Is Receiving A Bicycle For Holiday Presents Common Practice In Europe?
12-05-10, 08:03 PM
#1
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Anti Social Media-Land
Posts: 3,078
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
2 Posts
Is Receiving A Bicycle For Holiday Presents Common Practice In Europe?
In my own home as a child and a teenager growing up in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s, I used to go to my local Dutch Bike Dealership (owned and operated by a immigrant Dutch family) and picked out a nice bike for the holidays. I treasured those bikes and even today I still credit them for grounding me into both choosing the right bike and using them for far more than a plaything or status symbol. I was wondering if my counterparts in Europe-especially The Netherlands, UK, Germany, Austria,Scandinavia, and France also buys their own bikes during this season for themselves or their children.
And for the children, who is credited for giving gifts; Father Christmas, Old Man Christmas, Yule Man Sinterklaas, Jultomte, Knecht Ruprecht, Christkind, Weihnachtsmann, Mikulás, Gwiazdor, Grandfather Frost & Snow Maiden, Djed Mraz, etc.? I hope I did not miss anyone’s favorite figure from the holidays. Over here we have had crass commercialism through ho-ho-hos, pushy advertisement blitz, and tiny reindeer for so long that all the old traditional practices were lost when our European ancestors came here and adopted Commercial Claus over their own traditions.
And for the children, who is credited for giving gifts; Father Christmas, Old Man Christmas, Yule Man Sinterklaas, Jultomte, Knecht Ruprecht, Christkind, Weihnachtsmann, Mikulás, Gwiazdor, Grandfather Frost & Snow Maiden, Djed Mraz, etc.? I hope I did not miss anyone’s favorite figure from the holidays. Over here we have had crass commercialism through ho-ho-hos, pushy advertisement blitz, and tiny reindeer for so long that all the old traditional practices were lost when our European ancestors came here and adopted Commercial Claus over their own traditions.
Last edited by folder fanatic; 12-05-10 at 08:28 PM.
12-06-10, 08:03 PM
#2
In the right lane
I don't know if it's a common practice, but I'd love to get a bicycle as a Christmas present. A Batavus would be fine.
12-06-10, 09:50 PM
#3
Membership Not Required
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: On the road-USA
Posts: 16,855
Bikes: Giant Excursion, Raleigh Sports, Raleigh R.S.W. Compact, Motobecane? and about 20 more! OMG
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 70 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 15 Times
in
14 Posts
...I take the XL BTW 
I am not getting a bicycle for Christmas (that I am aware of), but I am sure I will get several gift certificates from our LBS that will go towards parts for my current builds.
Aaron
__________________
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
12-07-10, 03:19 PM
#4
Unlisted member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 6,192
Bikes: Specialized Hardrock
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1376 Post(s)
Liked 432 Times
in
297 Posts
Ikea is giving bikes to it's employees this year. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101207005475/en
12-07-10, 03:28 PM
#5
"Per Ardua ad Surly"
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Kitchener, Ontario
Posts: 1,416
Bikes: Bianchi Specialissima, Mongoose Hilltopper ATB, Surly Cross-Check, Norco City Glide
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I am getting a new bike for Christmas this year. My wife gave me a 2010 Norco City Glide and I picked it up last Thursday. Of course, being me, I couldn't wait till 25 December.
This is what I got except in Red:
https://www.norco.com/bikes/urban/city-glide/city-glide/
I tried to post a picture but I couldn't get it to work. Anyways, I have already called it the Red Menace Mk. II. The first Red Menace was a 1993 Ford Tempo.
This is what I got except in Red:
https://www.norco.com/bikes/urban/city-glide/city-glide/
I tried to post a picture but I couldn't get it to work. Anyways, I have already called it the Red Menace Mk. II. The first Red Menace was a 1993 Ford Tempo.
Last edited by nelson249; 12-07-10 at 03:34 PM. Reason: Trying to post a picture and it didn't work.
12-07-10, 07:54 PM
#6
In the right lane
Ikea is giving bikes to it's employees this year. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101207005475/en
I like this news. I want to work for IKEA!
"It's been a good year for IKEA, so what better way to celebrate our success than to thank our IKEA co-workers who made this happen. Our big reveal today will be a fun day as we unload 12,400 new bikes at IKEA US locations. This is our way of saying 'thanks IKEA co-workers for being strongly committed to working together.' We hope this bike will be taken in the spirit of the season while supporting a healthy lifestyle and everyday sustainable transport," commented Mike Ward, IKEA US President.
12-07-10, 09:06 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,251
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Ikea is giving bikes to it's employees this year. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101207005475/en
12-08-10, 06:58 AM
#9
Membership Not Required
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: On the road-USA
Posts: 16,855
Bikes: Giant Excursion, Raleigh Sports, Raleigh R.S.W. Compact, Motobecane? and about 20 more! OMG
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 70 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 15 Times
in
14 Posts
Aaron
__________________
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(
ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.
"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"_Nicodemus
"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"_krazygluon
12-10-10, 05:44 PM
#10
Bike addict, dreamer
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Queens, New York
Posts: 5,165
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Some of my IKEA bookcases are over 15 years old and still in one piece. It's really not bad for the price. And I like the simple looks. Although, these bikes are really crappy, they could have done better.
12-12-10, 09:12 AM
#11
Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 26
Bikes: delta recumbent trike, sparta amazone urpight, dahon folder
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I was wondering if my counterparts in Europe-especially The Netherlands, UK, Germany, Austria,Scandinavia, and France also buys their own bikes during this season for themselves or their children.
And for the children, who is credited for giving gifts; Father Christmas, Old Man Christmas, Yule Man Sinterklaas, Jultomte, Knecht Ruprecht, Christkind, Weihnachtsmann, Mikulás, Gwiazdor, Grandfather Frost & Snow Maiden, Djed Mraz, etc.?
And for the children, who is credited for giving gifts; Father Christmas, Old Man Christmas, Yule Man Sinterklaas, Jultomte, Knecht Ruprecht, Christkind, Weihnachtsmann, Mikulás, Gwiazdor, Grandfather Frost & Snow Maiden, Djed Mraz, etc.?
Netherlands, that is.
When I was a child most kid's bikes would be hand me downs, and not suitable for nicely packaged presents.
As bikes are cheaper now and people have more money on average, there will be more kids who get a bike for a present. Birthdays, Sinterklaas (5th of December) or in some cases Christmas.
Children here believe in Sinterklaas, see here or here for some pictures and an explanation. When the kids stop believing, at age 8 or so, some families start giving the gifts at Christmas, but I do not know any Dutch families with kids who believe in Santa. Expat families sometimes do, so we have to be 'polite' about santa in public.
12-12-10, 02:28 PM
#12
In the right lane
Generally though isn't Christmas about giving things you don't really need? Like an extra pair of socks or something. Or a bakfiets for wahoonc.
12-12-10, 10:34 PM
#13
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Anti Social Media-Land
Posts: 3,078
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
2 Posts
I only ever once received a bike for a birthday present the other 'birthday' bike was part gift and part my own savings. I know more people who got bikes at birthdays.
Netherlands, that is.
When I was a child most kid's bikes would be hand me downs, and not suitable for nicely packaged presents.
As bikes are cheaper now and people have more money on average, there will be more kids who get a bike for a present. Birthdays, Sinterklaas (5th of December) or in some cases Christmas.
Children here believe in Sinterklaas, see here or here for some pictures and an explanation. When the kids stop believing, at age 8 or so, some families start giving the gifts at Christmas, but I do not know any Dutch families with kids who believe in Santa. Expat families sometimes do, so we have to be 'polite' about santa in public.
Netherlands, that is.
When I was a child most kid's bikes would be hand me downs, and not suitable for nicely packaged presents.
As bikes are cheaper now and people have more money on average, there will be more kids who get a bike for a present. Birthdays, Sinterklaas (5th of December) or in some cases Christmas.
Children here believe in Sinterklaas, see here or here for some pictures and an explanation. When the kids stop believing, at age 8 or so, some families start giving the gifts at Christmas, but I do not know any Dutch families with kids who believe in Santa. Expat families sometimes do, so we have to be 'polite' about santa in public.
As for Sinterklaas, He seems to be more likely something out of a good horror movie....
ST runs from November 11, 2010 in the cinema...."-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAad_3yUbz4&feature=channel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK55nao-vvw&feature=related
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grQJk_xX0CM&NR=1
One thing I can say for this particular holiday image, he is definitely not boring like our Commercial Claus. I would like to see this movie even though I don't understand what is being said.
From: https://www.esquire.com/features/ESQ1202-DEC_SEDARIS#ixzz17xhYiVRU
- A heartwarming tale of Christmas in a foreign land where, if you've been naughty, SAINT NICK and his friends give you an ass-whuppin'
- Unlike our Santa, SAINT NICHOLAS is painfully thin, dresses like the pope, and tops off his robes with a tall hat resembling a tea cozy.
- In addition to a great Christmas story, THE DUTCH have thrown in legalized drugs and prostitution. What's not to love about that?
Last edited by folder fanatic; 12-13-10 at 11:23 PM.
