Celebrating a birthday in the Netherlands is special because you can get what the Dutch love most – the gratis or free birthday treats in the Netherlands! Aside from everyone greeting you “gefeliciteerd” meaning “congratulations” in English, and eating cake and coffee/tea with your circle of friends and family, you get treated by many companies and establishments with food and/or goodies. These free goodies are not only for creating good customer relationship, but also for incentivizing you to buy and to celebrate at this establishment during your birthday. However, no one force you to do this, so in the end it is up to you if you just want to collect all the freebies, or spend more for your birthday. Below, I will list some of my favorite free stuffs during my birthday.

Free birthday treats in the Netherlands

1. Free piece of cake in Hema.

If you are a customer of Hema and use their app, you get a free piece of cake for your birthday. Having Hema app is of course handy for collecting points whenever you buy in Hema, which you can exchange for discounts in your future buy or getting free lunch and coffee.

2. Free e-books in NS Spoordeelwinkel.

If you have an account in NS Spoordeelwinkel, a website that give discounts for using NS train plus entrance tickets for day-outs, food, or overnight stay in a hotel around the Netherlands, they give 8 free e-books download during your birthday. Well, it is a good opportunity to enjoy reading e-books whenever you travel via train. So grab the opportunity to make an account if you use their service and get yourself nice e-book treat!

3. Free perfume, earrings and necklace in Yves Roucher.

If you are a fan of Yves Roucher, a cosmetic company from Brittany France that offer many biological and organic products, then they send you free perfume, earrings, and necklace (with value of around 50 euros) as birthday treats in the Netherlands. But there is a condition to get these free stuffs, you need to buy at least some products (at small price) in their web shop so that you can collect these freebies. Still a nice treat for your birthday!

4. Free stroopwafels in Jumbo or Donut in Lidl.

Jumbo is one of the biggest supermarkets in the Netherlands. If you are a regular shopper and have an account in Jumbo, then you get to have free stroopwafels in Jumbo during your birthday. If you are not a regular shopper of Jumbo but more of Lidl, then it is still not the end of the world. You can still get your free donut in Lidl during your birthday.

5. Free hamburger at McDonalds.

Not yet satisfied with your free food during your birthday? Then go straight to McDonalds to get your free hamburger. Nothing taste more delicious than free food!

6. Free birthday cake in La Place.

La Place also offers free birthday cake of your own choice. There are lots of options, from chocolate cake, cranberry cake, and chocolate cookie. By now your belly should be full with free food.

7. Free gardening gloves in Welkoop.

This is also one of my favorites because I like to garden and my birthday is during spring. You get a chance to get free gardening gloves, with a value of around 5 euros, in Welkoop. Well isn’t it nice free birthday treats in the Netherlands for your hobby?

8. Free one VIP ticket in cinema in Kinepolis.

After all the eating, who would not love to treat him/herself with a good movie at a VIP seat during his/her birthday? And no worries, everything is still within budget because it is for free! So enjoy and pamper yourself with good movie on your special day.

9. Free products in Etos.

You can also get some freebies of your own choice (deodorant, face mask, nail polish, etc) for your birthday, after purchasing in Etos. You just need to get the Etos app to select your free product.

10. Free discount coupons in many shops!

Many online shops will remind you of their existence and offer you at least 10% discount in your next buy. Well, any shop knows that 10% is the minimum that a Dutch considers for significant discount. So enjoy shopping and make the most of your birthday!

Interested to know other celebrations in the Netherlands? Check out the King’s day celebration in honor of the birthday of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. See my blog.