15 Strange Dutch Habits

15 Strange Dutch Habits

Up to date on September 23, 2013
Introducing You the Prime 15 of Unusual Dutch Habits
I'm Dutch, I was born within the lovely town of Schiedam (close to Rotterdam) and I have lived all my life within the Netherlands. I traveled to many other countries in the world and explored different cultures. In my very own nation stay many people that weren't born right here. I talked with them about what they think of us Dutch people. They informed me they like it here typically, but there are strange Dutch habits too they can not get used to.
A lovely concept to jot down about! At first I wanted to create a top 5 or so about the weird facet of Holland, however quickly I found out there are many more. I really like 15, it is triple 5. We kiss individuals three occasions, and thus I made a decision to jot down the top 15 of strange Dutch habits.
After writing I was nearly too scared to publish! When giving it a superb thought the Netherlands may be very weird when you solely concentrate on our strange and generally rude conduct. Is my country prepared for a visit to the worldwide psychiatrist? Decide for yourself and revel in. I had to snicker quite a bit while writing this in some way hilarious Lens!
1: Dutch Are Stingy and Frugal!
I believe Mr Duck is Dutch ;-)
A lot of jokes are being informed about us by our Belgium neighbors about our stingy and frugal habits and I need to admit they're so proper!
Listed below are some examples:
-After we go on a trip we load our cars full with food That's as a result of we don't wish to spend too much cash.
-We do not wish to deal with other individuals when going out for diner. However when others treat us we don't complain...
-A lot of us "Dutchies" don't easily buy others a drink when going to a restaurant or so.
-Identical factor goes for getting somebody a present: The Dutch people tend to spend as less money as possible on items
-We aren't any great tippers once we eat out or have a drink. Plenty of people I do know don't tip at all!
Yes
No
2: Dutch Individuals Are Not Very Hospitable - We Will Never Win the Good Host Award
The Dutch hospitality is horrible. Planning to go to us at dwelling? It is rather traditional for the average Dutch family to offer you only one cookie and then shut the cookie jar! We actually do, can you consider it? I by no means appreciated this behavior, it will not happen if your visit me. However in most Dutch households that is pretty regular. Even with their very own family members!
Also do not be shocked that you will not be invited for dinner when it is time to eat.
I even know folks that politely tell their visitor(s) they are going to eat after which make clear with their physique language that the visitor(s) should depart. Amazing! If you keep for dinner (or lunch) do not anticipate most Dutch folks to have plenty of meals on the desk. They prepare dinner simply enough for the number of individuals current.
A traditional Dutch dinner doesn't take long too:We hurry eating the food, often it is completed inside half an hour if not a lot of people who are not from my country this is unbelievable and surprising! Especially folks from the Mediterranean international locations spend much more time on eating their meals.
3: Mash Your Meals Honey! - In Dutch We Name this "Eten Prakken"
Dutch individuals like to mash their food. From potatoes to pasta. I've even seen Dutch folks mash their fries! When they mash their veggies, meat and potatoes together they love to put sauce on it too. Watch an indication on You Tube how we try this!
Curious About Dutch Food?
The Dutch and Belgian (our neighbor country) kitchen is great. We eat a number of potatoes. A typical Dutch meal is potatoes, vegetables and meat. But there may be far more.
In the event you like to try out a few of our recipes I recommend you this e book full of ideas.
How do you rejoice birthdays in your country?
In most countries Birthday Events are nice, with plenty of drinks and food, good music and buddies having fun. That may be at house or in a restaurant. It's at all times a real occasion. However not in the Netherlands. We do it very totally different right here!
One humorous but in addition weird birthday habit now we have is to congratulate all individuals present. No matter if it are the neighbors, the mother and father, buddies or other people. You are available and shake hands or kiss and say congratulations to everyone.
Guests are normally welcomed to sit on a chair and they aren't supposed to depart it till the get together is over! While you got your chair to take a seat on you get coffee or tea and a bit of cake. Then you definitely get one other cup of tea or coffee and once more cake should you're lucky! After the espresso/tea/cake ritual other drinks are served and snacks are being served. It's in this order. When you ask for one thing else when you're purported to drink tea or coffee you'll in all probability see the host taking a look at you like you're from Mars or so!
Often there are not any plates or so on the desk stuffed with goodies, The host walks around with them. Pieces of Dutch cheese are very talked-about in addition to potato chips and items of sausage, toast and so on. That's it. No dancing, perhaps some music, however not too loud, otherwise people can't have a conversation with one another... Does this sound like a party to you? Not to me!

A typical Dutch toilet
Now, don't be shocked. If you happen to go to folks the toilet is free. However if you want to use the toilet in a restaurant or different public places they make you pay. It can price you 50 (euro)cent per visit!
The Dutch bathrooms are completely different than these in lots of different international locations. On the picture you see a typical Dutch rest room.
Eating out of the wall, disgusting!
I already mentioned our unusual habit to mash (nearly) all of our meals, but there are extra! We eat our fries with mayonnaise for example. I love that habit, but in the eyes of individuals from other nations this would possibly look bizarre. You should attempt it for your self. I l personally wouldn't need to eat my fries completely different. Sometimes I eat them with mayonnaise and peanut sauce which is a delicious mixture!
When a child is born a typical Dutch behavior is to serve rusk with aniseed comfits.
If it's a woman the comfits are pink, if it's a boy they are blue. If you go to the mother and father of a new child you will need to eat it, no matter in the event you prefer it or not. You're imagined to act such as you like it. The rusk with aniseed comfits is also served at work, usually by the father. So you possibly can't escape them.
Lots of Dutch people eat their Peanut butter sandwich with chocolate sprinkles or Chili Sauce.
Personally I love chocolate sprinkles on my peanut butter every so often. It's so tasty!
Another unusual Dutch custom is eating their scorching snacks "out of the wall".
In the wall of most snack bars there are small home windows. You place in a coin and get a sizzling snack (see picture). I think it is the most disgusting tradition we have relating to consuming quick meals! A lot of the times the snacks have been there for hours! I do not recommend attempting this your self at all. You may get actually sick from it and the snacks aren't very tasty. Most of the occasions they are additionally not heat in any respect. So go for contemporary snacks in the event you visit my nation!
Style Our Dutch Delight - Very Scrumptious Dutch Meals
You need to actually strive them out!
Join the Debate: Specific Your Opinion Concerning the Dutch!
Anyone can be a part of this discussion. You don't need to be a member of Squidoo to participate. Comments will be accredited by me earlier than they're revealed. I enable almost everything except for the usage of HTML, spamming, off matter topics, rude and/or disrespectful language and the whole lot that's unlawful just isn't allowed either. So be pleasant, be funny, let's speak about us "psycho" Dutch individuals ;-)
Do you're keen on the Netherlands and the Dutch folks?
Sure, because...
darkflowers three years in the past from The Hague, the Netherlands
@Nancy Hardin: Thanks for your type words Nancy :)
Nancy Hardin 3 years in the past from Las Vegas, NV
After all I do! We all have our little quirks, and you would be surprised how many people here do among the similar stuff you've famous on this lens. Thanks for sharing the Dutch methods with us.
darkflowers three years ago from The Hague, the Netherlands
@Ruthi: Thank you! We could be very nice Ruthi :) We're not too dangerous hahaha ;-)
Ruthi three years ago
Although it appears you've got (a minimum of 15) strange habits in the Netherlands, still I like the Dutch I've met on-line. (That would come with you, in fact!)
darkflowers 3 years ago from The Hague, the Netherlands
@Susan Zutautas: Thank you Susan ;-)
Susan Zutautas three years in the past from Ontario, Canada
I've met so many good individuals from the Netherlands including you. What's to not love :)
darkflowers three years ago from The Hague, the Netherlands
Yes sure I love my fellow Dutch sweeties! I do know we're not as dangerous as we may appear like sometimes ;-)
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darkflowers three years ago from The Hague, the Netherlands
@anonymous: I need to know the Belgium top 15 please! Thank you for commenting Martine!
anonymous 3 years in the past
I'm dwelling in Belgium and went to the Netherlands fairly often and there's such an enormous distinction between our top 15 :)
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7: King's Day Get together in the Netherlands! - Your complete Country Turns Orange!
April 27, Kingsday within the Netherlands: your entire country turns orange!
On April 27 the Netherlands gets crazy: it is King's Day! It is the birthday of our new King Willem Alexander. When you're round you may see a LOT of orange on that day. Persons are wearing orange, have painted their faces, dyed their hair orange, and loads of foods and drinks are orange too.
It's a funny sight! There are festivities everywhere on at the present time in all the country. Music, games, people promoting their previous stuff on the streets, etc. I really like Kings Day, however the orange thing is a bit bizarre. The Dutch people have the same habit by the way when our national soccer team is taking part in worldwide competitions.
Orange is our national coloration, this is due to the household identify of our royals up to now. We had a King many centuries again known as "Willem van Oranje" (oranje is the Dutch word for orange). Now you understand why we still have this colour current when it is occasion time!
An Impression of Holland Turning Orange
We celebrated King's day for the primary time this 12 months, earlier than that we had Queen Beatrix, she retired now. This video was taken on Queen's day but King's day will not be completely different.
Dutch individuals usually bounce the queue! Even penguins do not do this....
eight: Rude Dutch Habits
We're very nice individuals usually however we even have some actually nasty and impolite habits! Here's a small record:
We at all times let you know what is on our mind.
For people from other countries this often comes as a shock. Dutchies are very sincere and prefer to inform you the daring truth (a minimum of they assume it's true).
Dutch humor is commonly very sarcastic.
Our humor often scares of tourists and expats. Do not be shocked if they boldly name someones child an "ugly monster" or inform you you appear to be shit. They don't mean it like that after all. It's typical Dutch humor. Don't be shocked. Just chuckle like you think it is an ideal joke. It's what we do among one another too!
We're awfully impolite once we use the general public transport system.
A number of the Dutch individuals don't let different passengers get out of the train or bus first. They need to get in themselves as quickly as possible, it doesn't matter what. They even will not mind to push people away who wish to get out! It is accepted here. It's sort of "normal".
I'm deeply ashamed for this impolite behavior! Similar goes when older people, or folks with a disability or pregnant women step within the bus/practice. You won't see a lot people polite sufficient provide their seat when all seats have been taken.
Jumping the queue
Plenty of Dutch people are simply too impatient to wait in a line until it is their flip. Particularly in supermarkets. Individuals rush to a different checkout if the line there may be shorter. Or they simply soar the queue, pondering that is normal or so. One other unusual habit of us I am not very happy with. But it happens a lot so be prepared when you plan to go for grocery buying in Holland.
Settle for it or do the identical. We do not mind ;-)
Once we are requested a query lots of us Dutchies will reply this with: "Why do you ask that?"
Maybe we do that just because we are curious folks. But within the eyes of a stranger this can be considered very impolite!
Dutchies do not like to make eye contact when speaking to you!
We look you in the face or stare at one thing else. A variety of us are a bit afraid to look within the mirror of their soul. A sign of being shy?
Most of us have an opinion about virtually every little thing!
And we are not afraid to share this with you... Even when you haven't requested for it. And above all: We (usually) think our opinion is the one right one... If you happen to doubt that, Dutch folks can get actually annoyed or even indignant so neglect about it. You won't win this recreation. Dutch folks might be really cussed.
Watching by means of home windows of other folks.
Most of us love to sneak inside by means of the windows of different peoples houses. Especially when it's darkish exterior and the lights are on inside. I think this can be a actual rude and unusual curiosity! However alternatively many of the Dutch people do not mind if others try this. Plenty of individuals living here do not even have their curtains closed at night. And folks exterior think that's an invite to look at through the home windows when they cross by a home. Not that they actually look at what is going on on or so. They "simply" do that out of behavior. I do it too... it's in my Dutch DNA I assume...
Dutch individuals only work a median of 29 hours per week!
Dutch people are kind of lazy relating to working! Do you know that Dutch workers make world's shortest work weeks? The common number of working hours per week within the Netherlands is barely 29 hours. One of the reasons for that is that a variety of Dutch women work half time due to the care of their children.
Dutch employees additionally hate to work time beyond regulation, particularly if they don't get paid for it. Most Dutchies begin cleaning their desks 5 minutes before their shift is over!
Essentially the most lazy workers in the Netherlands are the construction workers: in the summer they get a vacation that lasts for not less than three weeks. Officially as a result of it's too scorching to work. Then in the course of the winter season Dutch development employees also stop working for a number of weeks as a result of it's too chilly to work. I believe the Netherlands is the one nation that tolerates this!
10: Very Soiled Dutch Habbits - Eeksssss.....
Okay, do you still love the Netherlands? We're impolite, lazy stingy, and many others. and we also have some very dirty habits which can be tolerated. Our high 3:
Nostril Selecting In non-public or in public does not matter, plenty of Dutch folks do that with none shame!
Burping out loud The louder the better and a few people even think about this humorous!
Farting Sure actually! Accidental or on objective, Dutch folks have no drawback doing this and even chortle about it. Not about the scent though...
Love From Holland
Yes in fact I do all nations have unusual habits
No not after what I've learn
eleven: Little one Profit and Mortgage Curiosity Deduction
The Netherlands is the one nation in the world that has this!
All parents in the Netherlands receive " Baby Profit ", which is exclusive in the world. Each 3 months mother and father get a certain quantity from the federal government, how much depends on the age of the kid, the variety of youngsters and you get much more if your baby is in a clinique or so. The older the child, the more you get. You get it until the kid reaches the age of 18 years. Need to know how much Dutch mother and father get? Click on right here to see it!
Another unique bonus within the Netherlands is the so called "Mortage Interest Deduction". In case you're a house owner you'll be able to deduct a sure proportion out of your yearly taxes. It's a bonus invented within the final century to stimulate individuals to purchase a house. There may be also a month-to-month benefit for people with decrease revenue, who rent a spot.
I am proud of these "unusual habits". But let's admit it, we're unique doing this. A number of countries will laugh about it (or be jealous!)
12: The Dutch Are Not Happy with Their Nation
Now we have no robust nationwide satisfaction within the Netherlands and that could be a disgrace! On certain occasions like on Kings Day or the worldwide soccer competitions of the Dutch soccer workforce we've got some feeling of affection for our country. But normally there is no such thing as a Dutch identification in any respect! We do not care if individuals communicate our language once they reside here or not. Even the federal government and local governments slightly translate official letters in a number of language than teaching all residents from abroad the Dutch language.
Even our nationwide anthem is unusual. You'd assume there would be one thing in it like you've gotten Dutch blood flowing via your veins. But it isn't like this in any respect! Instead of that we sing we have German blood... and in addition that we honor the Spanish King... now that's VERY bizarre! Most of the Dutch do not even know the lyrics of our anthem!
13: Dutch Folks Use Diminutives for All the things They Do!
Dutch Folks Use Diminutives for Every part They Do!
A typical strange Dutch behavior is the usage of diminutives. It should sound so funny in case you understand the Dutch language! Really I feel it's kind of cute! However I have not seen this anyplace else on this planet.
Make an appointment to visit your Dutch pals!
14: Making an Appointment to Go to Your Friends
If you want to visit your folks, household or different people you recognize it's essential to make an appointment! Most Dutch people are not very amused should you spontaneous ring on their doorbell!
There is an agenda for every thing.
You possibly can't go to the hairdressers with out an appointment, no manner you may see a doctor without one and so on. I have no clue why! Folks additionally get mad at you when you're too late, particularly when you might have an appointment to go to your buddy(s). In the event you're 5 minutes late you possibly can count on a grumpy face.Coming earlier is not any option either, Dutch folks just do not recognize it, they are very punctual!
15: Sweet Dutch Kisses - Triple Kisses from me to you!
I don't hope you will have the impression the Dutch have gone psychological or so, or that each one is damaging right here. It isn't. We have now a fantastic nation and the folks right here aren't too unhealthy once you recognize them and are prepared for the national habits of the Netherlands!
One of the best "strange" habit now we have is that we kiss our buddies, relations, and many others. 3 times once we greet/meet them! Now is not that candy! We beat all different countries that solely give 1 or 2 kisses. Over right here your lips get trained.
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Does Your Nation Have Unusual Habits? - Share Your Thoughts or Simply Say 'Hello' 15 comments
Susan Zutautas three years in the past from Ontario, Canada
My son eats mayonnaise along with his fries too. I like mine with vinegar. Here in Canada mother and father obtain a baby tax credit as soon as a month, up till the kid turns 18. Enjoyed you lens and would love to go to some day.
kerbev three years in the past from Upstate, NY
Effectively I discovered a number of issues right here. Not saying I liked what I learned, but I discovered.
darkflowers three years ago from The Hague, the Netherlands
Writer
@kerbev: Hahahaha, Kab, it is still perfectly safe to be in my nation ;-)
darkflowers three years ago from The Hague, the Netherlands
Creator
@Susan Zutautas: Ah, your sun must have some Dutch blood flowing via his veins, Susan ;-) Fries with vinegar, does that style good? I'm undecided... You are a really courageous girl you still have the courage to nonetheless like to go to us, you're welcome after all, ensure you go to me!
Ruthi three years in the past
I quite loved learning the strange habits of your Netherlands and lots of I don't find strange in any respect. Oh pricey, questioning here if I've Dutch blood in my veins! I would associate with that number fourteen, as I do not like uninvited guests just displaying up at my door and I'm all for punctuality!
darkflowers 3 years ago from The Hague, the Netherlands
Author
@Ruthi: Thank you Ruthi :) It's essential to have Dutch DNA ;-) Have a beautiful day!
Sydney 2 years in the past
Sydney 2 years in the past
eva 2 years in the past
extra just like the habits of rotterdam, not the remainder of the netherlands ;)
popi 2 years in the past
I visited the Netherlands 3 years in the past and I used to be excited about the nation and the people. They gave me me the impression that they're variety sufficient and I feel that I like most of your "different" behaviours and habits. Maybe it is as a result of right here in Greece we're too "open" with every part and that has drained me. I think you live in one of the best countries and also you have to be happy with it.
Anne 14 months ago
I do not agree with most of them. And I'm Dutch. You make us sound approach worse than we actually are haha.
Otto 12 months ago
Thanks for sharing your pessimist perception it is rather obvious that you're from Rotterdam ;) In Amsterdam we arrogantly assume that we are better then the remainder of the world! We grew up to be the tallest nation, indication of socio financial surroundings and the dutch children have the very best childhoods on the planet !
Raquel 5 months in the past
I'm brazilian and needed to make my english's last work about any country I chose, and I wnated to do concerning the Netherlands. After searching and writing a lot of issues, I finally discovered this web site! I cherished this! It's wonderful and helped me lots, thanks and congratulations for you job! I hope I get an important be aware :)
Conny three months in the past
Wat een ontzettend leuk verhaal! Heel herkenbaar. Ik heb zelf veel tijd in Italie en Amerika doorgebracht en heb de Nederlandse gewoonten daar een beetje afgeleerd. Maar ze vallen me inderdaad nog steeds op. Mijn kinderen noemen mij al jaren een halve Italiaan of Amerikaan, zo on-nederlands. Als ik dit stuk lees, ben ik daar ineens blij mee.
Grey eight weeks in the past
I actually needed to giggle! It's so true. Like you cannot keep away from the rusk when a baby is born. ;-(
But I also must say, that folks here in the south of Holland are a lot extra hospatible. We are burgundian. In order for you a style of that? Try to visit some small villages in Brabant or Limburg!
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