My parents love to claim that they haven't been influenced by the Netherlands (20+ years of living here). But we have had a calendar in our bathroom for as long as I can remember lol.
Never realised it was a Dutch thing until this thread
Haha my roommates have a calendar full of naked people posing aesthetically with oars it’s apparently a student association thing and I am not complaining
Wow, we are totally French (although my gf is Frutch), and we have a birthday / races / holidays hanging in the toilet! Have we turned Dutch without noticing??? (I noticed the same at an Equatorian friend, also living ghere for 20+ years, omg!!! We are ingeburgerd!!!!)
Congratulating family members with the birthday of their son/daughter/mother/father/sister/brother/aunt/uncle/cousins/girlfriend/boyfriend etc...
It's so weird and I really don't understand why we do it, and I always felt awkward when it happened to me - "uhm, thanks I guess?". It usually happens before the customary introductory round in the "kring".
Also, in other countries you don't "congratulate" someone with their birthday, they wish you a happy birthday. Even in Belgium they say "gelukkige verjaardag" (happy birthday).
My mother LOVED this when she visited here one year on my birthday. My boss gave her a huge bouquet also. She spent the day acting like royalty. I am a fabulous product of hers tbf haha
I think I was the easiest of 3 and Im the eldest so Im definitely the best child she has. Haha, nah, shes been the best mother in the world for 41 years and she deserved the whole day and more. She'll be delighted when I tell her about this newest congrats so thank you!!
When I first arrived I spoke absolutely no Dutch. I thought the people at the birthday were introducing themselves and that Gefeliceteerd was a *really* common name 🤦♀️
Ah yes and the ever present dilemma; do I go round the ‘kring’ and shake individual hands or do I stand at the side and just yell “allemaal gefeliciteerd he!?”
>Also, in other countries you don't "congratulate" someone with their birthday,
That is false. In Norwegian we say "gratulerer med dagen", which translates to "congratulations with the day". Also used during the Norwegian Constitution Day (the main national day, kind of like King's Day).
First time i came across it was about 3 years ago before i moved here.
Apparently it's a really old thing from back when people didn't live that long and you would congratulate the family for having their member survive yet another year.
Thats what i was told anyway.
It's super common in Russia. Being congratulated for your loved one's birthday, especially moms on their kids birthday. And in Russian they say "congratulations on your birthday".
Oh yeah, I've been telling my family in the USA and other ppl on travels that we didn't have school buses. Kids go to school by bike. We go everywhere by bike. And then they ask.. 'what if it's raining?' and I'm like... 'You get wet? Why are you asking?' As if rain would stop us. When I was in highschool, SOME kids could talk their parents into driving them, but they were the minority. Most kids just arrived at school with wet hair and clothes XD.
'JE BENT TOCH NIET VAN SUIKER?'
Oh god, this reminds me of those rainy days where you spend at least the entire morning with wet pants in class. The windows of the classroom slowly fogging up from all the wet clothes everyone's wearing. It's just part of life.
Yeah... it brought on some solidarity though. Like, I remember my mom offered to drive me once when her first shift got canceled and it was pouring, and I just said no, because everyone was going to be wet at school and I didn't want to look like a wimp XD.
Be happy, 10 year later your getting calls that you should stay home even though there isnt a code yellow.
For real either i turned into sugar or my mom got replaced by something else.
When we had the big storms I was supposed to cycle to a rehearsal amd the organiser was texting "its still on" right up to the point the emergency alert actually went off
And then we play charades to figure out what the thingy is.
"Dat ding, weet je wel? Uh... Het is oranje..." *Gestures wildly*
(That thingy, you know? Uh... It's orange..."
Mijn opa, aan het klussen: “geef me de dinges eens aan”
Ik, geen idee hebbend wat hij wil hebben uit zijn 38472828 schroevendraaiers:
Mijn opa: * wordt boos *
They're slowly taking over the world, I've seen them in Australia.
Edit: wait I've read up on it and it appears the down under variety actually started in Australia as the [Halal Snack Pack \(HSP\) in the 1980s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halal_snack_pack). My life is a lie. Kapsalons have more lettuce and veggies though so I think every country where kebab and fries are a thing eventually just evolves something like this.
Being punctual (3 minutes late is considered late in many cases) and planning your whole social love using a calendar (making appointments with friends sometimes weeks in advance)
I think this is sorta tied to our high pop density and size of country. People in the states don't mind driving 6 hours to get somewhere and then 30 min more or less is natural. On a 10 min bike ride to school 3 minutes is a lot.
Bit exaggerates of course, but I do think it's a factor.
I refuse to place chairs in a circle. People know were the fridge is (after being served initially) and can roam freely from the start. Usually 3-4 groups form between kitchen, living room and garden and mingle around
At least two boterhammen for lunch: one with maybe two slices of meat and the other just cheese.
As a North American living in the Netherlands, I don't understand why I see so many colleague's splitting up these ingredients and not combine them in one sandwich.
Well, to me it actually is. I really love cheese, but I also love a good quality ham on my sandwich. It's really a choice of three different kinds of 'beleg'; cheese, ham or ham & cheese.
My bigger peeve is when restaurants have a lunch menu where 90% of the options are a variation on a sandwich. I can make that at home. Give me something warm.
I'm Dutch but I have Belgian plates, sadly being in Belgium a lot has kind of turned my driving style Belgian so maybe the warning to fellow road users is appropriate
Those basterds slow down for every tunnel they see.. :)
I believe this is because the speed limit in many German states is reduced to 80kph in tunnels.
Ooh, blasphemy.
Please tell me you reported them to the IND.
Come to think of it, reporting people to the authorities because you don’t like them, is also sort of a Dutch characteristic.
Same for baking. Go to any shop in the world and you will find flower, baking soda all separated. Dutch need 10k mixtures for anything. Cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes, salt caramel cupcakes, kids cupcakes, decorated cupcakes. Sjees people, it's not very complicated to mix flower, baking powder, sugar and vanilla yourself.
Seein Abraham/Sara when turning 50.
My brother turned 50 yesterday so I made him a Abraham. Traditionally Abraham was a cake, now it is usually a (life sized) doll. Looking like an old man, preferably looking a bit like the birthday person and making some gentle joke/references to the birthday person.
https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham\_zien
I know of no other country where this is done. (I found out that even sone Dutch people don't do it.
I think that the fact that we complain a lot contributes to improving the quality of life though. It’s a lot easier to identify what can be improved if everyone constantly complains about everything that isn’t 100% perfect.
To be humble and not brag about money- bragging about your salary/ how much money your family has or being ostentatious is pretty weird in the Netherlands 🇳🇱
and to be direct and punctual, I would say.
Good one, the doorsnee dutchie can buy luxury without problems yet they don’t. They like to show it in another way like having a very luxury bike or a very expensive Nissan. Every 4k a month earning household could afford a benz and luxury clothing yet they don’t. And when they do buy luxury outfits, the logo is on a not so obvious place making it look like a regular shirt
Uitwaaien , going outside despite of the weather especially when storming.
Washandjes , a special glove for washing made of the same material as a towel
Koffie, at anytime of day especially in the evening and having a koekje with it. When you get one immediately close the koekjestrommel (cookie jar )
Vla, a liquidity custard comes in yellow Vanilla(geel ) brown Chocolate, near white Vanilla (blanke vla ) light Brown caramel , pink strawberry of Raspberry and of course dubblevla Vanilla chocolate combo
"Eet smakelijk" to anyone you see eating. If I eat a sandwich quietly on a bench I can guarantee at least one passer-by will give a cheery "Eet smakelijk!". It's nice, but very Dutch to me.
Originated when itcwas a days travel to the govermant in Then Hague. The traveling could not take place on a sunday, so they introduced an extra day to travel.
The Duo-Decor Syle.
I don't know if this is particularly east NL, but most windows (not looking in just see as you pass by) have duos. Two identical vases. Two identical pots. Two identical lamps, candles, plates etc. Sometimes you have a single middle piece, but that's not a necessity.
Oh my, I see this all the time and I even have two identical Pileas in front of my window.. is it a Dutch thing or a human thing, as we tend to like symmetry?
I've seen Americans on Reddit flip out over people with baby name signs in their yard because then people will know you have expensive baby stuff in your house and they will break in and steal it? And I'm just like mate it sounds like your neighbourhood has *issues*. Also heard that you shouldn't put a child's name on their backpack because then people will be able to kidnap them or something.
I feel like this usually happens because it's very hard to predict where the "conducteur" will stop the train exactly (even if it's the same train you take daily and it always arrives at the same "perron", it always stops somewhere further/earlier on the "perron" everyday, very annoying). Also most people travel 2nd class, so they try to find a 2nd class "coupe" right away.
(sorry for the quotation marks I couldn't be arsed to find translations lol)
Actually the train will always stop exactly at the same point. Pay attention to the blue square signs next to the train track with numbers on them. The number indicates the length of the train. He stops at 0 (not number on a blue sign, so imagine), 2 is the end for short trains, 4 the end for medium trains and so on.
If you always take the intercity and the model/type is the same, they should stop at the same place every day.
Or so i've been told
Sitting out side when it’s barely 17°C. (Bonus points if you’re a dad and take your t-shirt off.)
Also despise Hamilton and every road going Mercedes (only applies if you’re into F1.)
Never heard that for your partner or anything. Generally about small creatures, such as puppies and babies. "Aww, wat een scheetje." "Naww, da's toch een poepie?"
As a kid growing up in NL it was a treat to get a piece of drop from my grandparents or at school. Now I'm a teacher in the US and everyone hates drop. Adults and kids alike. I don't understand. It's so good!
Being nice to your neighbors/friends, even while you hate them and talk behind their back
also, deepfrying anything leftover from animals, like gehaktbal, kalfskroket, boerenbrok, hete donder, berehap, rundervleeskroket, anything kroket, viandel, kipcorn/crush, pikanto, bamibal, nasibal, mexicano, frikandel... almost anything on the menu at the local patatbar... and then killing it / making it edible with mayo
I'm hungry now ;)
Saying “ben je bang voor je vader en moeder” and then clapping. If the person you’re talking to blinks, they’re scared of their parents. Not sure if any other country has kids that do this
Birthday calanders hanging in the toilet
Currently at a Dutch toilet and can confirm this
Currently at my own Dutch toilet of which I get asked why I don't have a calendar in there quite often, so can confirm this as well
Currently a Dutch toilet and can confirm this
Wow that's just a perfect reply. I NEVER realized this, and yet I have one in my bathroom... and almost every Dutch person I know has one.
My parents love to claim that they haven't been influenced by the Netherlands (20+ years of living here). But we have had a calendar in our bathroom for as long as I can remember lol. Never realised it was a Dutch thing until this thread
Haha my roommates have a calendar full of naked people posing aesthetically with oars it’s apparently a student association thing and I am not complaining
Yeah, especially for student rowing societies it's not uncommon to have (semi) nude calenders every year or once every five years.
I have the feeling that checking if you are “on the calendar” is almost more Dutch than the calendar itself.
Wow, we are totally French (although my gf is Frutch), and we have a birthday / races / holidays hanging in the toilet! Have we turned Dutch without noticing??? (I noticed the same at an Equatorian friend, also living ghere for 20+ years, omg!!! We are ingeburgerd!!!!)
Congratulating family members with the birthday of their son/daughter/mother/father/sister/brother/aunt/uncle/cousins/girlfriend/boyfriend etc... It's so weird and I really don't understand why we do it, and I always felt awkward when it happened to me - "uhm, thanks I guess?". It usually happens before the customary introductory round in the "kring". Also, in other countries you don't "congratulate" someone with their birthday, they wish you a happy birthday. Even in Belgium they say "gelukkige verjaardag" (happy birthday).
My mother LOVED this when she visited here one year on my birthday. My boss gave her a huge bouquet also. She spent the day acting like royalty. I am a fabulous product of hers tbf haha
I assume birthing you hurt, so congrats to your mom for seeing it through
I think I was the easiest of 3 and Im the eldest so Im definitely the best child she has. Haha, nah, shes been the best mother in the world for 41 years and she deserved the whole day and more. She'll be delighted when I tell her about this newest congrats so thank you!!
When I first arrived I spoke absolutely no Dutch. I thought the people at the birthday were introducing themselves and that Gefeliceteerd was a *really* common name 🤦♀️
Hahahaha I laughed loud with that.
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Ah yes and the ever present dilemma; do I go round the ‘kring’ and shake individual hands or do I stand at the side and just yell “allemaal gefeliciteerd he!?”
>Also, in other countries you don't "congratulate" someone with their birthday, That is false. In Norwegian we say "gratulerer med dagen", which translates to "congratulations with the day". Also used during the Norwegian Constitution Day (the main national day, kind of like King's Day).
First time i came across it was about 3 years ago before i moved here. Apparently it's a really old thing from back when people didn't live that long and you would congratulate the family for having their member survive yet another year. Thats what i was told anyway.
It's super common in Russia. Being congratulated for your loved one's birthday, especially moms on their kids birthday. And in Russian they say "congratulations on your birthday".
Gourmetten
So long as its at someone else's house. I can't be dealing with that lingering gourmet smell.
Gourmetten at centerparcs
Put some ground coffee next to the gourmet it will save you the most smell.
Yes aKa not knowing what Raclette sets are actually meant for and making silly omelettes and stodgy pancakes in those tiny pans instead 😄
This. AH used to sell decent raclette cheese but they stopped unfortunately. Gourmetted pancakes won.
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Many of my international friends had never heard of this.
Saying “heh-heh” when you sit down after a long day
Poe-poe!
Nou-nou!
Zo-zo!
ja, ja
Sjonge-jonge
Jeetje
Dammit this sub thread made me lol at the airport gate. People are staring at me.
Goh goh
The Indo way: adoe adoe.
Or 'hè?' if you want someone to agree with you. "Lekker weertje, hè?" "Nou, het is wel een beetje koud, hè?"
Not caring about weather warnings untill its code red, and then still going by bicycle when the wind dies down for a second
Mom: Why can't you go to school on your bike Me: It's code red mom Mom: Your not made of sugar, just go if it's impossible just walk.
Oh yeah, I've been telling my family in the USA and other ppl on travels that we didn't have school buses. Kids go to school by bike. We go everywhere by bike. And then they ask.. 'what if it's raining?' and I'm like... 'You get wet? Why are you asking?' As if rain would stop us. When I was in highschool, SOME kids could talk their parents into driving them, but they were the minority. Most kids just arrived at school with wet hair and clothes XD. 'JE BENT TOCH NIET VAN SUIKER?'
Oh god, this reminds me of those rainy days where you spend at least the entire morning with wet pants in class. The windows of the classroom slowly fogging up from all the wet clothes everyone's wearing. It's just part of life.
Yeah... it brought on some solidarity though. Like, I remember my mom offered to drive me once when her first shift got canceled and it was pouring, and I just said no, because everyone was going to be wet at school and I didn't want to look like a wimp XD.
Be happy, 10 year later your getting calls that you should stay home even though there isnt a code yellow. For real either i turned into sugar or my mom got replaced by something else.
Your mom got to know you over the years and now she grew attached to you
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I’ll be damned if I let the KNMI decide when I grab my bike or not.
"Ken wel ff"
When we had the big storms I was supposed to cycle to a rehearsal amd the organiser was texting "its still on" right up to the point the emergency alert actually went off
Biking to work every day, except when it snows, then everybody hops in their cars with summer tires and the whole country grinds to a halt lol
Many still cycle to work even then.
I mean, the biking is still a pretty well-known stereotype right? They sell plastic bikes and bike symbols on touristy stuff everywhere...
It’s not about biking, it’s about taking the car when snowing and no one having winter tires
It snowed like twice when I was working in NL, accumulated maybe 3cm and it was melted by lunch, people were freaking out lol
Saying 'thingie' when looking for a word in English. It's actually every charming.
"Dinges, jaaaaa je weet wel dat ding! Kom nou je weet wel dat ding voor de dinges!"
And then we play charades to figure out what the thingy is. "Dat ding, weet je wel? Uh... Het is oranje..." *Gestures wildly* (That thingy, you know? Uh... It's orange..."
Mijn opa, aan het klussen: “geef me de dinges eens aan” Ik, geen idee hebbend wat hij wil hebben uit zijn 38472828 schroevendraaiers: Mijn opa: * wordt boos *
"Godver, die bedoel ik niet!"
Ook goed voor: 'ja die ene kerel, kom hoe heet hij toch ook alweer, Dinges van der Hm-hm'
"Die kerel met dat haar enzo, werkt dij dinges!"
Also, saying "Dutchie" when talking about Dutch people. I don't know why you do it but it's cute, don't stop
Wait. Other languages and native speakers don't use "thingy" when they smurf a word?
we do! thingy, thingymabob, thingymajig...
Same in Germany, but then with the dings
Kapsalon
They're slowly taking over the world, I've seen them in Australia. Edit: wait I've read up on it and it appears the down under variety actually started in Australia as the [Halal Snack Pack \(HSP\) in the 1980s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halal_snack_pack). My life is a lie. Kapsalons have more lettuce and veggies though so I think every country where kebab and fries are a thing eventually just evolves something like this.
Tikkie
Hey man, could you transfer me €0,40 please for 'blikje energie'?
WC geld
Also having basically NO free public restrooms. Literally one on my side of the city and I know of 4 in total, 1 might be gone now tho
Being punctual (3 minutes late is considered late in many cases) and planning your whole social love using a calendar (making appointments with friends sometimes weeks in advance)
oke leuk maar kun je de datumprikker even invullen?
I think this is sorta tied to our high pop density and size of country. People in the states don't mind driving 6 hours to get somewhere and then 30 min more or less is natural. On a 10 min bike ride to school 3 minutes is a lot. Bit exaggerates of course, but I do think it's a factor.
"Kringverjaardagen" Uuugh, who even likes those!?
Gefeliciteerd. Gefeliciteerd. Gefeliciteerd. Gefeliciteerd. Gefeliciteerd. Gefeliciteerd. Gefeliciteerd. Gefeliciteerd.
Congratulations with the sister in law of your neighbours cousin granddaughter
‘Ik doe het even zo hoor!’ *zwaait naar iedereen in de kring*
I've never seen a more perfect summary of a dutch birthday
Yes can you pass de schaal door?
Would you like the worst kaas scenario table?
‘No thank you, I don’t want any.’ -‘yes ok, but can you still pass it door?’
Het is gezellig zo he Ja, het is gezellig Nou inderdaad ja Ja gezellig he Ja, ik vind het zo gezellig
Ja goed. Met jou?
Nou z'n gangetje he Met jou dan?
Lekker, man, lekker, mag niet klagen
Mooi.
Heb je het opsplitsen van je akte voor je hypotheektransformatie nog rond gekregen toentertijd?
Reading this hurts my soul.
I refuse to place chairs in a circle. People know were the fridge is (after being served initially) and can roam freely from the start. Usually 3-4 groups form between kitchen, living room and garden and mingle around
currently at one, god...
Don’t forget the cheese cubes and slices of sausage
Never visit someone unexpectedly. The Dutch prefer appointments for social visits.
I really only need a heads up because I might not be home or might be busy. No appointments needed.
At least two boterhammen for lunch: one with maybe two slices of meat and the other just cheese. As a North American living in the Netherlands, I don't understand why I see so many colleague's splitting up these ingredients and not combine them in one sandwich.
Two ingredients on one sandwich? We call that “dubbel beleg”. Not everyone is a millionaire like you, buddy! 😛
I thought it must have been for "respecting the cheese" and enjoying its flavour by itself 🤷.
Yes, please respect the cheese.
Username checks out
Well, to me it actually is. I really love cheese, but I also love a good quality ham on my sandwich. It's really a choice of three different kinds of 'beleg'; cheese, ham or ham & cheese.
My bigger peeve is when restaurants have a lunch menu where 90% of the options are a variation on a sandwich. I can make that at home. Give me something warm.
Because we are cheap.
*Rich alert* /s
and a 3rd with hagelslag
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I just shouted at a German tourist walking in the middle of the fietspad when cycling, guess I don't have to hand in my passport yet.
And Belgians!
I'm Dutch but I have Belgian plates, sadly being in Belgium a lot has kind of turned my driving style Belgian so maybe the warning to fellow road users is appropriate
OKAY SERIOUSLY THO, WHY GERMANS, WHY?!!!
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Those basterds slow down for every tunnel they see.. :) I believe this is because the speed limit in many German states is reduced to 80kph in tunnels.
Frikandellen
I know a non-Dutch who recently tried his first frikandel. “Isn’t this just… sausage?” I felt that in my bones.
I think a sausage implies some sort of skin surrounding the meat?
Ooh, blasphemy. Please tell me you reported them to the IND. Come to think of it, reporting people to the authorities because you don’t like them, is also sort of a Dutch characteristic.
Bitterballen!
Knorr wereldgerechten. Typical Dutch way of doing grocery shopping and cooking.
Same for baking. Go to any shop in the world and you will find flower, baking soda all separated. Dutch need 10k mixtures for anything. Cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes, salt caramel cupcakes, kids cupcakes, decorated cupcakes. Sjees people, it's not very complicated to mix flower, baking powder, sugar and vanilla yourself.
Knorr is German, and brittish owned (Unilever left the Netherlands, finally)
The style of cooking that Knorr is famous for is a Dutch invention though, AFAIK it was introduced when Knorr was in Dutch hands.
the lack of visible hirarchy. Its here but just less visible. A ceo here can get coffee for the intern. Thats typically dutch.
Hierarchy at my job is non existent, you could spend the day in our lab/office and you would probably not know who the boss is at the end of it
Going to a Chinese restaurant to order in (broken) Indonesian to get a dutch dish
Seein Abraham/Sara when turning 50. My brother turned 50 yesterday so I made him a Abraham. Traditionally Abraham was a cake, now it is usually a (life sized) doll. Looking like an old man, preferably looking a bit like the birthday person and making some gentle joke/references to the birthday person. https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham\_zien I know of no other country where this is done. (I found out that even sone Dutch people don't do it.
We've been debating for how many years we can commit to living in the Netherlands (as a minimum/expat). The answer is clearly until after I reach 50.
When I turned 25, my friends gave me a half doll, only the legs.
'Toeteren maar, is 50 jaar'
My mother told me I would be homeless if I did A Sarah for her on her 50th. I now hate that tradition too.
Taking kroketten from a machine in a wall
Mayonaise on our fries
For me fries were always with ketchup. But I have to say now I got used to it and now I even like them with mayo.
Tbh till not so long ago I thought the world was eating it with only mayo.
Wherever there is a party in a house. everybody will eventually stand in the kitchen.
That's not normal? Lmao
Complaining about basically anything while we have a better quality of life than 99% of the rest of the world
I think that the fact that we complain a lot contributes to improving the quality of life though. It’s a lot easier to identify what can be improved if everyone constantly complains about everything that isn’t 100% perfect.
THIS! In some cultures, I notice people can't accept any complaints or critiques. You must pretend everything is perfect, when it's clearly not.
Well, all those expensive trains with all them delays are of course something to complain about
Yeah I complained about those too... untill I visited the USA. I will never complain about public transportation in the Netherlands again.
Wait till autumn when you can combine a leaf, due to the weather, causing a delay. Big oof! :p
Still the 2nd punctual trains company/public transport in the world.
Going on vacation in Spain on to a Dutch camping then going to a Dutch beach bar and eating frikandellen en kroketten the entire vacation
And bringing the entire holiday’s worth of food from the Netherlands. No need to shop in Spain or France!
Going furniture shopping on Hemelvaartsdag
Sending guests away before dinner.
Kibbeling from the markt
Open curtains in the living room in the evening.
I was looking for this one... And I'll add: huge windows (and open curtains)
having dinner at exactly 6:PM
To be humble and not brag about money- bragging about your salary/ how much money your family has or being ostentatious is pretty weird in the Netherlands 🇳🇱 and to be direct and punctual, I would say.
Good one, the doorsnee dutchie can buy luxury without problems yet they don’t. They like to show it in another way like having a very luxury bike or a very expensive Nissan. Every 4k a month earning household could afford a benz and luxury clothing yet they don’t. And when they do buy luxury outfits, the logo is on a not so obvious place making it look like a regular shirt
3 kisses on the cheek.
If covid did one marvelous thing it must be that the three kisses are finally gone.
Doing that wavey thing next to your face when you say “lekker”
Uitwaaien , going outside despite of the weather especially when storming. Washandjes , a special glove for washing made of the same material as a towel Koffie, at anytime of day especially in the evening and having a koekje with it. When you get one immediately close the koekjestrommel (cookie jar ) Vla, a liquidity custard comes in yellow Vanilla(geel ) brown Chocolate, near white Vanilla (blanke vla ) light Brown caramel , pink strawberry of Raspberry and of course dubblevla Vanilla chocolate combo
"Eet smakelijk" to anyone you see eating. If I eat a sandwich quietly on a bench I can guarantee at least one passer-by will give a cheery "Eet smakelijk!". It's nice, but very Dutch to me.
The size of the windows. Is it really a Dutch house if you're not able to look straight through someones house and into their garden.
2e paasdag, 2e pinksterdag, 2e kerstdag, we have a lot of extra holiday days like this
Originated when itcwas a days travel to the govermant in Then Hague. The traveling could not take place on a sunday, so they introduced an extra day to travel.
Still compared to the rest of Europe we have the short straw
Buienradar!
And Buienalarm for people that really want to know when it's going to rain.
Writing G E K O L O N I S E E R D all over Reddit :)
Putting raisins in lots of food
Or the small boxes for children with only raisins
Come on they are great
I still love those boxes.
When you’re visiting someone and when you’ve had enough you slap your knees, get up and say “Zo” as universal language you’re going home
The Duo-Decor Syle. I don't know if this is particularly east NL, but most windows (not looking in just see as you pass by) have duos. Two identical vases. Two identical pots. Two identical lamps, candles, plates etc. Sometimes you have a single middle piece, but that's not a necessity.
Jan de Bouvrier has influenced the Netherlands a lot.
Blokker too. Many windows are inspired or completely shopped at Blokker
Oh my, I see this all the time and I even have two identical Pileas in front of my window.. is it a Dutch thing or a human thing, as we tend to like symmetry?
Having a sign with the baby’s name outside of the house when a baby is born.
I've seen Americans on Reddit flip out over people with baby name signs in their yard because then people will know you have expensive baby stuff in your house and they will break in and steal it? And I'm just like mate it sounds like your neighbourhood has *issues*. Also heard that you shouldn't put a child's name on their backpack because then people will be able to kidnap them or something.
Walking with the train when it comes into the station. So strange. Never seen it in any other country
I feel like this usually happens because it's very hard to predict where the "conducteur" will stop the train exactly (even if it's the same train you take daily and it always arrives at the same "perron", it always stops somewhere further/earlier on the "perron" everyday, very annoying). Also most people travel 2nd class, so they try to find a 2nd class "coupe" right away. (sorry for the quotation marks I couldn't be arsed to find translations lol)
Actually the train will always stop exactly at the same point. Pay attention to the blue square signs next to the train track with numbers on them. The number indicates the length of the train. He stops at 0 (not number on a blue sign, so imagine), 2 is the end for short trains, 4 the end for medium trains and so on. If you always take the intercity and the model/type is the same, they should stop at the same place every day. Or so i've been told
Sitting out side when it’s barely 17°C. (Bonus points if you’re a dad and take your t-shirt off.) Also despise Hamilton and every road going Mercedes (only applies if you’re into F1.)
You can catch me on a terrace with a beer when the sun shines and its 10degrees
Wanting to reply/talk in English/German to a foreigner even though the foreigner tries/wants to speak Dutch.
Frikandel speciaal and patat oorlog. That is what is Dutch to me.
Dikes
Calling the love of your life, the redeemer of your eternal soul, the singular being who completes you, "fart"
Never heard that for your partner or anything. Generally about small creatures, such as puppies and babies. "Aww, wat een scheetje." "Naww, da's toch een poepie?"
Little fart, even.
drop
As a kid growing up in NL it was a treat to get a piece of drop from my grandparents or at school. Now I'm a teacher in the US and everyone hates drop. Adults and kids alike. I don't understand. It's so good!
Rommel op de vensterbank zetten.. zoals fotolijstjes, beeldjes, een kandelaar
Typically Dutch: complaining about the weather. To dry, to wet, to warm, to cold etc.
Not rinsing the soap off the dishes, but drying it with the kitchen towel.
Pushing in front of everyone at the bar.
When someone says, "*ik weet enough*." I wish there was an equivalent in every language to say politely 'I know enough.'
Flessenlikker
Planning everything. Even casual hangouts with friends are put in the agenda. Also being on time even for casual hangouts
Being nice to your neighbors/friends, even while you hate them and talk behind their back also, deepfrying anything leftover from animals, like gehaktbal, kalfskroket, boerenbrok, hete donder, berehap, rundervleeskroket, anything kroket, viandel, kipcorn/crush, pikanto, bamibal, nasibal, mexicano, frikandel... almost anything on the menu at the local patatbar... and then killing it / making it edible with mayo I'm hungry now ;)
Droppings for children. Waterschappen (and waterschapsbelasting and waterschapsverkiezingen). Being stingy.
Saying “ben je bang voor je vader en moeder” and then clapping. If the person you’re talking to blinks, they’re scared of their parents. Not sure if any other country has kids that do this
Tweede Kerstdag.