Apr 30
Dutchyland Gone Mad
To let you know what is going on in Dutchyland today I am re-posting a post of 2 years ago. It’s Koninginnedag in The Netherlands today (a.k.a. Queen’s Day) and aside from the fact that it will turn orange everywhere today -just like when there’s soccer championships going on- it is one of the most festive days in Dutchyland. Sucks that today the weather is not cooperating though… Blegh
Let me share a Dutch custom with you, just for the fuck of it… Hell, I don’t care if you are interested. I feel like telling you and you will bloody well listen!
On April 30 every year our country celebrates Queen’s Day. It is the day we celebrate our Queen’s birthday (which is actually January 31, but oh well)… Now I am not sure what the custom is with you guys, but I assume that by celebrating a birthday you
would think: cake, candles, maybe a birthdaycard, a present…
Nu-uh… Nothing Of The Sort!!! Wanna know how we celebrate Queen’s Day?
We go absolutely crazy: we put on orange clothes, funny hats, paint our faces and hair orange…
Poor liters and liters of beer down our throats…
We make noise, we sing, we scream, we flirt, we are one big partying mass on boats, along canals, it is like a fucking all orange Woodstock!
Great, isn’t it?
Oh and then of course we take all the crap stuff out of our garages and closets and wherever the fuck we have it stashed and turn whole cities into one big junk sale and try to sell our junk to our neighbours and friends (and the stuff that isn’t working anymore preferably to people we dón’t know)… and the money we earned by doing that we either spend buying other peoples junk or more beer…
It is one of the best days of the year: offices are closed, schools are closed and it is MAJOR partytime…
What? Come again? The Queen? We make her and her whole Royal family visit a city or town in The Netherlands where we make them go through hours and hours of typical Dutch fun: I think in the past 25 years or so they have watched a lifetime’s worth of clogdancing, childrens choirs, musicschool performances and best of all: koekhappen… (meet our crownprince…)
They are probably the only family that is NOT looking forward to April 30. Come to think of it… Kinda sucks… on your OWN birthday… but hey… what do you want me to do about it?
I am telling you, if you want to do the full Dutch experience you should at least once in your life do Koniniginnedag!
In honor of Queen’s Day and my upcoming transformation to becoming a Dutchie…I went and bought an orange purse tonight. I would be fitting in so well if I were there for the festivities. I’ll carry my purse with pride tomorrow and celebrate with you in spirit! Either that or we can have Mojitos in honor of the Queen when I get there in June!
(That’s not a mojito but you don’t have one of those up here so the “cocktail” will have to do!
That Bitchy Chicks last blog post..So much to do, so not wanting to do it!
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ThatBitchyChick: My vote goes to the mojito deal!!!
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And especially for you I made a Mojito icon!!! :mojito:
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I so wanna do this Konin….thing….it sounds like a total blast.
Ginormous Boobss last blog post..The Big Cheese
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Ginormous Boobs: Well, you are very welcome to join us! You’ll fit right in and have a blast, I am sure!
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I need to find my pictures from Queens Day when I was there. I remember being handed free beers and hmm…”other stuff”.
DaDucks last blog post..Buried
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DaDuck: Other stuff?
What other stuff? Lemonade? 
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Holy Crap! Next year I’m so totally over there. Surely flights from London won’t be that expensive.
Lady Jayes last blog post..100 Things About Me (71-80)
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Sounds awesome. And sort of similar to our St. Patrick’s day, I think. Have fun.
Shellis last blog post..It’s A Fact: I’m A Bitch
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Appropriate, being that it’s Erik’s bday too
Robins last blog post..Four Oh
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Uh, you guys have a queen? Hm. I didn’t know that.
Absurdists last blog post..Sorry I haven’t been around
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Is that guy eating Spongebob in the last picture?!
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Lady Jaye: If you book’m in advance they won’t be. Yay for you!
Shelli: Yeah, probably, and green or orange, color doesn’t really matter, lol
Robin: Congrats babe!!! And Erik of course!!!
Absurdist: Yeah, just for a few more years I think and then we’ll have a king…
B: LMAO yeah looks like it, doesn’t it? It’s ontbijtkoek…
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I need to do this for my birthday… but I think I’m going to go with purple.
Kyras last blog post..A Word About Criticism
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I like that “pouring liters and liters of beer down our throats” part.
Jeffrey Elliss last blog post..Random Rants
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I love beer. My best memories of Germany was the beer gardens. Nothing to do with Queens Day but you sparked a really good memory.
geeks last blog post..Epiphany of sorts.
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Long live the Queen!
Finns last blog post..An Interview With Lil’ M
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Sounds kind of like Mardi Gras minus the “Ash Wednesday” street clean up part. ha..ha… Have fun!!!!
Cinnkittys last blog post..If the heart is a lonely hunter…
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Kyra: Purple is good too!!!
Jeffrey Ellis: I thought you’d like that
geek: again, glad to be of service, lol
Finn: Thanks Hon!!!
Cinnkitty: Well, there will be people cleaning up the streets, that’s for sure, just not me…
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Sounds AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would SO live in Dutchyland….and not just ‘cuz of this holiday. ;-)
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Is there a massive sale of all the orange stuff that didn’t sell on Apr 30? I didn’t recall seeing any 99 pence (or cents) stores in Amsterdam.
martys last blog post..The "I’m Going to Use You for Material Look"
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Pissy: Yeah, we have a law ready to abolish certain yoga positions to over here, so that might work out for you too
Marty: Nope, they pack it up till next year and try to sell it again (together with the stuff they bought this year)
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We celebrate Queens in good ole New York as well
LisaBinDaCitys last blog post..Lisa’s REALLY Bad Dream
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Damn… wish I could have been there to experience this!!! We’ll just have to have a replay next week.
Robs last blog post..Just hanging out…
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LisaB: Lol, tell me all about it!
Rob: sure babe! ANYTHING for you, you know that!!!
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So, do they celebrate this in the Dutch territories? Like the Netherlands Antilles? Like Bonaire? ‘Cause I want to live there someday (God save the Dutch Queen) and this? Sounds like a blast!
Coal Miner’s Granddaughters last blog post..Seriously?
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CMGD: Errr
I’ve only had the pleasure of visiting Aruba once and not on April 30…
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It’s like the 4th of July!!! Except orange ;-)
Turnbabys last blog post..Arrogance
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Thanks! I always ask you to tell me about your holidays or traditions and you finally filled me in!
metalmoms last blog post..I’m Not Dancing to This
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“We go absolutely crazy: we put on orange clothes, funny hats, paint our faces and hair orange…
Poor liters and liters of beer down our throats…
We make noise, we sing, we scream, we flirt, we are one big partying mass on boats, along canals, it is like a fucking all orange Woodstock!
Great, isn’t it?”
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This sounds like a typical day in Nebraska.
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Turnbaby: Oh yeah, that reminds me that I should try to be in US for 4th of July sometime
Metalmom: Yeah, actually our comment-talk about traditions inspired me
Morgy: Nebraska sounds like the place to be
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You were somewhat confused about the date. Although the Wikipedia article you link in that same sentence answers your question in the 1st paragraph.
“The tradition started on 31 August 1885 on the birthday of Princess Wilhelmina, later Queen Wilhelmina. Since 1949, after the ascension of Queen Juliana, Queen’s Day is Queen Juliana’s birthday on 30 April. Although Queen Beatrix’ birthday is on 31 January, she officially celebrates her birthday on 30 April.”
Queen Beatrix decided this when she became queen. In honour of her mother
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Martijn: There is no need to explain. I AM in fact Dutch, know my history and KNOW why we celebrate on April 30. There was no confusion. I think you were confused about that.
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