What are typical European habits, food customs and remarkable philosophies?

Why habits?

For a while now, I am inspired by all kinds of ways of living... Hence this magazine about Scandanavian Habits. I wish you can add as well. You hear more and more about all kinds of Scandinavian habits. All kind of different habits or way of dealing with life, that are interesting. What do you think?

Habits in Denmark

Hygge

• The danish word Hygge is impossible to translate, same as the dutch word Gezelligheid. What is the difference between Hygge and Gezelligheid, from my point of view? I think Hygge you are. It is a way of life, the way you live your life, instead of a way of making a sort of atmosphere. Gezelligheid can be made or the atmosphere is already with you, and thus as well a part of you. The dutch use the term Gezelligheid more of an atmosphere. It is not a reflection of you. Hygge is a mentality, a part of the danish identity. You will sit cosy at the couch with your thick socks, with a cup of Moon tea, in total harmony with yourself and the surroundings. You are, and you are not making an atmosphere. Not sure if I am right. What do you think?
• "Hygge is een toestand die je ervaart als je in harmonie bent met jezelf, je echtgenoot, de belastingdienst en je ingewanden". - Tove Ditlevsen

Habits in Finland

Jokamiehen oikeudet

• Jokamiehen oikeudet is common in Finland. They have a concept called ‘Everyman’s rights’, it allows everyone to roam freely in nature, camp, eat and pick berries and mushrooms anywhere in forests. How nice is that? As long as it all causes no damage or disturbance to nature or the landowner. 

Sisu

• Sisu is the national character of the people in Finland. It is determination, interior gutts that comes from inside. What else can it be, living in a dark and cold country? Does sisu also apply to where you are from?

Habits in Iceland

• Loud Sniffing - Sniffing in Iceland is not unusual, it's considered normal there. Blowing your nose is seen as impolite.
• Dining etiquette - Talking with your mouth full, reaching out to the other side of the table, on top of someone else’s plate, eating quickly, using toothpicks is considered as normal dining etiquette. Same as obtaining a second without being offered is normal. Leaving the table before everyone is done, and bringing your plate to the kitchen is also normal.
• Soaking in hotsprings - Icelanders take full advantage of their abundant hot springs. Public pools and hot tubs are a common sight, and soaking naked is a daily social activity for many.
• Strong Naming Traditions - Icelanders have patronymic surnames, meaning their last name reflects their father's name.You either have the family name with -son or -daughter (dóttir) behind it.

Habits in Norway

Friluftsliv

• Frilufsliv is the concept of an outdoor lifestyle. Rejuvinate in nature. Go on a date in nature. Walk, hike up the mountain, ski before work. Walking on sundays is a common habit. You get the point. 

Helgefylla, Julebord, Afterski

• Drinking alcohol in Norway is very expensive. So Norwegians specify the time, when alcohol is being consumed. The specific time in the weekends is known as Helgefylla. During holidays, at a Christmas party is Julebord, or after a day of skiing the so called Afterski. We call it Apresski, the drinking after skiing, but can be every day, we don't go skiing that often.... In Norway when it is alcohol-time, a lot goes down the throat. 

Kaffepause

• Coffee is the popular. Norway has a high number of amount of coffee drunk per person every year. Coffee in the morning, coffee in the afternoon, coffee in the evening. Coffee, coffee and coffee. With or without a cinnamon bun.

Kos or koselig

• What is kos? How is it done? It is like hygge, it can be practiced alone or with others. Inside your home or outside your home. In your bed, beside a fire place, on the couch, in a cafe, in the forest, on the beach. Actually anywhere cosy. Add a good book or movie, cookies and a few candles and you are totally koselig.

Habits in Sweden

Dostadning

• Have you heard of the ritual Döstädning? It is called death cleaning. Cleaning everything up, before you die, so others won't be hassled with your mess. It is a good way of saying goodbye to things, to share memories and to give away stuff which are important to you to others you love and share the story behind things. 

Fika

• The Swedisch term Fika is having coffee or tea is a phenomena. It is part of life, an important time of day. Hanging out with friends and get to know each other. A common time to fika is 10 am or 3 pm. You can have tea or coffee or even something else. And a cinnamon bun is part of the deal. Different right? For me, a cinnamon bun is a whole meal. In the Netherlands we have cake when it is someones birthday, or eat a cookie together. Homemade cookies are still special, since not everyone has time to bake. What is your take on Fika?

Fredags mys

• Friday cosy or fredags mys is a popular concept in Sweden. It is eating comfort food, like pizza and chips. Wow, such a nice concept it is the dutch borrel, might be a little the same?

Lagom

• Just read a whole book about the concept of lagom. It is the Swedish way of life. Lagom is a balancing act, it’s a desire for the good doing everything just right. Lagom is an experience, art and a lifestyle. It is the design, interior decoration, architecture and nature.

What are the customs in the Netherlands regarding food?

• Broodje kaas - The Dutch often lunch with a cheese sandwich or other cold snacks. Hot lunches are less common. Pre-made sandwiches are made and put in a lunch box and that is what the Dutch have for lunch.
• Beschuit met muisjes of hagelslag - Hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles) and muisjes (small anise seeds) are popular toppings for sandwiches. Round toast with muisjes is served when a baby is born in the specific colors of the baby's gender.
• Drop is a salty licorice-like candy that many Dutch people like. Many foreigners do not like the  salty licorice, the sweet drop they like better.
• Koffietijd - The Dutch love coffee and often drink it with cake or pastries or one cookie (not two or three) you can take out of the cookiejar and afterwards it closes.
• Frikandel, kroket or bitterbal - A frikandel is a deep-fried meatloaf that is a popular snack or try a bitterbal: small fried veal, beef in a crunchy jacket.
• Stamppot is a traditional stew of potatoes and vegetables, with kale (boerenkool), onion and carrot (hutspot), sourkraut (zuurkool), andijvie, spinach etc etc.

What are notable holidays and festivals in the Netherlands?

• Kringverjaardag - It is a habit to celebrate ones birthday in a circle of chairs. One of my former collegues reminded me of this dutch habit. It goes like this, either it is a dutch party and you bring your own food and often a kring verjaardag. Th -ere is not much swapping of chairs and a lot of talking in the group, less individual talks perhaps with your neighbours sitting on the right and/or left side. 
• Happy birthday - Is wished to everyone attending the kringverjaardag, not only meant for the celebrant.
• Kingsday - It is celebrated the night before the 27th (birthday of the King) and the day itself. The Dutch wear orange and especially in Amsterdam and bigger cities it is celebrated on the streets. For the children in all kind of places there is the Vrijmarkt: second hand stuff is sold on the streets.
• Sinterklaas - Every year on december 5 children get gifts from Sinterklaas (kind of Santa claus) when they have been good children. The gifts are also given after Sinterklaas has entered the Netherlands and you put your shoe near the chimney, with a carrot for his horse and sing a song. The whole Zwarte pieten discussion is mentioned somewhere else.
• Silvester evening in the Netherlands: dinner is shared with family or friends, often at home.
• "Oliebollen" are eaten (fried dough) and champagne will be served at midnight. The last seconds of the former year will be counted out loud. On television there is a broadcast of a old year conference (often by a comedian), that is a dutch tradition.

What are the notable habits in the Netherlands?

• The Dutch have some unique customs and habits that may seem strange to foreigners.
• Gezelligheid - Gezelligheid is an important concept in Dutch culture. It means cosiness: being together, having fun and relaxing. Gezelligheid kent geen tijd is a famous dutch expression. Gezellig he?
• Oranje, oranjegevoel - Orange is the color of the Dutch. The Dutch wear orange on Kingsday and when the dutch football team is playing (high level only).
• Birthday calendar or tiles- Many Dutch people have a birthday calendar hanging on the toilet so they never forget a birthday or a tile with Delfts blauw with a wisdom like sentence for example: Oost, west, thuis, best. East, west, home is the best.
• Zuinigheid - Fruitfullness, the dutch generally don't like to spend more than necessary and will watch de kleintjes (small coins).They pay close attention to their pennies and go dutch or send a tikkie (online share costs or pay back what someone has spent for you).
• Complaining - The Dutch love to complain, and talk negative but that doesn't mean they are unhappy. It's more of a way to connect with each other. Most popular topic is the weather to complain about, it is often too cold, rainy or too hot.
• Cycle - The Dutch cycle, in the rain, with children, doing groceries, everywhere. People sit at the back of the bicycle, with the legs on one side.
• Directness - The Dutch are generally very direct in their communication. They say what they think and like honesty.
• No small talk - The Dutch dislike unnecessary small talk and like to get directly to the point.
• Self-reliance - Dutch people are very self-reliant and like to solve problems themselves. Not to be dependent of another person.
• Dutchies - As a slang term for cannabis joints or blunts, or a few different entities related to Dutch culture and travel. I am refering to this image, one of the Dutchies! Our mascotte.

What are the customs in Greece regarding food?

• Greeks love good food, and eating out. Small snacks (mezes) are often eaten before dinner with a drink.
• Greek food is quite simple, without elaborate sauces or many herbs. However, a lot of olive oil, garlic, thyme, oregano and onion are used to give the food flavour.
• Olive oil and olive trees can be found everywhere in Greece. The Greeks love their olive oil.
• Mezedes, these are the Greek tapas. Keftedes, salad, calamaris, souvlaki, octopus, spanakopita (spinach and feta in dough).
• There are still many Turkish influences to be found in the Greek cuisine, such as the sweet bakeries (zaharoplasteio) where baklava is usually also sold.
• The Greeks eat late, around 9:00 PM, 10:00 PM or even 11:00 PM with a lot of ouzo (anis drink with 40% alcohol) and cosy moments around the dining table.

What are the best recipes in Greece?

• Specialities in Greece Dolmades: Stuffed vine leaves.
• Missed: Tomatoes, peppers and courgettes stuffed with rice.
• Moussaka: Eggplant with lamb, cinnamon and red wine.
• Souvlaki: Roasted meat.
• Horiatiki: Greek salad with real feta cheese and olives.

What are the best drinks in Greece?

• Greek mountain (herbal) tea.
• In Greece you are allowed to drink alcohol from the age of 16.
• Greek wine is very affordable and easy to drink.
• Although not everyone likes it, Retsina is a special type of wine made with pine resin.
• Ouzo: Strong aniseed drink.
• Greek coffee is strong, and many Greeks therefore add enormous amounts of sugar to it. 

What are notable holidays and festivals in Greece?

• A Greek year revolves around saints' days and festivals. Most people are conventionally devoted to a saint, areas, stations, boats, you name it. Did you know that name days are more important than birthdays? And of course, take the Mediterranean ones to celebrate it all!
• Panigiria is a party where everyone/the entire village comes together to celebrate. Music, food (souvlaki), the syrto, the sirtaki and other dances are ingredients of this party. On May 25th, Greek Independence Day celebrates the revolution against the Turks. Every city loves parades, with the most impressive military parade in Athens. May 25th is also a Greek Orthodox religious holiday.
• On O(c)hi day, which is on October 28th, every year the Greeks celebrate their resistance against the occupation of Italian structures of strategic areas in Greece. Ohi means no.
• From June to September, the Hellenic Festival is held in various places in Greece. With music, dance and theater performances in the Odeion of Herod in Athens and classical Greek tragedies in the amphitheater in Epidaurus.

What are the notable habits in Greece?

• The Greeks are often very warm and temperamental people who elevate hospitality as an art. There is often contact (arm or shoulder) and kissing, both by men and women naked. A conversation within a conversation is not acceptable.
• A Mediterranean standard is everything in moderation and was invented by the Greek philosopher Cleobulus. It is the key to good living.
• Messimeri is the Greek siesta, from 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM. Shops are closed, people have lunch or sleep.
• The Greeks meaningfully put plates on the floor after the meal. This tradition is typically Greek, but already forbidden. It is dangerous because of the flying scraps. If your plates fly around, it may be because the restaurant has a license.