Customs of Belgium

Marriage and Family

Long marriage engagements are common, as is living together before or instead of marriage. Only civil marriages are legal, but many couples also have a religious ceremony.

The average Belgian family has two children. Both parents often work outside the home. At home, they may share some household duties, but women are still generally considered responsible for many of them and for child care. Married children in Flanders seldom live with their parents, except in rural areas where families share farmland. In the past, extended families in Wallonia shared a large single house, but today they tend to live separately. Still, they often remain in the same town or city as the rest of their family.

Eating

Belgians eat a rich variety of foods, including pork, beef, game birds, fish, seafood, cheese, fruit, vegetables, bread, and soup. Wine, beer, or mineral water is often served with meals. Belgium is famous for seafood (such as mussels), chocolate, some 300 varieties of beer, waffles, and frites (fried potatoes)—which Belgians claim to have invented and which are sometimes served with mayonnaise. Breakfast consists of a hot drink along with rolls or bread with jam or other preserves. At midday, a larger meal is eaten. The evening meal is usually at 7 or 8 pm. Belgians take great pride in the quality of their food and the variety of cuisine—from domestically developed dishes to those adapted from other cultures. Restaurants offer a wide variety of international dishes.

Mealtimes in Belgium are leisurely occasions to enjoy good food and good conversation. Most Belgians eat with the knife in the right hand and the fork in the left. It is considered wasteful but not impolite to leave food on the plate.

Socializing

Belgians greet each other with a handshake. The phrases used for greeting depend on the region. The most typical Dutch greetings are Hallo (“Hello”) and a more formal Goedendag (“Good day”). The French equivalents are Salut (“Hello”) and Bonjour (“Good day”). English greetings would not be out of place in Brussels and some other cities. Close friends may greet each other with three light kisses on the cheek, although it is more like kissing the air while touching cheeks. Only friends and relatives are greeted by first names; otherwise, last names are used, preceded by a title of courtesy such as Mr. or Mrs. When leaving a small group, Belgians usually shake hands with and bid farewell to everyone individually.

Belgians enjoy inviting relatives and close friends to their homes, but other socializing is usually done in public places such as cafés, bistros, and restaurants. It is rare for Belgians to visit one another without prior arrangement or at least calling ahead. Invited guests always bring a small gift to their hosts. Punctuality is important.

Recreation

Cycling and football (soccer) are the most popular sports, and many people enjoy watching basketball, volleyball, tennis, and car racing. Hunting (a controversial pursuit) and fishing, as well as pigeon racing, have a large following in some areas. In pigeon racing, male pigeons are released far away from the females, and owners bet on which will be the quickest to fly back to his mate. Families enjoy going to restaurants, the theater, and the cinema. Belgians also enjoy outings to the beach or to the forest of the Ardennes in the south. Local and national festivals such as Carnival are recreational highlights of the year.

Holidays and Celebrations

Official holidays include New Year’s Day (1 January), Labor Day (1 May), Independence Day (21 July), Assumption (15 August), All Saints’ Day (1 November), Armistice Day (11 November), Dynasty Day (15 November), and Christmas Day (25 December). Easter Monday, Ascension Day, and Whitmonday are also observed. On Christmas Day, the crèche is traditionally rendered by shop owners in the material in which they do business—in dough at a bakery, for example, or in tools at a hardware store. Then the crèche is put in the window for all to admire.

Unofficial holidays include Sint Maartens Dag (“Saint Martin’s Day,” 11 November). It is especially appreciated by children, who are likely to receive gifts. A special treat consumed at this time is the gauffre, or Belgian waffle. In addition, Flanders has its own holiday on 11 July, and Wallonia has one on 27 September.

Festivals play an important part in Belgian life. One of the most famous is the three-day celebration of Carnival at Binche, near Mons, held just before Lent. Carnival has both medieval and ancient roots: The Roman Catholic Church claims it as the final celebration before Lent, while pre-Christian tradition claims it as a celebration to drive away the evil spirits of winter. During Carnival, noisemaking and dancing are led by Gilles, men dressed in high, plumed hats and bright costumes. The Carnival celebration in Aalst is also popular. Another famous pageant is the Procession of the Holy Blood, held in Bruges in May. Throughout the country there are many local cultural and folklore festivals, such as the annual Cat Festival in Ieper.

Source: Encarta Interactive World Atlas