'As a thank you for watering the plants and picking up the mail.'

It’s a lovely ritual, but if we look at this behavior psychologically, that bottle of wine is actually a form of 'souvenir tax': a way to buy off our own guilt. And if we look at the hard numbers, that guilt is completely unjustified.

The fear of being a burden

In our earlier blog posts, we already saw that over half of Dutch people (52.9%) prefer turning to family or friends rather than their neighbours for holiday favours. We're terrified of being a 'burden' to the people next door. And if we do end up asking? We instantly feel guilty. Throughout the entire holiday, we wonder: 'Did the neighbour remember to put out the bin?' or 'Did the neighbour accidentally drown the plants?'  

Upon returning home, that discomfort must be compensated as quickly as possible with a tangible thank-you gift. We pay the 'tax' to restore the social balance in the street.

Surprise: the neighbors actually really enjoy it

But what happens when we look at the research data? That fear of being a burden is purely in our own heads. Figures from our survey of 1,046 Dutch people show that your neighbors often take on those chores with love (and even pleasure).

Take, for example, the results for multi-person households without children living at home (often couples whose children have already moved out):

• With a 1.6 (on a scale of 2), they score above average on actually doing chores for the neighbors while they were away.
• They score an extremely high 1.8 on keeping an extra close eye on your house.

For this group—and for many other neighbors—taking care of your plants or the cat is not a heavy burden at all. On the contrary: it provides a sense of purpose, structure, and social connection in the street. It gives them a legitimate reason to pop in, see how your house is doing, and simply be involved in the neighborhood.

A box of chocolates or a good conversation?

Asking for help and accepting it can be quite tricky in our individualistic society. But our research shows that 58.0% of Dutch people have helped out their neighbours with holiday chores. We truly are an incredibly supportive bunch in the summer.  

So, should you skip the bottle of wine this year? Not at all; a small gesture is always thoughtful. But don't give it out of guilt. Know that those neighbors enjoyed looking after your house. And if you really want to make them happy? Drink that bottle of wine together during a nice late-summer drink in the garden. They often enjoy that even more!

What is the nicest (or most terrible) holiday souvenir you have ever received from your neighbors as a thank you?