A: I’m not sure if this is exclusive to The Netherlands but here’s a typical Dutch thing I find a bit stupid…
Typical cheap Dutch birthday parties are a serious childhood nightmare of mine. You enter a house filled with people sitting crammed up in a circle and staring at each other. You’re supposed to shake hands with every single guest and then take a seat somewhere and NEVER leave that seat again, unless you need to go to the toilet or if you intend to actually leave the party.
You get a cup of coffee or tea and some cake. If you’re lucky you’ll get one cookie each. Do not dare to ask for more, they consider it rude. Before dinner time they usually tell you politely that you need to leave… Or, they will just eat in the other room while you sit there waiting for them. If you are lucky enough to join for dinner, don’t expect it to be much.
During the entire party there is no dancing and if there is music it will be on the lowest volume possible because everyone needs to hear uncle Bob’s story about the neighbor’s cat.
I’m part Indonesian & Surinamese and in both cultures, a birthday party is always with loads of music and dancing, there’s loads of food and if you dare to refuse to take a second plate of dinner they consider it rude. Totally the opposite of a typical cheap Dutch birthday party…
Not all Dutch parties are bad but I’ve been to too many described as above when I was little.
Q: What’s your childhood nightmare?