Tuesday, May 25, 2010

You know you are Dutch when . . .

Did you know I am 100% Dutch? Did you know the Dutch are currently the tallest ethnic group in the world? Did you know that the expression "go Dutch" is taken from the fact that the Dutch are stereotypically "frugal." (JB once told me that he thinks I go beyond frugal into the cheap category.

Anyways, see how Dutch you are. I have put the items in bold that currently apply to me. If I currently lived with my parents, there would be more to make bold but alas, I am a grown-up so I must take responsibility for my own Dutchness, or lack thereof.
  • You've eaten oliebollen
  • The temperature is so low in your house that 2 sweaters is a bare minimum if you want to be remotely warm.
  • When looking in the fridge, you never trust that the margarine containers contain what the label says.
  • You were green before it was popular. Why recycle when you can just reuse!
  • You have a pair a wooden shoes in your house.
  • You own or have bought delft.
  • You have cousins who wear size 14 shoes and are over 6'4"
  • You wash and reuse plastic cups and plastic cutlery.
  • The most frequent phrase uttered growing up was "Turn off the lights!"
  • You have an afghan
  • You've been known to recycle aluminum foil. And ziploc bags.
  • You have 100 roles of toilet paper in your house because they were on sale.
  • You put a little water into the jar of tomato sauce and shake it to make sure you got it all out.
  • You wipe the last of the butter out of the container with your bun.
  • All your cookies taste like almonds.
  • You make the bed in your hotel room.
  • You have lace on your windows but not on your underwear.
  • You have a front room but nobody sits in it (or it's only used for special occasions).
  • You have a spoon collection
  • You leave a window open year round to get fresh air
  • Your fridge is always stocked with leftovers. Throw out food? Never!
  • You have pictures of windmills around your house.
  • You have a two volume address book, Volume I: A-U & Volume II: V-Z.
  • Your range of restaurants is restricted by the contents of a "Buy one meal, get one free" coupon book that you purchased to support missionaries in Sierra Leone.
  • Your Sunday routine resembles: church, coffee, roast beef, jello salad, snooze, and church.
  • You think that being progressive means discarding the church hymnbook in favor of Keith Green songs on the overhead.
  • You have attended worship services at a campground amphitheater.
  • All of your recipes are adapted to fit a 9 x 13 pan.
  • The usher never needs to ask you where you want to sit in church.
  • And finally, you know you're Dutch when..You're laughing along with this list because you can relate to most it!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was just having the "dutch" conversation with my hubby this morning. But it was more of my whining on why all of my cousins are tall and thin and I had to get the short, thick (meaning chubby), non blonde hair (although I had it as a kid) German genes. There's some scandinavian blood in there too since my mom is swedish and norweigen. So, considering I'm less that a quarter dutch it really would've been against the genetic odds that I would've been tall, thin, and blonde (thanks to my hair stylist I can actually be blonde :D ).

Anyway, I can say yes to many on that list too. One of the funniest is adding water to the jars to get everything out. I still do that. Saving all the leftovers is a huge one I grew up with. If no one wanted to eat the last 3 green beans in the bowl they'd get put in a container to be eaten later. I'm not exaggerating either. Nothing edible was ever thrown out.

Here's my favorite joke about the dutch being frugal - Did you hear about the new Dutch tire? It not only stops on a dime, but picks it up. Lame, I know. :D I heard that at college (dutch reformed college).

Thanks for the laugh.

Bethany

Anonymous said...

Ya know Wen, I don't think the 2 sweaters applies to you. That would probably be in the winter....you need 2 sweaters in your house at all times!

Jenny said...

As I learned from Jonie and Rita while they were visiting, "if you aren't Dutch you aren't much!" That was hysterical and so true!

Judy Woodford said...

This made me smile but you know a lot of those things apply to me too and I am not Dutch... just frugal. (and have lots of Dutch friends)

I thought you were American born Wendi... I think that makes you no longer 100% Dutch... = ) Lots of Dutch people around here (just ask Joia) and they consider themselves Canadian if they were born here with only Dutch heritage... just a thought =)

Maleficent...a Disney Diva said...

So cous, about the tall cousins, hmmm :)
How is it that I am 50% Dutch, yet 100% Dutch??? DJ & Angel may be only 25% Dutch (born in the US and raised in the Bahamas), but they are 100% Dutch too. Dang we have some stong blood :)
~Holly

Anonymous said...

Hey Wendi, it's your dad...speaking of the almond thing, oh my goodness! How I miss the banket (pronounced bahn-ket.) Joan could tell you more, but it's the BEST!