Children under 12 can not only earn pocketfuls of shells this summer, they can also ride the tram for free up and down the coast
Kids 11 and under can ride the coast tram for free this summer – if they are in possession of a hand-made flower. A charming custom at the Flemish coast sees kids selling self-made flowers – usually made from crepe paper – on the beach.
Children stick the flowers in the sand via their long stems and set up shop. Customers must pay in shells.
Known as strandbloemen (beach flowers), the tradition appears to be unique to Belgium and was added to the Flemish Inventory of Cultural Heritage in 2021. No one is quite sure how the practice started, but it has been handed down among generations since the 1920s.
Tramful of flowers
Public transport operator De Lijn got in on the act last year when it allowed children with a flower or flowers on their person to ride the coastal tram for free during the month of August.
The initiative was such a success that De Lijn decided to bring it back and extend it to the month of July as well. Kids don’t have to make the classic crepe paper beach flower, according to De Lijn spokesperson Jens Van Herp. “They can make a flower however they want,” he said. “There are no rules.”
Don’t kids ride De Lijn for free anyway, you might ask? Only if they are five or younger. Youngsters aged six to 24 ride cheap – but not free. Flanders’ coastal tram is the longest tramline in the world, running from De Panne to Knokke.
De Lijn wants to introduce kids who might not take public transport to the service but also realises that a tramful of flowers is a pretty cool thing. “People find this brightly colour floral scene really nice,” said Van Herp. “It’s a super positive campaign that works very well with the beautiful weather at the moment.”