Saint Martin's Day on November 11: lanterns, light and what you put out by the door
,
by Verpakkingdeals.nl
6 min reading time
On November 11th, children go door-to-door with lanterns. This is how you calculate how much you'll hand out, keep the route lit and visible, and order on time.
On November 11th, in a large part of the Netherlands, children go door-to-door with a lantern for St. Martin's Day. Where it is celebrated varies greatly: it is a regular evening in the north and parts of Utrecht, North Holland, and Limburg, while a few villages away it is hardly celebrated. If you live in such an area, it always comes sooner than you think — and on November 10th, the batteries are dead and the candy in the supermarket is sold out. Below is a practical guide: how much to prepare, how to keep the route safe and lit, and what to order if you don't want to hand out the same things every year.
How much does a household hand out?
There is no national average, so you have to rely on what you see yourself. Two rules of thumb help:
Count last year. Do you remember how many groups came by? Multiply that number by the average group size (usually two to four children) and add a quarter.
Look at your street. A terraced house on a main route will get significantly more visitors than an apartment with a communal entrance where the doorbell doesn't work. On a busy street, a hundred items is not an exaggeration; if your house is secluded, thirty will suffice.
The classic lantern with a candle is beautiful in photos but impractical: it blows out, it scorches, and it's not convenient in a fast-moving group. A battery-powered light source lasts all evening and is not a problem in the rain.
A few workable solutions from the assortment:
LED Balloons, 5 pieces (€2.95) — light, cheap, and clearly visible from a distance. Useful if you're guiding a group of children and want to give them all something to hold.
The Mini LED Flashlight with hand crank (€14.95) works without batteries: just crank it and it lights up again. Ideal for the adult at the back who wants to illuminate the curb.
If you're walking a long route with multiple families, the Solar lamp with power bank (€32.00) is a lamp you can also use to charge a phone along the way.
Around six o'clock in mid-November, it's already dark for over an hour. Children running from door to door look at the letterbox, not the road. Three small things that make a difference:
Light on the front AND the back. A lantern shines forward; a driver coming from behind won't see anything. A second light on the bag or zipper helps.
Light-colored clothing or something reflective over the jacket. Dark blue and black disappear completely between parked cars.
More and more households are opting for something other than candy — because children with allergies come by, because it simply turns out cheaper, or because there's already enough in the bag by the end of the evening. Alternatives that do well with this age group:
A small trinket instead of food. The Keychain Heart of building blocks, 2 pieces (€7.95) or a whistle from the list above are small items that aren't immediately thrown away.
A fixed setup at the door. A Red Gumball Machine (€14.95) or the Mini Blue Gumball Machine (€12.95) from which each child dispenses one, is predictable in numbers and prevents the grab bag from being empty after three groups.
Prepare it on the evening itself
The practical side, for which you'll be grateful on the evening itself:
What
Why
One dish or container by the door
You don't have to go into the cupboard every time; you can see at a glance how much is left
Divide the supply into two portions
Keep the second portion handy for the late groups around seven o'clock
Outside light on, curtain open
The unspoken sign that you are participating — it saves children a wasted trip
Not participating? Leave the light off
That too is a clear signal and perfectly normal
The same principle applies to schools, neighborhood associations, and shops: start by counting how many children you expect, order based on that, and keep one spare package on hand. Multipacks and a machine at the counter are easier to manage than loose bags that you have to refill halfway through.
Order on time
November eleventh falls on a Wednesday this year. Count back: if you want to have everything in-house with a margin for a forgotten battery or a lantern that doesn't work, order no later than the first week of November. Store chocolate and candy in a cool, dark place; put batteries and lights together in one place, so you don't have to search through three drawers on the day itself.
Everything in this article can be found in the Candy, Lighting & Lamps, Batteries & Chargers, and Keychains collections. Are you organizing a route for a school, neighborhood, or association and want to know how much of an item is in stock for larger quantities? Email your question to info@verpakkingdeals.nl, and we'll check the quantities and delivery time.
Choosing a USB hub for working from home: 2.0 or 3.0, how many ports, and with switches
· 3 min reading time
Choosing a USB hub for working from home: 2.0 or 3.0, how many ports and with switchesYour desk needs three USB devices, but your laptop only has two ports. Or...
Power outages in autumn: emergency supplies you'll actually use
· 2 min reading time
Autumn Power Outages: Emergency Supplies You'll Actually Use October to December. Heating isn't in full swing yet, but the nights are getting long and cold. If a power outage strikes...
Choosing a power bank: capacity, charging speed, and weight compared
· 2 min reading time
Choosing a Power Bank: Capacity, Charging Speed, and Weight Compared Your phone dies when you're out and about. The classic emergency solution is a power bank. But what capacity do...
