50

Tomorrow a great friend of mine is turning 50. For some reason, which this post will make me research, it's a special occasion here in Holland. That's the fun of writing about dutch culture, I have to do some of my own research, and not just accept everything as it is!

So here's what my research turned up:
When you turn  50 you're said to have seen either Sarah (as a woman) or Abraham (as a man). If you're lucky, and have creative friends, a huge doll is placed in your garden so that all may know you have reached that ripe old age. The more creative your friends, the more creative the doll. And if you're not creative, you can always rent one of these gigantic blow up dolls instead.
Not being creative myself, I won't be making one of those dolls for my friend, and I won't park one of the blowup ones in her apartment either. Who knows what one of her other friends may do though!

This tradition actually stems from a bible verse. In John 8:57 it says the following:

“You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”
I suppose, with the rise of feminism, women chose to include Sarah in this ritual as well.  


Another one of the dutch quirks. In a couple of years I may have friends crazy enough to put up one of these in my garden......