Seeing Abraham & Sarah

When you celebrate your 50^th birthday in the Netherlands, the Dutch refer to this as ‘meeting Abraham’ if you are male, or ‘meeting Sarah’ if you are female. It is a tradition that honours a person gaining wisdom through experience. It is a major birthday that many look forward to and a cause for a great party.

Origin

The tradition is taken from the Bible, particularly John 8: 56-58.

“Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”

“You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”

“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”

John 8: 56-58

In this passage, Jesus is asked how he could have seen Abraham if he hadn’t yet reached fifty. He surprised the inquisitive Jews by saying, “Very truly I tell you, before Abraham was born, I am”.

Sarah was Abraham’s wife, hence used for females turning 50.

Celebrating

The Dutch have taken this Bible passage and made it into a longstanding tradition. When someone turns 50 it is a celebration of their life and all they have achieved.

One of the best known (and visible) part of the celebrations is the placing of a doll or inflatable of either Abraham or Sarah in the front garden of the person who is turning 50. It will often be accompanied with a sign just to make it 100% clear that it is someone’s 50^th Birthday.

It is also common to bake a cake, bread or cookies in the shape of a male or female figure.

Beyond 50

You can also carry on the tradition for each decade of a person’s life after 50, although not nearly as popular is Abraham and Sarah.

• 60^th Birthday – “Isaac” or “Elisabeth” birthday
• 70^th Birthday – “Jacob” or “Anna” birthday
• 80^th Birthday – “Joseph” or “Deborah” birthday
• 90^th Birthday – “Anthony” or “Ruth” birthday
• 100^th Birthday – “Methuselah” or “Judith” birthday