So the Dutch are the stingiest Westerners after all !

Maciamo

Veteran member
Admin
Messages
9,948
Reaction score
3,228
Points
113
Location
Lothier
Ethnic group
Italo-celto-germanic
Look at the chart and judge. The year-end spending of all Western countries are proportional to their GDP per capita... except in the Netherlands where people spend far less than they ought to compared to countries with similar incomes. It's even better than that, the Dutch manage to spend less than anyone else, even considerably poorer countries like Ukraine or Russia. This goes a long way to confirm the general European opinion that the Dutch are tight-fisted. What other people regularly travel abroad by campers or caravans taking all they need with them to be sure not to have to spend a penny in other countries ?
 
The height of meanness.

I have some acquaintances of acquaintances who came to ask Joan Cruyf work home and at one point asked him to serve a glass of water and the maid told them there were orders from his boss not to give anything to the workers. In Spain it is frowned upon and it is incomprehensible.
 
It's common knowledge that the Dutch having a country house in the south of France bring their own toilet paper all the way from Holland for their stay. I think it resumes the whole idea...
 
Someone has not done his homework properly -We are perhaps notoriously stingy and self-sufficient. However in this case, I'm afraid there is a hidden variable, called Saint Nicholas ....Sinterklaas. --->wikipedia

A lot of the Dutch, especially those with small children will not exchange presents on Christmas Eve(24-Dec.) but on Sinterklaas(5.Dec.). The Christmas days are more thanksgiving like holidays, with good meals and only modest presents.
 
Someone has not done his homework properly -We are perhaps notoriously stingy and self-sufficient. However in this case, I'm afraid there is a hidden variable, called Saint Nicholas ....Sinterklaas. --->wikipedia

A lot of the Dutch, especially those with small children will not exchange presents on Christmas Eve(24-Dec.) but on Sinterklaas(5.Dec.). The Christmas days are more thanksgiving like holidays, with good meals and only modest presents.

St Nicholas is the main day for receiving presents for children in most Catholic countries. It should make sense that they counted all year-end gifs, not just Xmas ones, otherwise Atheist people like me would considerably lower the Xmas spending (I never give Xmas present, just year-end/winter holidays presents). If I were to be asked at a poll how much I spend for Xmas present the answer would always be invariably 0€. Gallup people are professionals, they surely took this in consideration for their questions.
 
St Nicholas is the main day for receiving presents for children in most Catholic countries. It should make sense that they counted all year-end gifs, not just Xmas ones, otherwise Atheist people like me would considerably lower the Xmas spending (I never give Xmas present, just year-end/winter holidays presents). If I were to be asked at a poll how much I spend for Xmas present the answer would always be invariably 0€. Gallup people are professionals, they surely took this in consideration for their questions.

Well, it would make sense, but that is the danger of these charts you don't know how they gather their information.

"Gallup people are professionals, they surely took this in consideration for their questions." That is a kind-hearted assumption that is not reflected in the chart, called "Christmas gifts".

But don't be mistaken in terms of presents, Sinterklaas is a huge thing in the Netherlands. More important than Christmas I would say, because even most of the grown-up's exchange presents on this day. Every year the arrival of Sinterklaas is live broadcasted on national tv. -> copy paste youtube.com/watch?v=gRUDf4TNb1A

It is very distinctive of other St. Nicholas days in Europe. In Northern Germany for instance children will get only sweets and small presents(like matchbox cars), but the focus on spending is there on Christmas.

re: Cimmerian bloke
It depends on where you live, the good old man has a busy schedule and priorities. 5 December the Netherlands, 6 December Belgium ;)
 

This thread has been viewed 10098 times.

Back
Top