{"id":1275,"date":"2016-12-17T09:46:13","date_gmt":"2016-12-17T08:46:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/?p=63618\/"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:22:06","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:22:06","slug":"em-presenteert-de-universitaire-kerstpakketten-top-8","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2016\/12\/17\/em-presenteert-de-universitaire-kerstpakketten-top-8\/","title":{"rendered":"EM presents: The University Christmas Parcel Top 8"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Dutch have three national institutions: tulips, clogs and moaning about what\u2019s in your Christmas parcel. And yet, EUR employees should be very happy with this year\u2019s parcel as not all universities are so indulgent as ours. This and much more became clear in EM<\/em>\u2019s first edition of The University Christmas Parcel Top 8, as reviewed by Dutch university magazines.<\/p>\n

8. Nothing in Nijmegen<\/h3>
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It\u2019s a hard life at Radboud University, explained university magazine Vox:<\/em> \u201cChristmas parcels for Radboud University employees are something from the dim and distant past. The university board used the crisis in 2012 to put an end to the boxes full of chocolate, wine and ragout. After all, this saved a very nice 275,000 euro. Better to make savings on that than on education and research, was the justification at the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDiscussion about the Christmas parcel resurfaced again this year, following an opinion piece in het<\/em> Financieele Dagblad<\/em><\/a> by Professor Ren\u00e9 ten Bos. With a touch of irony, but on a serious note, he wrote: \u2018How stupid is it to abolish this? You can gain peace on the employment front with this. Actually, even world peace. I\u2019d grant all world populations a Christmas parcel.\u2019 The Executive Board doesn\u2019t agree with Ten Bos, however, and does not envisage reintroducing the parcel.\u201d<\/p>\n

7. Poor creativity in Maastricht<\/h3>
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Maastricht doesn\u2019t rank too highly either in our Christmas Parcel Top 8: \u201cFifty euro in Tourist Office gift tokens and a thank-you letter (\u2018we would like to offer our sincere thanks for your efforts\u2019) that will be sent to Maastricht University employees around Christmas time\u201d, observed Maastricht university paper\u00a0Observant<\/em>. \u201cJust like last year, the year before, the year before that and probably the year before that too.\u201d<\/p>\n

6. Sensible at VU Amsterdam<\/h3>
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VU Amsterdam is keeping it sensible, according to Ad Valvas<\/em>. \u201cThere\u2019s always a lot of moaning about what\u2019s in the Christmas parcel. VU Amsterdam has deprived its employees of this opportunity for years, by simply sending a gift token. People can choose for themselves what they\u2019d like from a special website. This university is still the most virtuous, though.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can choose a sports voucher from the VU Amsterdam sports centre or have a donation sent to the good cause of your choice. There\u2019s also a selection of books, from Jamie Oliver to food scientist Martijn Katan; because perish the thought of reading \u2018Fifty Shades of Grey\u2019 at Christmas. Those preferring a traditional Christmas parcel can select the Wereldwinkel parcel. It includes a jute bag with henna design, a carton of apple juice and a Thai stir-fry pack.\u201d<\/p>\n

5. Compile it yourself in Utrecht<\/h3>
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In Utrecht, DUB<\/em> visited a Christmas market with fake currency. \u201cUtrecht University science faculty employees and officials from the administration office were able compile their own Christmas parcel. Employees were welcomed by a herald as they entered the canteen. They were given a pouch with 16 ducats (with a value of 2.50 per ducat) so they could go shopping. Soft slippers, casserole dishes, books, sustainable wine, organic olive oil, a beer pack, genuine UU clothing items, Kenyan jewellery or just some ducats for a good cause. And if employees didn\u2019t feel like attending this exaggerated Christmas market that was fine too. They can compile a Christmas parcel online but they\u2019ll only receive it in February.\u201d<\/p>\n

4. A side table in Tilburg<\/h3>
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Het krukje en de rest van de inhoud van het Tilburgse kerstpakket.<\/span><\/p><\/figcaption><\/figure>

They like special combinations in Tilburg according to Univers<\/em>. \u201cWhat do you want to eat tonight, dear? Let\u2019s do a packet of pasta again, a jar of sauce and \u2013 umm \u2013 the basil and papaya (?!?) that we stuffed in that clay jug? We\u2019ll have to use it at some point, won\u2019t we?\u2019 But hang on. Let\u2019s not be too cynical: the surprise is the Dutch Design box that can be used as storage unit, small table or stool!\u201d<\/p>\n

3. Traditional at TU Eindhoven<\/h3>
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According to Cursor<\/em>, TU Eindhoven has gone for traditional: \u201cNot only did TU\/e celebrate its 60th Anniversary in April, the uni also had one success after the other throughout the year (what\u2019s new?<\/em>), Executive Board President, Jan Mengelers said in his end of year thank-you speech. All this needed celebrating, so this year the Christmas parcel doesn\u2019t have just two, but three bottles: a red and white Portuguese duo and a sparkling Cr\u00e9mant de Bourgogne to drink away the increasing workload and sustain that lustrum party joy to the bitter end. We don\u2019t want to be very posh about this, but personally we find the TU\/e wines generally a little flat-tasting. That\u2019s why we\u2019re looking forward to spending the annual Bijenkorf gift card on something that we certainly don\u2019t need, but that still feels like a nice (and free) overindulgence. But those \u201860 years\u2019 cork coasters: hmph.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. World of choice at Wageningen<\/h3>
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In Wageningen they have so much choice, nobody can complain: \u201cA complete tableware set or a multi-functional USB charger,\u201d wrote Resource<\/em>. \u201cAnd, as this is Wageningen, you can also choose from binoculars or a ceramic(!) birdhouse. That\u2019s just a selection of the dozens of Christmas presents from which WUR staff can choose. Easy for the Christmas parcel creator: you\u2019re hardly likely to hear any complaints doing it this way. There\u2019s a nice message inside the gift token too. But I do wonder how many people will actually read it. Even I gave up half way. For that true Christmas feeling you can also give away your budget to a good cause. Or what about a Donald Duck subscription for eleven comic books. Or maybe you need a new bag or rucksack? They\u2019ve got those too.\u201d<\/p>\n

1. Classic simplicity at Erasmus<\/h3>

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As EM<\/em> we\u2019re a bit biased, but of course, the best Christmas parcel is the EUR one: \u201cThis year\u2019s Christmas parcel is in a sturdy box with a handy handle that will actually start to hurt a little if you have to trek half way across Rotterdam with it. Just like last year, but then you only discovered when you got home that you\u2019d been dragging a wheeled suitcase around in the box. That\u2019s not the case this year: the content is classic, grey (literally) and robust. But we\u2019ve no complaints, because we do like a traditional Christmas. The cashew nuts, chocolate and melba toast are there, as is a bottle of wine and the obligatory non-food product: a Turkish towel. An important plus point: no pork this year. And another plus: local products including Maasstroompjes biscuits and Rotterdam Zeemansboter peanut butter. And the Tony Chocolonely\u2019s already gone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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