Another Year For Me

Last March 3, 2012 was my birthday. It just remind me that I am not a kid any more and growing up as a matured woman. Mostly, I celebrated my birthday with my family and few close friends. But this year was different because I celebrated it for the first time not in the Philippines and away from my family. But still, I am happy to celebrate it with my loved ones here in The Netherlands especially my liefe schatje, Dennis.

I didn't throw a party on the day of my birthday because we were  also invited in two different parties. We decided to attend those parties so we didn't need to make ourselves busy in organizing a party. We went first to the party of the two boys of one of the close friends of Dennis. We received the invitation letter last January and the wish list (cadeaulijst) of the kids (It is normal here to make a list of what you want as presents) so it's going to be easy for us to choose gifts for them. Few weeks before the party, we need to confirm if we were going to attend the party. Normally, Dutch don't feel comfortable to the people who are not announcing or making appointment  that they are dropping in, not only during birthdays. We arrived there around 14.00 in the afternoon and greeted the hosts through saying, "Gefeliceteerd (met je Verjaardag)" and kissing them three times on the cheek.

In a traditional Dutch birthday party, you will enter the room with the chairs and go and congratulate everybody who is already there with the birthday. You go around the circle, people already sitting there stand up, you shake hands, say "Gefeliciteerd", and if there's a female involved, kiss three times on the cheek. This means that if you come early, you'll have to stand up for every new arrival, and if you come late it'll be a lot of work to go visit everybody. Then you take a seat in the circle. Usually someone will come and offer cake and coffee. Mostly, the ratio is 1:1, meaning you will receive one cup of coffee and one piece of cookie/cake. Once offered second serving of coffee, you may get another round of cookie.  Sometimes, they offer you some finger foods like chips, mini kroket or bitterbal, toast with salad and slices of cheese cucumber , olives, sausages. Then, they will offer you  again drinks. Regarding the cake, brought in to the celebrant with a song “Lang zal ze leven”, the Dutch equivalent of Happy Birthday. People here in The Netherlands hang birthday calendars to remind them of the birthdays of all their family and friends. When a Dutch person is unable to visit the birthday party, a card is always sent to the celebrant. When you are the celebrant and received some gifts, you need to open the gifts in the front of the person who gave the gift to you and say how nice/beautiful the gift and say thank you in dutch "dankjewel".

The second party was for Rene, the boyfriend of Nanthicia, my Thai Friend. We went in their house after dinner with the host of the first party. Nanthicia lives in the same street with us so no worry for us when we go home late or drink alcohol without worrying to drive. On this party, you will also expect the same procedure of  typical Dutch birthday party but it is little bit more loose than the other one. We gave the Bacardi white rum as a present to Rene. I was also surprised that they gave me a birthday cake. How sweet of them to remember my birthday! We drinked and ate while listening to the music and watched some funny videos. Of course! A lot of conversations on that day. 

 

The next day, we invited Ton, father of Dennis to have dinner with us. Again, another surprise for me... a bouquet of flowers and gift card from Ton. Actually, he asked me what  present I want to receive on my birthday. I was thinking if I would tell him to give some personal things, maybe, he would buy the wrong thing that's why I decided just to have gift card which I could choose gift on my own. I baked also an apple tart on that day and it was nice that they loved it. In our dinner, Dennis made his specialty, lasagna and after that, we had coffee and slice of apple tart while watching TV. 

My birthday became more special when I received the greetings from Robert and Kaye-lin, the children that I am taking care of . Birthday artworks that made personally by them just for me. 

My schatje, Dennis had also presents for me. He gave me a personalised mug with a sweet message on it, solar alarm clock to wake up me early when I have school, and my advanced birthday gift, winter boots. Even I don't ask him to give me presents, he still always surprise and think of me. Being sweet and thoughtful are some of the characteristics of Dennis that makes me more fall in love with him.