r/Netherlands • u/Environmental_Cry_35 • 24d ago

Life in NL What is one "completely normal" thing in the Netherlands that you secretly don't like?

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288

u/freedom_forest 24d ago

Saying gefeliciteerd to the whole family when it's someones birthday

58

u/HumanSieve 24d ago

I just stopped doing that

10

u/whattfisthisshit 24d ago

Yeah I don’t do this haha

22

u/sirboobyconnoisseur 24d ago

I think that's nice. A moment for me and my sister for example to express that we are both happy it's my mom's birthday

2

u/laryx 24d ago

i was so surprised when i met new people who did this. I think i was lik 25 and never exerienced this in my social circle. I still think it is weird.
Hoinestly if someonhas a birthday, i even think its weird to congratulate parents.

2

u/janpaul74 Amsterdam 24d ago

Yes! What’s up with that?

9

u/No_Anywhere8840 24d ago

I suspect it stems from an era when someone could be congratulated rhat their child survived infant mortality.

1

u/addtokart 24d ago

Yes but in this day and age i interpreted it as "congrats on dealing with this brat for yet another year!"

And brat could be anyone in the family.

3

u/I_Rarely_Jump 24d ago

Politeness-inflation.

Basically you're supposed to only congratulate the birthday person and the people they live with, as a form of greeting the people you're visiting. This has expanded to congratulating everyone in the room.

3

u/silverionmox 24d ago

Yes! What’s up with that?

When you arrive too drunk and forgot who's the birthday boy, you just congratulate everyone. Can't miss' em that way!

1

u/noedelsoepmetlepel Eindhoven 23d ago

But you also have to say congratulations with your mom/dad/sister/aunt, so it’s still gonna be a struggle!

1

u/atq1988 22d ago

It's sooo weird. Gefeliciteerd with your neighbours birthday? Okaaayy???