Culture
Language(s)
Almost all residents of The Netherlands will speak the native language “Dutch”. If you find yourself in a more populated area most people will speak at least some English. Some people in The Netherlands speak German or French due to the tongue of its neighboring countries.
Celebrations and Festivals
Many festivals and celebrations are held throughout the year in The Netherlands, the ones listed are simply some of the most prevalent. First of all because of the larger-than-usual Chinese population in Holland a robust Chinese Year Celebration is held every year in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. In April-May the flower parade takes centre stage with huge flower based constructions and various forms of entertainment making there way through a 25 mile long route. A few weeks after the parade is National Mill Day when various wind and water mills are decorated and opened to the public. These are only some of the many delightful Dutch celebrations and festivals that go on every year.
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Religion
The Dutch population is mostly Roman Catholic which makes up 28% of the population. Not far behind is Protestantism (19%) alongside The Protestant Church Of The Netherlands (9%) and Calvinist (3%). Non-Christian religions make up 11% of the population. 42% are not directly religious.
Customs
The Dutch customs may be fewer than other societies due to being a far more multi-cultural area. That being said they are still important to mention. First of all most stores (not just banks) will be closed or will have far later opening times. Another custom is giving three kisses to someone instead of just one. Finally some foods will be eaten “in the wrong meals” to the eyes of an outsider. An example of this would be eating pancakes for dinner.
Clothing/Costumes
Dutch clothing lacks the deep cultural influence that marks the rest of Dutch culture as “unique”. Today's typical Dutch attire is much the same as everywhere else in the world, jeans, tee-shirts, they’ve got it all. As for traditional Dutch clothing in a majority of The Netherlands women would wear long overdress with starch bonnet with wings. Men would wear whatever was the european fashion at the time. It is important to mention that this was only the fashion of Friesland and Holland, two very populated provinces, but not all of the country. Other provinces had fashion styles unique to themselves as well.
Music
The Dutch people have few musical styles they can truly call their own, instead they tend to adopt other styles and remix them to make them a bit more “Dutch”. One of the few musical styles uniquely Dutch, frisian folk rebelled against the emerging styles of rock and Dutch folk sung in english. It has the folk style you would expect mixed in with guitar riffs straight out of the start of a soft-rock song. Other than that everything from tango to Indonesian music has been covered by the populous.
Food
One of the most popular things in The Netherlands is the food selection. The Dutch have a pension for sweets which make up a majority of its cultural foods. One of the more famous of these is the stroopwafel. These waffle-like cookies are comprised mainly of two thin layers of batter cooked in a waffle iron. These layers are pressed in between another layer of syrup. Another food you’ve likely heard of is Goudse Kaas or Gouda cheese. This cheese is named after the town of Gouda despite not famously being made there. Some sources claim it (mainly in its young or “unaged” form) is the most eaten cheese in the world.
Sports
The Netherlands has never truly propelled a sport of their creation to international reach. Instead they mostly play and watch sports invented by other European countries. By far the most popular sport in The Netherlands is football or soccer. Not far behind is field hockey and tennis. Other less popular sports include volleyball, cycling and golf.
Flag
The Netherlands flag as we know it was originally very different. It wasn't until William I Prince of Orange's establishment as the leader of the independence movement against Spain that the flag became anywhere near recognizable. William created the unofficial "Prince's Flag" which is the same as the current flag if you replace the red with orange and take in a lighter shade of blue. This flag slowly turned into the national flag for a few reasons, though I couldn't confirm a single source. During the flags transformation the Netherlands was captured by Napoleon and (as you probably know) the French flag is also red, white and blue. It could have also simply been peer pressure from France as the French congratulated the Netherlands use of the colours "of liberty". A more unlikely yet popular story is that the Orange dye used in the "Princes Flag" turned red after exposure to the sun. Finally it could have just been changed to differentiate the national flag from the royal "Princes Flag."
Each of the colours on the Dutch flag represents a personality trait each Dutch citizen should have. The red symbolizes strength, valour hardiness and bravery. White or silver represents peace and honesty. Finally the blue means vigilance, loyalty, perseverance and Justice.
Each of the colours on the Dutch flag represents a personality trait each Dutch citizen should have. The red symbolizes strength, valour hardiness and bravery. White or silver represents peace and honesty. Finally the blue means vigilance, loyalty, perseverance and Justice.
A Traditional European Children's Game