Did you know that more than 75,000 people will be celebrating their birthday in the Netherlands over the coming weekend in September? If your birthday happens to be on the 30th of September, then you have the good fortune to be celebrating your special day with the most number of people in the Netherlands. Yes! according to the Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek, this was the day with the highest number of Dutch birthdays in 2023; with the 28 and 29 of September following quite close.
Are you invited to a Dutch birthday party this week? Or maybe your kid is attending a kinderfeestje to celebrate a friend’s birthday? It is also highly probable that you are at this moment planning the perfect birthday gift for your colleague. For, in the Netherlands, it will be opened right in front of you and everyone. All in all, the coming weekend promises to be a very busy one in the Netherlands.
While birthdays conjure up images of cakes, candles and balloons, as internationals, we have our own traditions and unique ways of celebrating our birthdays. As internationals living in the Netherlands, you cannot have missed some of the special Dutch customs around birth and birthdays. Have you seen your neighbour’s front garden adorned with impressive boards announcing the arrival of their baby? These boards are usually modelled after popular children’s characters and usually carry the name, gender and birthdate of the newborn. Be sure to make an appointment to visit and you will be offered beschuit met muisjes (little mice on a rusk). You will agree that it’s hard not to fall in love with these tantalisingly cute sugar-coated mice-shaped fennel seeds that come in blue and pink variations. Had their front garden been decked up by a large, inflated doll instead, then make no mistake – it’s a 50th birthday! Rather unique – wouldn’t you agree? Keep an eye out this weekend as it’s indeed a popular time to have a birthday!
Celebrating a cause or two
Even if you are not celebrating a birthday, there are a lot more occasions and causes being celebrated across the trio of these dates. Choose your pick from the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss & Waste (29 September), Extra Virgin Olive Day (30 September), International Rabbit Day (28 September) or the National Coffee Day (29 September). The list just goes on. Even if your interest lies in teaching your pet tricks or you are an enthusiast of the Thunderbirds or a Rumi fan, you can celebrate with likeminded individuals on the 30th of September.
Eindhoven News spoke to a few internationals who are celebrating their birthdays soon and here are some interesting snippets.
Our young readers are celebrating
There’s something magical about turning six! Eindhoven News spoke to two of our young readers who are celebrating their birthdays soon and here are some snippets of their plan for the big day!
Karina Arts has her sixth birthday coming up on the 27 September. She is looking forward to celebrating with her Dutch family and Romanian grandparents who are flying in especially for her birthday. Celebrations will include making a Romanian cake, dinner with everyone and sharing presents. Karina will also do the Dutch traktatie at school with her friends
Kevin Methew Patrick Rosario is also turning six on the 28th of September and is excited to be celebrating his special day in Paris with his family. There will be cake, balloons and a whole lot of fun. The family has recently moved from India and Kevin wishes his grandparents could also be present for the occasion.
Here’s to a fun-filled weekend (and beyond) of celebrations. Gefeliciteered allemaal!
For Eindhoven News: Muktha Kartik Iyer
Muktha is a Process Consultant by profession and is passionate about books, languages and animals. She is working on her dream of publishing a rack full of books of her own.
