25 Braids Donated at Efteling Fairy Tale Day: Rapunzel’s 25th Anniversary Gift to Dutch Hair Foundation

Right in the heart of the Sprookjesbos at Efteling, a very special fairy-tale moment unfolded today. To mark Rapunzel’s 25th anniversary, 25 guests donated their long braids to the Dutch Hair Foundation. Five hairdressers stood ready in the woods, cut the braids and rewarded the generous donors with fresh hairstyles and official certificates. Altogether more than ten meters of hair were collected – a valuable gift for people who lost their own hair through cancer treatment or hair diseases. The hairdressers worked on a voluntary basis for five hours.

Rapunzel has been lowering her long braid from the high tower for 25 years so the witch can visit her. Back in 2001, when the fairy tale attraction first opened, Efteling looked for Europe’s longest braid. This year the park asked people to donate braids of at least 30 centimeters. Since the call went out on June 8, nearly a hundred guests had come forward with their personal reasons. The 25 donors today prove how much difference one small gesture can make.

Especially touching are the stories behind the donations. Annelot Gent, a Dutch woman living in Antwerp who turns 25 herself in early July, donated a 30-centimeter blonde braid: “Just like Rapunzel, I’m turning 25 in early July and I think it’s fantastic to donate my blonde hair the day after my birthday to the Hair Foundation. As a little girl I was already fascinated by the fairy tale and told the hairdresser that I wanted ‘Rapunzel hair’. I think it’s a beautiful initiative and hope to make other people happy who have lost their hair. So the circle is complete.”

The almost nine-year-old Lou Gottenkieny from Enter in Twente also wanted to help with her beautiful, full head of hair: “With my donation I want to help other children and people who have lost their hair through illness. With a beautiful wig they get their self-confidence back and can laugh again. Being allowed to cut my hair in the Sprookjesbos of Efteling makes this special moment even more magical. I think it’s wonderful that I can mean something to someone else with my hair.”

Fairy Tale Day is traditionally celebrated at Efteling on July 7 – fitting for the fairy-tale number 7. Whether the seven little goats, the seven dwarfs with Snow White, Sindbad’s seven voyages or the seven-league boots of Tom Thumb: the number 7 runs through many classic stories.

The Dutch Hair Foundation supports everyone affected by hair problems or hair diseases. It provides free professional wigs to people who are financially worse off and have lost their hair due to cancer treatment or other conditions. It also offers information and builds a network for those affected. Through collections like this one, donated hair really does become new self-confidence.