Small Dutch moments that need no explanation once you know — but can catch you off guard the first time
Part of: Expat Essentials
On the first Monday of every month at 12:00, sirens sound across the entire country for about ninety seconds. You will hear them outside, and depending on your phone settings you may receive an NL-Alert push notification at the same time.
There is nothing wrong. It is a routine test of the national emergency alert system (Waarschuwings- en Alarmeringssysteem, WAS). The Netherlands has maintained this network of outdoor speakers since the Cold War era, and tests it monthly to make sure it still works.
If you have just arrived and have never heard it, the sound is genuinely startling — a full air-raid-style wail. The first time, people often look around to see if anyone else is reacting. Nobody is, because everyone already knows.
The NL-Alert system is used for real emergencies: gas leaks, chemical spills, missing children (Amber Alert), and severe weather warnings like code rood. If you receive an NL-Alert on your phone at any other time than the first Monday at noon, read it — it is for something real.
At any gathering with a ceremonial element — a wedding, a Christmas dinner, a birthday party, a work celebration — you will often be handed a drink before things formally begin. Do not drink it yet.
This is not specifically Dutch. It is common across Western Europe and many other cultures: the host or organiser calls for attention, says a few words, and raises their glass. That is your cue. In the Netherlands the word is Proost; in other places it is Cheers, Santé, Prost, or something else entirely — but the structure is the same. You raise your glass, make eye contact with the people around you, and then drink.
Drinking before the toast, especially from a glass of champagne or sparkling wine, is noticed. It is not a serious offence but it reads as not quite reading the room. If you are holding a full glass and everyone around you is also holding theirs and nobody has drunk yet, that is exactly the situation — just wait.
If you do not drink alcohol, hold whatever you have. The gesture is what matters, not the drink.
When invited to someone's home — for dinner, a birthday, or a gathering — it is customary to bring a small gift for the host. Flowers, chocolates, or a bottle of wine (if they drink) are all appropriate. The gift does not need to be expensive; bringing something lavish can actually make the host uncomfortable. The register is thoughtful, not impressive.
Dutch hosts typically open gifts immediately, in front of you. This is the norm, not a slip in protocol. Do not expect your gift to be set aside discreetly until later. The same applies when you receive a gift: open it then and there, and acknowledge it in front of everyone. Quietly pocketing it to open later reads as odd.
These guides are written to help you understand the Netherlands — not to replace professional advice. We do our best to be accurate but we make mistakes and information goes out of date. For anything that affects your legal status, taxes, finances, or health, verify with an official source or a qualified advisor.