Why We Need Christmas? Patrick Avontuur Writes a Book About It

Patrick Avontuur can fairly be called the unofficial architect of December. Through Avontuur-BlachereNL, he has spent years transforming major venues, cities and public spaces into complete Christmas worlds. Now he has channelled his fascination with the festive season into book form. Why We Need Christmas launches on 1 December. Could this be the most fitting gift tip of the month?

Why do we hang lights everywhere as soon as it gets dark each year? Why do the same dishes, songs and rituals return without fail? And why does Christmas affect people who have little connection to the religious meaning of the festival? These are precisely the questions that form the starting point of Why We Need Christmas.

To find answers, Avontuur looks much further back in time than the first Christmas tree. Long before Christmas existed as we know it today, people gathered during the darkest period of the year. Stories were shared around the fire, light was celebrated and people looked ahead cautiously to what was to come. A few centuries later, we essentially do the same thing. Only the light strings have become somewhat more advanced in the meantime.

"Ask what Christmas does for you this year"

The book does not stay within the boundaries of one faith or culture. From Christian and Jewish traditions to ancient midwinter rituals and from an illuminated shopping street in the Netherlands to December in Japan, Brazil and the Middle East, Avontuur examines how this period is experienced differently around the world.

Precisely among all these differences, surprising similarities emerge. Light, togetherness, remembrance and hope return again and again. Avontuur captures this thought beautifully: "Do not ask what you do with Christmas this year. Ask what Christmas does for you this year."

The 240 pages alternate between historical stories, photography and personal insights. Organizations such as NS, Schiphol, Pathé and de Bijenkorf also contribute. Won Yip and Herman den Blijker each open a section of the book with a personal note.

Why We Need Christmas is released on 1 December 2026 in a first print run of 5,000 copies. With each copy sold, three charities are supported: Nationaal Ouderenfonds, LINDA.foundation and NObody is NOT welcoME.

From 1 October, Why We Need Christmas can be ordered via whyweneedchristmas.nl. Orders placed before 1 December are shipped free of charge.