For 2026, we confirmed 11 Christmas events for kids in Leuven. The season opens on November 21 with Christmas Workshop for Children Ages 6 to 12 (Weihnachtswerkstatt) and runs until January 10 with Winter Weekend (Winterliches Wochenende). Of these, 9 are free. Every listing links straight to the host. This page is part of our guide to Christmas events for kids in Belgium.
The short version
- Kids’ Christmas events confirmed for 2026 in Leuven and Hamburg: 11
- First: Christmas Workshop for Children Ages 6 to 12 (Weihnachtswerkstatt), Leuven, November 21
- Free events: Christmas Workshop for Children Ages 6 to 12 (Weihnachtswerkstatt), Frau Holle, Engel Maxi (Angel Maxi), A Christmas Story (Eine Weihnachtsgeschichte), Nobel-Popel Music Theater, Die Himmelskinder-Weihnacht (The Sky Children's Christmas), Santa Reads in the Crane (Der Weihnachtsmann liest im Kran) and more
Below is every event we could confirm, grouped by town, with the date, time, cost and the small things parents ask about (registration, ages, what is included).
At a glance: Christmas events for kids in Leuven
- Kids’ Christmas events
- 11 confirmed for 2026
- Towns
- Leuven and Hamburg
- Season
- November 21 to January 10
- Free events
- 9
- Last checked
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Free Christmas events for kids in Leuven
Christmas story timeFree
Christmas Workshop for Children Ages 6 to 12 (Weihnachtswerkstatt)
- When: Sundays, Nov 29, and Dec 6, 13 and 20, 2 pm
- Where: Museum Schwedenspeicher, Mechelsestraat 41, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Cost: Price not listed
- Ages: Children ages 6 to 12
Expand to see the parent tip
The Museum Schwedenspeicher in Stade invites children ages 6 to 12 to a Christmas workshop on four Sundays. The dates are Nov 29 and Dec 6, 13 and 20, 2026, at 2 pm each day.
Under the motto Crafting, building and experiencing, children and adults can develop their own Christmas ideas in a festive setting. Booking is online through the museum. Address: Museum Schwedenspeicher, Wasser West 39, 21682 Stade.
Parent tip: Ask the museum ahead of time about the price and registration. Expect it to be in German.
- Host
- Museum Schwedenspeicher Stade (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Museum Schwedenspeicher, Mechelsestraat 41, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Registration
- Required
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 10 more Leuven events researched for you.
- New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Leuven.
- Exclusive access to free events Be first to hear about new free events in Leuven.
- Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
- Rally’s Christmas Eve Express and a free advent calendar Get early access to Rally the corgi’s Christmas Eve tracker, plus a free digital advent calendar to count down to Christmas.
- One-tap add to calendar Save any event to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendar so you never miss it.
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- 5 Story time
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Santa Claus paradeFree
Frau Holle
- When: Nov 19 to Dec 29, including Thu, Dec 10, 4 pm
- Where: Varia Vineta (Stadttheater Pankow), Martelarenplein, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Cost: From €14.61
- Ages: For the whole family
Expand to see the parent tip
Hardworking Marie has plenty to do in Frau Holle's land and is rewarded with gold. Her lazy sister also wants her reward after refusing to work for Frau Holle, and she gets it too.
The Varia Vineta Theater Berlin performs the traditional fairy-tale production from Nov 19 to Dec 29, 2026. There are 14 dates, one of them on Thursday, Dec 10, at 4 pm. The performance lasts about 50 minutes with no intermission. Tickets start at €14.61. Address: Varia Vineta (Stadttheater Pankow), Berliner Straße, 13189 Berlin.
Parent tip: More dates are listed in the ticket calendar. The play is a classic fairy tale, not an explicitly Christmas play, but it is performed during Advent. Expect it to be in German.
- Host
- Varia Vineta Theater Berlin (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Varia Vineta (Stadttheater Pankow), Martelarenplein, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Christmas story timeFree
Engel Maxi (Angel Maxi)
- When: Dec 15 to 27, including Sun, Dec 27, 11 am
- Where: HoheLuftschiff Kindertheater, Mechelsestraat 41, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Cost: See ticket sales
- Ages 4 to 10
Expand to see the parent tip
Mrs. Christmas (the Weihnachtsfrau) has handed out all the presents, and the sky is empty. But one child was forgotten, so Angel Maxi secretly flies down to earth to give away her beloved ukulele. Together with a Hamburg ship rat she discovers what really belongs to the festival of love.
The musical play about giving and receiving is meant for children ages 4 to 10 and lasts about 50 minutes. Shows run from Dec 15 to 27, 2026, at the HoheLuftschiff on Kaiser-Friedrich-Ufer. Address: HoheLuftschiff Kindertheater, Kaiser-Friedrich-Ufer 23, 20253 Hamburg.
Parent tip: As of Nov 3, all dates except Sunday, Dec 27, 11 am, are sold out. Ask about leftover tickets. Expect it to be in German.
- Host
- HoheLuftschiff Kindertheater (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- HoheLuftschiff Kindertheater, Mechelsestraat 41, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Registration
- Required
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Visit with SantaFree
A Christmas Story (Eine Weihnachtsgeschichte), Nobel-Popel Music Theater
- When: Wed, Dec 16, 11 am (and two more dates)
- Where: Freizeitforum Marzahn, Arndt-Bause-Saal, Monseigneur Ladeuzeplein, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Cost: From €7
- Ages: For kids
Expand to see the parent tip
In the Arndt-Bause-Saal of the Freizeitforum Marzahn, Eine Weihnachtsgeschichte is performed as music theater for kids. The organizer is Nobel-Popel. The calendar lists Wednesday, Dec 16, 2026, at 11 am, plus two more dates.
Doors open at 9:30 am, and tickets start at €7 and may still be available at the box office on site. The morning show also suits daycare (Kita) and school groups. Address: Freizeitforum Marzahn, Arndt-Bause-Saal, Marzahner Promenade 55, 12679 Berlin.
Parent tip: Tickets may still be available at the box office on site. The tram stops right in front of the building. Expect it to be in German.
- Host
- Freizeitforum Marzahn (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Freizeitforum Marzahn, Arndt-Bause-Saal, Monseigneur Ladeuzeplein, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Saint Nicholas visitFree
Die Himmelskinder-Weihnacht (The Sky Children's Christmas)
- When: Fri to Sun, Nov 27 to 29
- Where: Planetarium Hamburg, Mechelsestraat 41, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Cost: See ticket sales
- Ages 5 and up
Expand to see the parent tip
Two Christmas angels land hard on a junkyard next to the Christmas market and have to free themselves from the clutches of the Ferris wheel owner King Rudi. The family musical is shown as a 360-degree show with dome-filling imagery at the Planetarium Hamburg.
According to the overview on hamburg.de, there are shows from Nov 27 to 29, 2026, recommended for ages 5 and up. You will find the exact times and prices with the ticket seller. Address: Planetarium Hamburg, Linnering 1, 22299 Hamburg.
Parent tip: The planetarium is in the Stadtpark, and the Borgweg subway stop is close. Expect it to be in German.
- Host
- Planetarium Hamburg (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Planetarium Hamburg, Mechelsestraat 41, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Registration
- Required
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Family Christmas eventFree
Santa Reads in the Crane (Der Weihnachtsmann liest im Kran)
- When: Sat and Sun, Nov 28 to Dec 20, 4 pm each day
- Where: Alter Holzkran, Hansehafen Stade, Schapenstraat, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Cost: Price not listed
- Ages: For children and the whole family
Expand to see the parent tip
Stade lies about 50 kilometers west of Hamburg. In the Hansehafen stands the old wooden crane at the fish market (Fischmarkt), and on Advent weekends Santa (Weihnachtsmann) sits there. According to the events calendar of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region, the reading starts on Saturdays and Sundays at 4 pm, from Nov 28 to Dec 20, 2026.
Santa tells the children stories and collects their Christmas wishes. The page describes the event as an enchanting experience for the whole family. No admission price is listed. Address: Alter Holzkran, Hansehafen Stade, Fischmarkt, 21682 Stade.
Parent tip: If in doubt, ask Stade Tourism about the place and time. Expect it to be in German.
- Host
- Hansehafen Stade (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Alter Holzkran, Hansehafen Stade, Schapenstraat, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Christmas story timeFree
Timm Thaler (The Boy Who Sold His Laughter)
- When: Through Jan 8, 2027, dates per the schedule
- Where: Thalia Theater, Mechelsestraat 41, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Cost: See the schedule for prices
- Ages 10 and up
Expand to see the parent tip
Timm Thaler has sold his laughter to a devilish baron and from then on wins every bet. With the wealth he wins, the boy from a poor background sets out from Hamburg on a great journey, but without his laughter he loses people's trust.
Together with his friends he wants to win his laughter back. The City of Hamburg's overview lists the play among the Christmas fairy tale plays (Weihnachtsmärchen). It runs from Oct 31, 2026, to Jan 8, 2027, and is recommended for ages 10 and up. Address: Thalia Theater, Alstertor 1, 20095 Hamburg.
Parent tip: The play is aimed at older children and is not suitable for daycare-age kids (Kita). Expect it to be in German.
- Host
- Thalia Theater (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Thalia Theater, Mechelsestraat 41, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Registration
- Required
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Family Christmas eventFree
Adventsabenteuer (Advent Adventure)
- When: Fri, Dec 4, 3:30 to 5:30 pm
- Where: Interim Zentralbibliothek, Diestsestraat 37, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free
- Ages 8 to 12
Expand to see the parent tip
Outside it is getting cold, the lights are glowing and Christmas is getting closer: the Cologne city library invites kids ages 8 to 12 to a pen-and-paper (tabletop role-playing) afternoon. Together they explore a fantastic world, meet other adventurers and decide for themselves who they want to be and how the story goes on.
No prior experience is needed, what counts is imagination, team spirit and a love of storytelling. The event on Friday, Dec 4, 2026, from 3:30 to 5:30 pm is free, and registration through the library's booking system is required. The venue is the interim central library, Hohe Straße 68-82, 50667 Cologne.
Parent tip: Register your child ahead through the booking system. Expect the session to be in German.
- Host
- Stadtbibliothek Köln (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Interim Zentralbibliothek, Diestsestraat 37, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
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Christmas story timeFree
Waldweihnacht (Forest Christmas)
- When: Sat and Sun, Nov 28 and 29, 12 to 7:30 pm
- Where: Gut Leidenhausen, Mechelsestraat 41, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Cost: Free
- Ages: Families with kids
Expand to see the parent tip
At Gut Leidenhausen in Cologne's Eil district, the scent of winter air mixes with fresh baking and mulled wine. The City of Cologne calendar lists Saturday and Sunday, Nov 28 and 29, 2026, each from 12 to 7:30 pm. Participation is free and no registration is needed.
Kids can bake cookies, craft and get their faces painted, and the little ones listen to exciting stories. Important for getting there: the estate has no parking of its own, and visitors are asked to use the parking at Hirschgraben or at Grengeler Mauspfad. City access permits are suspended that weekend. The address is Gut Leidenhausen 1a, 51147 Cologne.
Parent tip: Park at Hirschgraben, as there is no parking at the estate itself. City access permits are suspended that weekend. Expect the stories to be in German.
- Host
- Umweltbildungszentrum Gut Leidenhausen (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Gut Leidenhausen, Mechelsestraat 41, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Registration
- Required
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New events in Leuven every week
Rally looks for new Christmas events in Leuven every day and adds them to this page. Enter your email for one weekly update with the latest finds.
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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Leuven
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
The #1 spot Event hosts: free events are listed first. One featured spot puts your event at the very top of this page.Ask about the #1 spot
Christmas lights
Winter Weekend (Winterliches Wochenende)
- When: Sat, Dec 5, and Sun, Dec 6, from 10 am
- Where: Altonaer Museum, Kapucijnenvoer 30, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Cost: Price not listed (museum admission)
- Ages: All ages, children welcome
Expand to see the parent tip
On the second Advent weekend the Altonaer Museum turns into a festive Christmas parlor (Weihnachtsstube). The Hamburg Tourismus events calendar lists Saturday, Dec 5, and Sunday, Dec 6, 2026, from 10 am each day.
Visitors can do crafts, listen to music, follow readings and make small gifts themselves. The program aims to convey the original spirit of Christmas in a cozy atmosphere and is aimed at all ages, with children expressly welcome. Address: Altonaer Museum, Museumstraße 23, 22765 Hamburg.
Parent tip: It is best to ask the museum about prices and the exact daily program.
- Host
- Altonaer Museum (Stiftung Historische Museen Hamburg) (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Altonaer Museum, Kapucijnenvoer 30, 3000 Leuven (opens in maps)
- Registration
- Required
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New events in Leuven every week
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Christmas events for kids in Hamburg
Family Christmas event
Weihnachtsbäckerei (Christmas Bakery), Theater Tom Teuer (Hamburg)
- When: Thu, Dec 3, 9:30 and 11 am
- Where: Kultur Palast Hamburg, Brabantlaan 1, 3001 Hamburg (opens in maps)
- Cost: From €7.50
- Ages 4 and up
Expand to see the parent tip
Alfons Zuckerwatte runs the cookie emergency hotline 2412. On a hectic day before Christmas he has to bake a heart-shaped cookie from scratch while the children, the Nutcracker and his friends keep interrupting.
The children's play by Theater Tom Teuer lasts about 50 minutes and is recommended for children ages 4 and up. There are two shows on Thursday, Dec 3, 2026, at 9:30 and 11 am at the Kultur Palast Hamburg in Billstedt. Tickets start at €7.50. Address: Kultur Palast Hamburg, Öjendorfer Weg 30a, 22119 Hamburg.
Parent tip: For some dates there are no tickets left online. Ask the Kultur Palast ahead of time. Expect it to be in German.
- Host
- Kultur Palast Hamburg (opens in a new tab)
- Where
- Kultur Palast Hamburg, Brabantlaan 1, 3001 Hamburg (opens in maps)
- Registration
- Recommended
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New events in Leuven every week
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More Christmas events for kids in Belgium
- Christmas events for kids in Bruges
- Christmas events for kids in Antwerp
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- Christmas events for kids in Liege
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- Christmas events for kids in Brussels
- Christmas events for kids in Belgium
A story for the trip home
Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents. It is a cozy story to share on the way home after a big day out.
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolor. Ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon.com.be (opens in a new tab)Christmas events for kids in Leuven: questions parents ask
What are the 2026 Christmas events for kids in Leuven?
For 2026, we confirmed 11 Christmas events for kids in Leuven, each on its host’s own page: Adventsabenteuer (Advent Adventure), Waldweihnacht (Forest Christmas), Santa Reads in the Crane (Der Weihnachtsmann liest im Kran) and 8 more. Each one is listed above with times, cost and a link to the host.
Are there free Christmas events for kids in Leuven?
Yes, 9 of the 11 events here are free: Adventsabenteuer (Advent Adventure), Waldweihnacht (Forest Christmas), Santa Reads in the Crane (Der Weihnachtsmann liest im Kran) and 6 more. Some free events still ask you to register, so check each listing.
Where can kids see Santa this year in Leuven?
Where to see Santa: Die Himmelskinder-Weihnacht (The Sky Children's Christmas) and A Christmas Story (Eine Weihnachtsgeschichte), Nobel-Popel Music Theater. Check the listings above for times and booking.
Where are there Christmas story times for kids in Leuven?
Christmas story times on this page: Waldweihnacht (Forest Christmas), Engel Maxi (Angel Maxi), Timm Thaler (The Boy Who Sold His Laughter) and 2 more.
How do you confirm these events?
We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city, library or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on November 9, 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.
Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.
The story of Christmas in Leuven
Leuven fills two neighboring squares with Christmas stalls in December, and thousands of candles light the Great Beguinage on one December evening. Here is how a visiting family can plan around the season.
How Leuven celebrates Christmas
Leuven is a university town, and its Christmas season is easy to take in on foot. The Christmas market stands on two neighboring squares in the center, the Ladeuzeplein and the Hooverplein. In 2018 it was already the 31st edition, with about 170 stalls and free entry, and in 2024 it was the 36th.
The season starts earlier with Sinterklaas. In 2018 he began his Leuven tour at the train station, climbed into a carriage and rode through the city to the town hall, where the city council welcomed him. In 2026 the Sinterklaas parade is on November 21.
Sinterklaas, a Santa house and a market parade
Sinterklaas is based on Nicholas of Myra, a bishop from long ago, which is why he wears a red cloak and a red mitre with a gold cross and carries a golden staff. On the evening of December 5, kids set out milk for him, and a carrot and a sugar cube for his horse. On the morning of December 6 they find presents, speculoos cookies, chocolate, marzipan and tangerines.
The Christmas market has its own Santa, called the Kerstman in Dutch. His little house has a bedroom, a bathroom and a kitchen, and kids can post their letter in his own mailbox. In 2025 he arrived in a new market parade on a restored beer cart, with elves, a marching band and stilt walkers.
Planning a Christmas visit to Leuven with kids
The season on this page starts on Saturday, November 21, 2026 with the Sinterklaas parade through the center, which is free. The same day and in the weeks after, a children's bookshop in town hosts free Sinterklaas story hours (reserve ahead).
The Christmas market opens on December 3, 2026 and runs to December 20, with free entry. On December 12 the Great Beguinage is lit by candles, with a children's photo hunt, and December 19 brings free outdoor carols. A light trail in the botanical garden opens on December 8, and after Christmas an indoor winter playground for ages 3 to 12 runs December 26 to 30.
Most events are in Dutch, so check with the host if you need English.
A 20-meter tower and a garden from 1738
In 2024 the market had a Christmas tower almost 20 meters tall and 15 meters wide, with two platforms for a drink. The organizers had first seen one in Germany. The market draws about 600,000 visitors in two weeks, from as far as Sweden and the United States.
The botanical garden, the Kruidtuin, where the light trail Botanique Magique takes place, was laid out in 1738 by Henri-Joseph Rega, a professor of medicine at the university.
Traditions today
- Sinterklaas in a carriage: In 2018 the Sint began his tour at the station and rode in a carriage to the town hall. In 2026 the parade is on November 21.
- Presents on December 6: On the evening of December 5 kids set out milk and a carrot with a sugar cube for the horse. In the morning there are speculoos, chocolate and tangerines.
- The Leuven Christmas market: Stalls, food and performances on the Ladeuzeplein and Hooverplein, with a house for the Kerstman and a Ferris wheel that first turned in 2024.
- The Great Beguinage by candlelight: Thousands of candles light the beguinage, with carillon and choir music and food stalls. In 2018 it was free.
- Wintertijd and the town hall lights: The city's winter program began in 2018 with the lighting of the Christmas lights on the town hall, with a winter garden on the Grote Markt.
- The indoor winter playground: A covered playground for kids from age 3 between Christmas and New Year. In 2018 it was held December 26 to 30, and in 2026 it is on the same days.
A fact for kids
The Santa house at Leuven's Christmas market has its own bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. In 2025 Santa arrived on an old, restored cart with elves and stilt walkers.
Questions about Christmas in Leuven
Is Leuven worth visiting at Christmas with kids?
Yes. Leuven has a Christmas market on two neighboring squares, a Santa house with its own mailbox, a candlelit Great Beguinage and a light trail in the botanical garden. Several events, such as the Sinterklaas parade and the market entry, are free.
When does the Leuven Christmas market open in 2026?
It opens on Thursday, December 3, 2026, and runs through December 20, with free entry. In 2025 the market ran from December 9 to December 21.
Where is the Leuven Christmas market?
On the Ladeuzeplein and the Hooverplein, two neighboring squares in the center. In 2018 it was the 31st edition and in 2024 the 36th.
When is Sinterklaas in Leuven in 2026?
On Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 2:40 to 5:30 p.m., and it is free. The Sint arrives by train, then parades through the center with horses, circus helpers and dancing helpers.
Which route did Sinterklaas take in Leuven in 2018?
In 2018 his carriage went from the station along the Bondgenotenlaan, the Ladeuzeplein and the Tiensestraat to the town hall, where the city council welcomed him. Check the 2026 program for this year's route.
Where can kids meet Santa at the Leuven Christmas market?
The market has a Christmas village where Father Christmas meets children, and a Santa house with a bedroom, a bathroom and a kitchen. Kids can post their letter in his own mailbox.
How big is the Leuven Christmas market?
In 2018 there were about 170 stalls and in 2025 about 120. The market draws roughly 600,000 visitors in two weeks, from as far away as Sweden and the United States.
What was the Christmas tower in Leuven?
In 2024 the market had a tower almost 20 meters tall and 15 meters wide. Visitors could climb it and have a drink on two platforms. A Ferris wheel in Christmas style also turned for the first time that year.
How did the 2025 Leuven Christmas market open?
With a new Christmas parade. Santa rode a restored beer cart to the Ladeuzeplein with elves, city aldermen, the market's godparents, a marching band and stilt walkers. It was a mild 14 degrees.
When is the Great Beguinage by candlelight in 2026?
On Saturday, December 12, 2026, from 5 to 9:30 p.m., and it is free. There is a children's photo hunt, and Father Christmas visits the nearby Dijlepark.
What is the Great Beguinage in Leuven?
It is a historic walled quarter that began in the early 13th century, with the oldest written records from 1232. Today it has nearly 100 houses with about 300 apartments, and it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.
Who lives in the Great Beguinage today?
Mostly academics. The university bought it in 1962 and restored it between 1964 and 1989. Long ago it was home to beguines, women who lived together there: around 1650 there were 360, and the last one died in 1988.
What is Botanique Magique in Leuven?
A new winter light trail in the city's botanical garden, with eight installations and an audio story. It runs December 8 to January 10, Tuesday to Sunday from 4:30 p.m. Tickets are 15 euros, 10 euros for kids 3 to 15 and free under 3.
What is the Kruidtuin in Leuven?
It is Leuven's botanical garden, laid out in 1738 by Henri-Joseph Rega, a professor of medicine at the university. In the 1820s a new garden was added next to it, and today it is a 2.2-hectare city park in the center.
What is Wintertijd in Leuven?
Wintertijd is the city's winter program. In 2018 it ran from December 5 to January 5 and started with the lighting of the Christmas lights on the town hall. The Grote Markt had a winter garden with a nativity scene, live sheep and a big tree.
What is the indoor winter playground in Leuven?
A huge covered playground in the Brabanthal in Heverlee for ages 3 to 12, with crafts and a daily show. It runs December 26 to 30, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and tickets, which are paid, are on sale from November 16.
Can kids post a letter to Santa in Leuven?
Yes. The Santa house at the Christmas market has a mailbox where kids can post their letter. Have them write or draw it at home so that posting it is the highlight.
What do kids put out on December 5 in Belgium?
Milk for the Sint, a carrot with a sugar cube for his horse and a treat for his helper. By tradition he rides over the roofs at night and comes down the chimney. On December 6 there are presents, speculoos, chocolate, marzipan and tangerines.
How do I explain Sinterklaas to a young child?
Tell them Nicholas of Myra was a bishop long ago, and the Sint is named after him. That is why he wears a red cloak, a red mitre with a gold cross and carries a golden staff. His big book says whether kids were good.
Are there free Christmas events in Leuven?
Yes. The Sinterklaas parade, the market entry, the Great Beguinage by candlelight and a gospel and carol street concert on December 19 are free. Story hours at the children's bookshop are free with reservation.
Are Christmas events in Leuven in English?
Most events are in Dutch, the local language. A parade, a market and candlelight need no language, but story hours do, so check with the host.
How did Leuven handle the Christmas market in 2020?
In September 2020 the 33rd edition got the green light for December 9 to 20 with strict rules, including limited visitors, registration and one-way routes. Food and drinks were planned on the Hooverplein and Christmas goods on the Ladeuzeplein.
Sources
- Kerstmarkt Leuven begonnen: best warm om glühwein te drinken, VRT NWS
- Leuvense kerstmarkt dit jaar met nieuwe attractie: een kersttoren, VRT NWS
- Sinterklaas maakt ook in Gent, Brugge, Leuven en Hasselt zijn intrede, VRT NWS
- Winter in Leuven, Visit Leuven
- Brochure Wintertijd 2018, Stad Leuven
- Kerstmarkt Leuven: recordeditie, VRT NWS
- Kerstmarkt Leuven gaat door, VRT NWS
- Great Beguinage, Leuven, Wikipedia
- Hortus Botanicus Lovaniensis, Wikipedia
- De 26 mooiste kerstmarkten en lichtspektakels in ons land, Touring
- Leuven Christmas market opens with new attractions, VRT NWS
- Who is Sinterklaas, and where can you see him on 6 December?, The Brussels Times