Dutch habits

The Dutch have some unique customs and habits that may seem strange to foreigners.

• Gezelligheid - Gezelligheid is an important concept in Dutch culture. It means cosiness: being together, having fun and relaxing. Gezelligheid kent geen tijd is a famous dutch expression. Gezellig he?
• Oranje, oranjegevoel - Orange is the color of the Dutch. The Dutch wear orange on Kingsday and when the dutch football team is playing (high level only).
• Zuinigheid - Fruitfullness, the dutch generally don't like to spend more than necessary and will watch de kleintjes (small coins).They pay close attention to their pennies and go dutch or send a tikkie (online share costs or pay back what someone has spent for you).
• Complaining - The Dutch love to complain, and talk negative but that doesn't mean they are unhappy. It's more of a way to connect with each other. Most popular topic is the weather to complain about, it is often too cold, rainy or too hot.
• Cycle - The Dutch cycle, in the rain, with children, doing groceries, everywhere. People sit at the back of the bicycle, with the legs on one side.
• Directness - The Dutch are generally very direct in their communication. They say what they think and like honesty.
• No small talk - The Dutch dislike unnecessary small talk and like to get directly to the point.
• Kringverjaardag - It is a habit to celebrate ones birthday in a circle of chairs. One of my former collegues reminded me of this dutch habit. It goes like this, either it is a dutch party and you bring your own food and often a kring verjaardag. Th -ere is not much swapping of chairs and a lot of talking in the group, less individual talks perhaps with your neighbours sitting on the right and/or left side. 
• Happy birthday - Is wished to everyone attending the kringverjaardag, not only meant for the celebrant.
• Self-reliance - Dutch people are very self-reliant and like to solve problems themselves. Not to be dependent of another person.
• Kingsday - It is celebrated the night before the 27th (birthday of the King) and the day itself. The Dutch wear orange and especially in Amsterdam and bigger cities it is celebrated on the streets. For the children in all kind of places there is the Vrijmarkt: second hand stuff is sold on the streets.
• Broodje kaas - The Dutch often lunch with a cheese sandwich or other cold snacks. Hot lunches are less common. Pre-made sandwiches are made and put in a lunch box and that is what the Dutch have for lunch.
• Beschuit met muisjes of hagelslag - Hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles) and muisjes (small anise seeds) are popular toppings for sandwiches. Round toast with muisjes is served when a baby is born in the specific colors of the baby's gender.
• Drop is a salty licorice-like candy that many Dutch people like. Many foreigners do not like the  salty licorice, the sweet drop they like better.
• Koffietijd - The Dutch love coffee and often drink it with cake or pastries or one cookie (not two or three) you can take out of the cookiejar and afterwards it closes.
• Frikandel, kroket or bitterbal - A frikandel is a deep-fried meatloaf that is a popular snack or try a bitterbal: small fried veal, beef in a crunchy jacket.
• Stamppot is a traditional stew of potatoes and vegetables, with kale (boerenkool), onion and carrot (hutspot), sourkraut (zuurkool), andijvie, spinach etc etc.
• Birthday calendar or tiles- Many Dutch people have a birthday calendar hanging on the toilet so they never forget a birthday or a tile with Delfts blauw with a wisdom like sentence for example: Oost, west, thuis, best. East, west, home is the best.
• Sinterklaas - Every year on december 5 children get gifts from Sinterklaas (kind of Santa claus) when they have been good children. The gifts are also given after Sinterklaas has entered the Netherlands and you put your shoe near the chimney, with a carrot for his horse and sing a song. The whole Zwarte pieten discussion is mentioned somewhere else.
• Dutchies - As a slang term for cannabis joints or blunts, or a few different entities related to Dutch culture and travel. I am refering to this image, one of the Dutchies! Our mascotte.

Education Category: Geography
Ages: 0-4, 4-8, 8-12, 12-16, 16+

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This game is donated by Laura Filemon

Leer kinderen over Nederland

• Vraag wat ze al weten ze al over Holland?
• Waar ligt het?
• Wat is het het klimaat?
• Wat zijn onze gewoontes?

Leer vervolgens Nederlandse spelletjes

• Zoek snoepjes in het water of aan een touw

• Spijkerpoepen: Touw met spijker vastgebonden aan je middel. Probeer de touw in de opening van een fles te krijgen.

• Stoelendans: er zijn stoelen in een cirkel. Wanneer de muziek stopt, moet je zitten. De persoon die geen stoel heeft is af.

• Eier-race: lepel met aardappel of ei in je mond of in je hand, lopen of rennen over een door jou uitgezet parcour. Maka het lastig met springen en kruipen over en onder obstakels door.

• Encostalados spel: maak een tour in een juttenzak

• Lanzabolas (ballen gooien)

• Flessenspel: Er is een fles water (zonder dop) bij elke team, elke speler op zijn beurt gooit de bal en probeert de fles van de andere team om te gooien. De speler die de bal vangt moet zijn fles weer recht op zetten. Dan is de volgende aan de beurt. Als jouw fles omvalt moet je eerst de bal halen voordat je de fles rechtop zet. Als jouw fles eerste leeg is heb je verloren.

• Benodigdheden: Touw, Spijkers, Flessen, Stoelen, Muziek, Lepels, Aardappels (of eieren of wat anders), Juttenzakken, Ballen, Plastic bekers, Water, Bal, Snoepjes.

Aprender sobre Holanda

• Cuento sobre Holanda: ¿Qué ya saben de Holanda?

• Donde esta, la clima, las costumbres

• Buscar dulces en el agua o a un cuerda

• Cuerda con clavo en torno a su cintura. Prueba recibir el cuerda en el agujero de un botella.

• Robar sillas / juego de sillas: hay sillas en un círcula. Cuando la música detiene, esta sentado. La persona que no tiene un silla, es terminado.

• Carrera de huevos: cuchara con papa o huevo en su boca o mano, hacer un recorrido

• Encostalados juego: hacer un recorrido en un saco

• Lanzabolas

• Juego de Botellas: hay una botella de agua en cada equipo, por turnos cada jugador tira la perlota y trata de botar la botella del otro equipo. El jugador que recibe la bola y después levantar su botella. Después pasa el siquiente turno.

• Materiales: Cuerda, Clavos, Botellas, Sillas, Música, Cucharas, Papas (o otra), Sacos, Pelotas, Vasos plásticos, Agua, Balón, Dulces, Lana

Learn about The Netherlands

• Story about Holland: What do they know about Holland?
• What is the climate, customs

Dutch games

• Find candy in water or on a rope
• Rope with nail around his waist. Try to get the rope into the hole of a bottle.
• Stealing Chairs / game chairs: chairs in a circle. When the music stops, you have to sit down. The person, who has no chair, is finished.
• Eggrace: spoon with potato or egg in your mouth or hand, take a tour.
• Sack game: take a tour in a sack
• Throw balls (throw balls/cans)
• Bottles Game: There is a water bottle (without cap) for each team, each player in turn throws the ball and tries to bottle the other team to throw. The player who catches the ball must put the bottle on his place. Then you give the next turn. If your bottle falls you have to get the ball before you put the bottle upright. If your first bottle is empty, you lose.
• Materials: Rope, Nails, Bottles, Chairs, Music, Spoons, Potatoes (or eggs or other), Sacks, Balls, Plastic cups, Water, Ball, Candy, Fabric