Hof der dingen - The beach flowers of the Belgian Coast

Who hasn’t taken their first steps into the world of commerce as a child, selling strandbloemen on the beach?

Strandbloemen—beach flowers—are a unique tradition along the Belgian coast, believed to have originated in the 1920s. Flowers made of fabric, plastic or paper were once used to decorate religious statues under a glass dome, in bridal bouquets, or as hair ornaments. Artificial flowers also appeared in the popular flower parades held along the Belgian coast in the late 19th century, and it is thought that these parades may have inspired the creation of strandbloemen. 

The flowers are crafted from crêpe paper, fixed onto sticks, and arranged in rows in the sand— sometimes on a small, hand-made mound with a pit behind it where the children sit acting as shopkeepers. Boys and girls alike run these little stalls. They often buy flowers themselves and then try to sell them on, with or without making a profit. Traditionally, the flowers are made by parents or grandparents, though in recent years workshops have been organised, including here at the Provincial Palace. 

Payment is made not with coins, but with shells. Shell currency is universal—the same rule applies everywhere: the rarer the shell, the greater its value. On the east and west coasts, payment is most often made with couteautjes (razor shells). In parts of the central coast, however, it is customary to use handjes: handfuls of mixed shells, with mussels, oysters, and razor shells excluded, as they fill little hands too quickly. 

It was Hannelore Maelfait who brought this beautiful, flower-filled tradition to our attention. Today, the selling of strandbloemen is officially recognised in Flanders as intangible cultural heritage.