Krokets and Kibbeling

Although New Year came as no surprise, it still managed to sneak up on the Van der Veld family. The old year came and went much too fast, but “the clock always moves fastest when you wish it wouldn’t move at all,” as Great Grandma Gertude would always say.
Today, time crawled, as Trudy and Jani laid around the house, doing absolutely nothing. Mrs. Van der Veld sat in the Tulip House, working crossword puzzles. When she finished her drink, she returned to the kitchen and filled her mug with milk before adding a splash of coffee.
“Mom, I’m bored,” Jani called from the living room. She stood in the doorway. Jani was stretched out on the couch. Ajax laid beside him, laid out on the floor much like his master on the couch.
“Why don’t you take Ajax for a walk? It looks as if it would do you both some good.”
“I suppose I could do that.”
Jani went to the coat rack and bundled up before snatching the leash in his hand. Ajax jumped up, instantly ready for a brisk walk. Jani took Ajax through the Oudegracht, stopping by the Van Heeswijk’s new house. He knocked on the door and Mrs. Van Heeswijk answered.
“Gelukkig Nieuwjaarsdag!” she said, wishing Jani a Happy New Year.
“Gelukkig Niewjaarsdag,” he answered.
“Rolf is with his brother at the lake.”
“What are they doing?”
“Building the fire-stack for the New Year celebration. You should visit them.”
“I think I will.”
So, Jani and Ajax went to the lake. A great pile of wooden pallets stood on the beach. Men stood on each level of the pile, passing wooden pallets to the top of the fire-stack. Jani found Mattias and Rolf busily unloading one of the flatbed trucks.
“Gelukkig Nieuwjaar, Rolf,” called Jani.
“Hey, Jani! Gelukkig Niewjaars!” answered Rolf.
“Are you going to the housewarming tonight?”.
“Not until later. Mum just wants us home by midnight,” said Rolf.
“If you guys are going out, maybe I can go, too.”
“It’s always worth a try,” suggested Mattias.
Jani returned home, only to find everyone preparing for the housewarming party. Father was in the shower. Mother was in Trudy’s room, picking out an outfit for Trudy.
“Are you going now?” asked Jani.
“I was hoping we could get an early start,” she replied.
“Rolf and Mattias will be at the fire-stack tonight. I was wondering if I could go with them.”
“It would be nice if we all went to the party,” replied Mrs. Van der Veld.
“They’ll be home by midnight,” replied Jani.
“Go ahead and get ready and we’ll see about the lake.”
Jani still wasn’t sure if he could go to the fire-stack or not. He figured if his mom was going to say yes, it depended on his father. Jani quickly changed his clothes, then searched the house for his father. Unfortunately, his mother found him first.
“You want to go out with Rolf and Mattias?” asked Mr. Van der Veld.
Jani nodded.
“Mrs. Van Heeswijk has been planning the party for the entire month.”
“But Rolf…”
“I know, Rolf is going to the fire-stack. Your mother wants you to stay at the party.”
“Okay,” said Jani, “I’ll go to the housewarming.”
“Jani, you can go with Rolf and Mattias,” said his mother, “but only if you promise to return to the party before midnight.”.
“I promise,” said Jani.
He rode with his parents to the housewarming party. All along the Oudegracht, Christmas lights decorated trees and houses. Lights also adorned the Van Heeswijk house. Strands of white light hung from the pulley Mr. Van Heeswijk used for moving furniture to the second floor. The canopy of light formed a pathway for visitors to the Van Heeswijk house. Outside, guests waited to enter into house, which was already packed with visitors. Once Jani stepped inside, he sought out Rolf and Mattias. Mrs. Van der Veld sought out Mrs. Van Heeswijk.
Like all New Year’s parties in the Netherlands, the smell of deep fryers filled the air. In the kitchen, three deep fryers worked, frying everything imaginable.
Mr. Van Heeswijk found the deep fryers and the food they cooked. There were cubes of Edam, Gouda, and Limburger cheese, coated in batter and deep-fried until golden brown. There were also potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and pickles, too. Each bowl of goodies labeled, to identify one golden nugget from the rest.
Jani found Rolf and Mattias on the second floor, in the bedroom the brothers shared.
“What did your mom say?” asked Rolf.
“I can go with you guys,”
“Let’s get going before it gets too late,” said Mattias. He drove Jani and Rolf to Lakeside Park, where the fire-stack would soon be lit. People gathered around small campfires, waiting for the bonfire lighting ceremony.
Rolf and Jani followed Mattias through the crowd. Some of Mattias’ friends played soccer on the beach. Jani bundled his coat as a chill breeze blew over the beach from the lake.
“They’re making kibbeling over there,” said Mattias.
Rolf and Jani walked to the picnic table where the people gathered. The table was filled with large bowls of fish meat. A few people sitting at the table busily prepared fish skewers and handed them out to anyone who was interested. Rolf and Jani each took a skewer and grilled it at a fire pit. Jani always thought fish tasted best grilled on skewers. The meat was warm yet moist and salty yet fresh.
Clapping and cheering rose through the crowd as Jani and Rolf stood next to a fire pit. Men with torches marched toward the fire-stack and encircled it. A man led the group in one more song then wished everyone an early “Gelukkig Nieuwjaarsdag!” Each torchbearer walked toward the fire-stack and stuffed his torch deep into the woodpile. The men left their torches imbedded in the fire-stack and rejoined the crowd, far from the fire-stack.
Several nests of fire glowed as the torches started fires inside the fire-stack. As the flames licked up the side of the woodpile, a great bonfire formed. It was the biggest bonfire Jani had ever seen.
At first, the people crowded around the bonfire, but as the flames grew higher, the fire grew hotter. Rolf and Jani moved toward the road, far from the searing heat of the fire. Unfortunately, they stood so far from the bonfire that the air outside chilled them.
“I’m getting cold,” said Jani.
“Me, too,” replied Rolf, “Let’s move closer.”
With a bonfire that size, there was no proper place to stand. The wind from the lake blew the flames this way and that. The crowd moved in and out with the heat from the fire. As winds picked up, people could not stand near the bonfire at all. Jani and Rolf decided it was time to return home. They found Mattias, who took the boys to the party.
Rolf and Jani sought out the warmest room in the house, which was also the most crowded: the kitchen.
“Rolf, what are you doing here?” asked his mother.
“It got too cold outside.”
Mrs. Van Heeswijk offered hot mugs of chocolate to the boys. They gladly accepted them. While they sipped their drinks, they found an empty deep fryer. Uncooked meatballs sat on the plate next to the deep fryer. They rolled them in a dish of flour before dropping them into the boiling oil.
As soon as the krokets hit the oil, the hot liquid boiled. The krokets floated to the surface, turning a crisp, golden brown.
Rolf fished the Krokets from the hot oil and dumped them onto a paper towel. Jani poked a kroket with his fork and dipped it into sauce. As soon as he put it into his mouth, he spat it out.
“You have to let it cool,” said Rolf.
Indeed, Jani did let the kroket cool before attempting to eat again. Mr. Van der Veld joined the boys at the deep fryer with a plate of fried vegetables. They consumed as many krokets as they could stand before leaving the deep fryers behind.
Just before midnight, Mr. Van Heeswijk turned on the radio for the countdown to the New Year.
“Tien! Negen! Acht! Zeven! Zes! Vijf! Vier! Drie! Twee! Een! Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!” the crowd shouted. People shared kisses. Both Jani and Rolf had their cheeks pinched and their lips whet with the waxy lipstick of their mother’s friends. It was another messy beginning to the New Year.
At the fire-stack, Mattias and his friends had taken off their shirts and shoes just before midnight. People lined up on the shoreline, also counting from ten to zero. A man stood in the surf, pointing a starter pistol into the air.
With a blast and a splash, the New Year was begun at Lakeside Park. The man shot the pistol and the crowd dashed into the surf. Mattias swam out as far as he could before the ice cold surf shocked his body. He stood up and waded back to shore.
His friends gathered in a large white tent near the shore, keeping out of the bitter wind. They drank a toast to the New Year, lifting cups of Jenever and giving salute to their friendship, their country, and the year ahead.
So, too, did the party at the Van Heeswijk house. Just after midnight, Mrs. Van der Veld found her son and husband on the back porch, having a little talk.
“Are you boys ready to go home?” she asked.
“I think it’s time,” said Mr. Van der Veld. Jani agreed.
“Where’s Trudy?” she asked.
“She’s sleeping in the boy’s room. I’ll fetch her.”
Mr. Van der Veld carried Trudy to the truck and gently laid her in the back seat as they went home.
“How was your night, Jani?” asked Mrs. Van der Veld.
“I had a great time,”
“Are you upset you didn’t get to stay at the lake until midnight?”
“I think I had a better time since I had the chance to enjoy two parties.”
“That’s good.”
As the truck stopped in front of their house, Trudy awakened.
“Why didn’t someone tell me it was the New Year?” she grumbled.
“It’s the New Year!” said her father.
“You didn’t miss much,” insisted her mother.
“I missed the Countdown.”
“If you want, we can countdown again,” said Jani.
“It’s not the same.”
“Well Happy New Year anyway,” said her father.
“Yes, Happy New Year, Trudy,” said mother.
While their mother and father slept, Jani and Trudy stayed in the living room. They watched the continuing New Year’s celebration on television, counting down the next hour.
“Now do you feel better?” asked Jani.
“I guess,” said Trudy.
“Goede Avond, Trudy, und Gelukkig Nieuwjaars,” said Jani. He went to the loft, calling it quits for the night, too. Trudy stayed in the living room, counting down more New Year’s until she finally fell asleep just before dawn, glad she could ring in the New Year with her brother, even if she was a few hours late.