This site is dedicated to all things Amsterdam.

Gary Christmas was a large part of Amsterdam for many people. He and his brother, Gregory, who died 12 years ago, were known as the Christmas Twins and had the first real Coffeeshop in Amsterdam.

Theirs was one of only three places called "Coffeeshops" in the country where you could not smoke or buy marijuana.

Gary, the last surviving Christmas Twin died a few days ago and his memorial was held today.

We have been friends since 1972.

As AXXXTW says there is more to Amsterdam than drugs and the RLD. This is so true.

In Gary's memory I thought I would post 1/2 of a video made last year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXM6HIbJYxY


Regards, Roland

Sorry to hear about your friend...

He seemed to have lived a full life..

Best Regards

Smuler

I was so sorry to read your message.

I'm just preparing to come to Amsterdam this Friday and wanted to go and see him. I've been looking for the address of the coffeeshop and found it the other day, and was just now trying to find the itinerary between my hotel and Back Stage Café, when I found you message on Google.

I met Gary and his brother in Aalborg, Denmark, when I was just a big girl. They were then working as Christmas Twins and were very impressionable for kids like us. I phoned him something like a year or a year ½ ago, and told him, that I might come along with my kids, but our plans were changed, and now my possibility for reminiscense is gone.

Britta, Brussels

Yes a shame that you will miss him. In many ways the twins were larger than life. He would have loved to have been able to catch up with you.
He and Gregory toured quite a bit before finally settling down in Amsterdam a city that he loved because they were accepted.
You can search for part II of the video on youTube.
Best regards, Roland