’s films and songs. “We didn’t notice big differences. The people work including on December 31, while the New Year’s Eve, as Christmas, is celebrated in the family. The holiday atmosphere in the Netherlands is less felt than in the neighboring countries – Belgium and Germany. The Christmas discounts are the only difference and these are indeed discounts. But one must have a lot of courage and patience to purchase something as the shops are overcrowded,” stated Oxana Greadchenko.

As to the holiday meal, the journalist said she will prepare, together with her husband, several types of food that they usually eat on New Year’s. “Though it is not my favorite, the Russian salad Olivier will be present on our table, at the insistence of my partner,” she stated, adding she would ‘export’ from the Netherlands to Moldova the less copious meals.

In the Netherlands, the locals use to bath in the North Sea on the first day of the New Year. “I’m also tempted to do this, but this could be a bad idea as we dress very warmly in winter and are not so resistant,” said Oxana Greadchenko, noting that the winter in Netherlands is less severe than in Moldova and is often accompanied by rain and wind, but this does not prevent the Dutch people from doing what they usually do – ride the bike, run in the open air and swim.

Oxana Greadchenko wished her compatriots from Moldova to be healthy next year, to have positive news only and to find courage for big changes if they want them for a long time.