It’s your birthday in The Netherlands! What does this mean?

You must pay for everything.
This is not America where people buy you dinner and beer. Here, you must buy everyone else beer. Here, you must bring treats to your co-workers. This is a day to remind people that you have been born, and hopefully win over a few additional supporters of your existence. No Dutch affection is easily won. You must fight for it with cake and brownies, each year, forever.

You must host your own party.

A typical Dutch birthday will include tea and cake, and then afterwards a meal of some sort. During the tea and cake part, usually you will go around a circle, and serve your guests. There is no “help yourself” at the table. You, as mentioned above, are the birthday person and therefore expected to serve and provide.

Expect that people are going to congratulate the hell out of everyone close to you.

Read more: http://dutchreview.com/how-to-celebrate