Children express wishes for 2024 during 'Droomredes' at the Royal Christmas Fair

There is an extra focus on children at this year's Royal Christmas Fair with two new events in The Hague's Museum Quarter. (Photo: The Hague & Partners / Yvette Wolterinck)

The Hague - This year, during the Royal Christmas Fair in The Hague - the largest Christmas market in the Netherlands - there is a special place for children. Besides the festive programme with music, performances and visits from Father Christmas, for the first time there will be a Droomredes exhibition (from 8 December) and a commemoration on World Lights Day (10 December).

Under the name Droomredes, a special exhibition featuring 'throne speeches' by children from The Hague will open on Friday 8 December. These Droomredes, wishes from primary school children for the new year, will be projected in large format on and around the Christmas market.

'Droomredes' by children

This will be the first edition of the Droomredes, made by pupils of Kindcentrum Toermalijn from group 6, 7 and 8. Some of them are part of the Vitalis foundation's buddy programme for vulnerable children.

"The Droomredes will be full of children's vistas, ideas and dreams for the future of The Hague, the Netherlands and the world," says organiser Heino Walbroek. "The children have all expressed their views on the future in a moving way."

Remembrance of deceased children

Sunday 10 December is World Lights Day, a time when deceased children are remembered. This year, for the first time, the Kloosterkerk will focus on this global moment of remembrance.

Walbroek continues: "The Hague did not yet have a location for people to light candles for children who have passed away. This is why the Kloosterkerk and the Royal Christmas Fair have joined forces to offer families the opportunity to come together and reflect on this in the dark days leading up to Christmas, whether the children died young or old."

The gathering has a "worldly" character and will take place in the Kloosterkerk, whose doors will open at 6.30pm. From 6.45pm, the programme will begin with spoken-word and music, and at 7pm the candles can be lit.