Holland, a country with a lot of special traditions
By Myrna Oostwal
Special days
On the 30th of April, the Dutch people celebrate the birthday of Queen Juliana. That is the mother of the current Queen, Queen Beatrix. Queen Beatrix decided to celebrate Queens Day still on the birthday of her mother and not her own birthday. On this day people are standing on the street with a stand with all different kind of stuff that they do not want anymore. You can think about toys from children that grown up or old furniture that is standing for years on an old dusty attic. I think it is a good way to sell your things that you do not need any longer. Other people can be happy with your stuff.
An remarkable tradition is Sint Maarten. Children sing in the evening of 11th November songs at the front-door in their neighbourhood. When they are done, they can choose a candy bar from their neighbours.
The third tradition is Sinterklaas. On the 5th of December, people celebrate the birthday of Sinterklaas. This is an old man who gives children presents. You can compare Sinterklaas with Santa Claus.
Kids love this man.
Food
In Holland are also a lot of food traditions. When a baby is born, people eat crisp bakes with pink or blue aniseed sprinkles.
Herring is a typical Dutch food. You love it or you hate it. People eat it with onions and gherkin. Most of the children do not like herring. I am eighteen years old and I still do not like them. Will I ever like this kind of fish?
In Holland eat people a lot of pancakes. In Dutch it is called ‘pannenkoeken’. This pancakes are thinner that the typical American pancake. People eat them very often, even for dinner occasionally. You roll them up and gobble them down.
Kiss kiss kiss
At least is there the three-kiss tradition. This is a typical Dutch tradition that sometimes brings some awkward situations. To enact this tradition, you give the other person a kiss on the right cheek, then the left cheek and finally once again on the right cheek. Especially it is a way to greet a friend or to say goodbye.
All these things are typical Dutch things and are important for the Dutch culture. In my opinion is it a good idea to maintain these things that I wrote in this article.
485 words
Word bank
Word | Meaning | Translation in Dutch |
Attic | Upper floor in a one-family home | Zolder |
Awkward | Uncomfortable | GĂȘnant |
Characterized | It is recognizable for someone or something | Herkenbaar |
Compare | Look at things or people that have the same agreements | Vergelijken |
Crisp bakes | Biscuits | Beschuit |
Current | Actual | Huidige |
Dusty | Dirty | Stoffig |
Enact | Do something | Uitvoeren |
Especially | Above all | Vooral |
Furniture | Bank, chair | Meubels |
Gherkin | Acid piece of food | Augurk |
Gobble | Eat very fast when you are hungry | Schrokken |
Herring | Fish from the North Sea | Haring |
Maintain | To keep | In stand houden |
Neighbourhood | Houses near your own house | Buurt, wijk |
Neighbours | People who live near your own house | Buren |
Occasionally | Sometimes | Af en toe |
Onions | Food | Uien |
Outsiders | People which do not live in Holland | Buitenlanders |
Remarkable | Prominent | Opvallend |
Sprinkles | Little pieces chocolate that you can eat on broad | Hagelslag |
Stand | Shed | Kraampje |
Thinner | Not thicker | Dunner |
Three-kiss traditions | When you give someone three kisses on his or her cheek | Drie zoenen achter elkaar op de rechter en linker wang geven |
Traditions | Events that came back everytime | Tradities |
Sources
- HollandLife. (9 March 2006). The Dutch Way: drie. Used at 27th November 2011, of: http://hollandlife.blogspot.com/2009/05/dutch-way-drie.html
haha, it's so funny! I really adore this old man!
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