"JennyC" wrote in message
...

"Franz Heymann" wrote

http://www.ebirthdaycards.org/traditions.htm

That made an interesting read.
Franz

I read it too and found the description of Dutch tradition a little
lacking.............The 'birthday bash' is about the only thing I
HATE about
Holland. It's a minefield of rules, tradition and one can easily
upset all and
sundry by not complying with the (unspoken) rules"~(

Found this site which covers it well :
http://www.haarlemshuffle.com/expatzone/life/page2.html

I will have a look at it. In the meantime, it sounds as if it might
have affinities with what my friend in Holland once said the correct
form of addressing me in Holland would be, namely Zeer
HoochWeledelgeleerde Heer Professor Doktor Heymann

Franz