Birthday Traditions Past and Present

[John in Covina]

Doesn't it seem like in the past the birthday person could expect a flood of birthday cards but now people email something lame?

Has the the number of people embracing the concept of having a surprise birthday party for the celebrant dropped off these days?

What type of tradition did your family or friends participate in for your birthday?

For me:
My parents and my brother would always call early in the morning to sing Happy Birthday over the phone.

 

[December]

Aside from the usual kid's birthday party, we would always have a mini-party.

Just my mum and my brothers in the lounge. My mum would set up the coffee table with Chocolate Fingers, Party Rings, Pringles and all the other additive-ridden party food that children love.

I was quite upset when I moved out that I would no longer get this treatment, so I set one up for my fiance's birthday in the hope that I can carry on the tradition in this new life I lead.

As for a surprise party, I can't think of anything worse! Having to think everyone has forgotten your birthday all day, only to be given a heart attack when you get home and turn on the lights? No thanks! :lol:

 

[LaMedicine]

Traditional age celebrations

As family, we always have a small celebration. Just cake and tea and presents with immediate family. However, here, we have traditional age celebrations at certain ages, not in the younger years, but in our later years. This year, I hit the first of the series and had a collective bash with friends. When I came home with an armload of flowers, my daughters (and hubby) who remembered my birthday, but had completely forgotten my age, asked me what was up with all the flowers and presents ans was shocked when I said friends and I had a Kanreki party lol

I have copied in below the post I put up on this in the Vintage Kimono thread that I have put up in Powder Room.

We have some special celebrations when we turn certain ages, starting with Kanreki, which means return of the calendar to our birth year. The very traditional--no longer in use--way of noting the birth year was by the combination of the 12 animals of the revised Chinese Zodiac (I say revised, because the pig is replaced by the wild boar here) and the 5 elements of nature--wood, fire, soil, gold and water. 12 times five years, and the combination returns to what it was the year one was born. The celebrant is presented with a cap and vest to wear during the ceremony--or the merry making, whichever you prefer
For Kanreki, the color is red, then the next year is Koki , meaning very rare since ancient days at 70, Kiju, happy celebration at 77, Sanju at 80, Beiju at 88, Sotsuju at 90 and Hakuju (white celebration) at 99. From Sanju on up, the naming derives from the Kanji--Chinese--characters that can be broken down into characters indicating the respective numbers.
So, this year, my Kanreki has come, and the other day, we had a collective bash with a friend who also turned Kanreki in June and took our turns wearing the red cap and vest.

Probably a bit fftopic: but the kimono and obi, I had made for this particular year and occasion, it took a year and multiple consultations with the artist/craftsman before we came up with something satifactory. The kimono looks like a solid color but is actually black on red stencil print that belongs to a group of motifs called Edo Komon. Rather than stencil dyeing the red flower print onto black fabric, the bolt is first dyed solid red, then dye proof starch is applined using stencil patterns, and finally dyed black. The finished fabric is washed to wash off the starch, so the print appears. This is done all by hand. This particular motif goes back more than 400 years, and is a reproduction of a motif favored by the first Tokugawa Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, his is black on yellow. The pattern is slightly enlarged, a quarter coin covers about 10 flowers. BTW, the red motif on the obi are not solid red lines, but also very fine red Edo Komon stencil pattern.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Doesn't it seem like in the past the birthday person could expect a flood of birthday cards but now people email something lame?

I completely agree. I'd rather receive a handwritten note on plain paper in the mailbox than some mass-produced e-card. And it's not even really mass-produced. It's sort of an intangible electronic "thing" that you have to then waste your own paper & ink to print out something that probably 18 million people received that same day. "But I'll cherish it always!" The e-card has its place, but for me, not something I'll send to a friend or family member for whatever the occasion. As the old slogan goes - "Hallmark - when you care enough to send the best." I still hand-write thank you notes, birthday & anniversary cards, holiday cards, etc.

What does an e-card say? "I couldn't be bothered to remember to hit the card shop down at the mall to spend a couple bucks and then follow that up with the extremely strenuous activity of having to actually SIGN my name...with a pen or pencil, no less! Or worse yet, think up something original and heartfelt to to say. So instead, here at the last minute, I'm shooting you this free electronic thing to show how much I really, really care about you."

My birthday's about 10 days before Christmas (God help anyone who every sends a joint birthday-Christmas card or gift to me, but that's another story), and I often get the "Gee, I was so busy with <Christmas shopping, caroling, holiday parties, etc.> that I completely forgot until just now to send you a card." You're not sending me a card...you're sending me an etheral electronic intangible message... And I usually say "Well, at least Aunt Ruby at 102 still hobbled to the shopping center to pick up a card and write it out on her bad ankle...but that's OK if an e-card is the best you can do. Wait'll you see the e-gift I'm e-wrapping to go under your e-tree this year!"

 

[Shangas]

The only birthday tradition my family observes is eating egg noodles.

For the folks who are thinking: "Huuuuh????" right now, let me explain...

Consumption of noodles (specifically long, thin egg-noodles), is a birthday tradition in Asian (normally China, but also other) countries. The long strands of noodle represent long life. The yellow colour of the noodles (due to the eggs) symbolises wealth and prosperity.

It's considered bad luck if you bite the strands of noodles to break them, as that represented a shortening of the birthday boy/girl's life.

 

[LizzieMaine]

We did the two-party thing -- a "kids party" during the day, where the neighborhood kids would come and run around the yard and eat potato chips and drink soda and make noise, and then the "family party" at night, for family only, in which actual presents would be given and cake -- with novelty candles -- and ice cream served. Home movies would be taken at the family party, where everyone would squint into the light bar, jump up and down, and make faces. At the end of the festivities, the birthday kid would get a ceremonial spanking, with one lick for each year, "and one to grow on!"

When we got birthday cards, we'd carefully put them aside after we were through with them, so they could be reused -- we'd paste over the signature and send them off to someone else. Very often we'd get cards that had been pasted over the same way, so it was evidently a fairly common way of saving a few cents in the pre-e-card era.

 

[John in Covina]

Up til 10 we did a b-day party at my parents, after that it was more go have fun with friends movie tickets type of thing.

As of late, my closest friends will BBQ a birthday meal for me.

As yesterday was my birthday, they did monster shrimp cocktails, buffalo rib eye steaks on the weber with garlic mashed potatoes and zuccini. A Napolean pastry for desert. Some uber Rosenblum Syrah. A superb meal by friends and with friends.

This weekend my brother and his wife will probably take me to lunch, they already had got me tickets to see the first Asia / Yes show this tour, we went it was very good.

 

[Foofoogal]

LaMedicine: Exquisite. I love fabric. Thanks for the explanation as well. I could not find it in the powder room. fftopic:

 

[Paisley]

What's worse than an e-card? An e-card sender who sends a bunch of subsequent e-mails asking, "Why haven't you read the cute e-card I sent?"

We never had adults (besides the mom) at kids' birthday parties, either.

 

[John in Covina]

S U R P R I S E ! ! !

How many have either had or throw for someone - the surprise birthday party?

I have never had one, never thrown one, but been an assistant a few times getting them ready.

 

[Paisley]

I had one when I turned nine. It was a lot of fun. My friends from my old school came.

 

[Shirin]

I completely agree. I'd rather receive a handwritten note on plain paper in the mailbox than some mass-produced e-card. And it's not even really mass-produced. It's sort of an intangible electronic "thing" that you have to then waste your own paper & ink to print out something that probably 18 million people received that same day. "But I'll cherish it always!" The e-card has its place, but for me, not something I'll send to a friend or family member for whatever the occasion. As the old slogan goes - "Hallmark - when you care enough to send the best." I still hand-write thank you notes, birthday & anniversary cards, holiday cards, etc.

What does an e-card say? "I couldn't be bothered to remember to hit the card shop down at the mall to spend a couple bucks and then follow that up with the extremely strenuous activity of having to actually SIGN my name...with a pen or pencil, no less! Or worse yet, think up something original and heartfelt to to say. So instead, here at the last minute, I'm shooting you this free electronic thing to show how much I really, really care about you."

My birthday's about 10 days before Christmas (God help anyone who every sends a joint birthday-Christmas card or gift to me, but that's another story), and I often get the "Gee, I was so busy with <Christmas shopping, caroling, holiday parties, etc.> that I completely forgot until just now to send you a card." You're not sending me a card...you're sending me an etheral electronic intangible message... And I usually say "Well, at least Aunt Ruby at 102 still hobbled to the shopping center to pick up a card and write it out on her bad ankle...but that's OK if an e-card is the best you can do. Wait'll you see the e-gift I'm e-wrapping to go under your e-tree this year!"

Cheers.
Me, my dad and sis, are the only ones who send out Christmas cards every year. Its my tradition. Even if I don't get anything back, ( from my husbands side we NEVER do), I feel good knowing that I made somebody's day by showing I remembered them during the holidays--even if they don't do the same for me.

 

[Big Man]

... As yesterday was my birthday ...

Happy belated birthday. :eusa_clap

I was just looking at some old birthday party pictures the other day. Growing up, birthday parties were a big event (I talking mid 1950's to mid 1960's). Cake, ice cream, punch, dresses for the girls and little suits for the boys. It was quite something. As I got older, birthday's usually involved having friends over and a cook-out. I guess my Mother was the big instigator for all of this, as she loved having these kinds of parties. After she passed away, that was just about the end of any kind of "organized" party.

I try to get all my family together at each one's birthday time and do a cook out. But, with four children, plus the boy's wives and the girl's boyfriends, not to mention the grandchildren, et el. It's hard to get everyone together at the same time and place. We do, however, try - and I guess that has to count for something. [huh]

 

[Shangas]

Happy Birthday, John!!

My birthday is coming up soon, as well. The 31st of July is my birthday. The same as Juliet Capulet's and Harry Potter's. Strangely, I have two good friends who also share the same birthday! July 31st seems to be a popular birthday-date!

 

[tuppence]

Happy birthday Shangas

When we were kids we had the birthday party at home. 10 children from school. Best dresses, pass-the-parcel and other party games with prizes. Sausage rolls, fairy cakes and assorted other delicacies.
When my daughter was young, I'd be sending her off to about 10 McDonalds parties each year. Some-one having a party at home was a real novelty.

 

[Edward]

My folks always had a little birthday meal for us on the day; as we got older, this morphed into being taken out somewhere nice for dinner (usually Chinese). At primary school age, we would also have a full on birthday party with a bunch of friends. Usually, this took on some form of a theme... I think it's only really now I realise how much work it took them to run parties with a pirate theme, a space theme, a witches and wizards theme.... all with themed food and party games. As I got older - 9, 10ish, this gave way to birthday outings - ten pin bowling, cinema, whatever. I think the last one that I had I was about 13... after that, it was mostly the family thing - in my brother's case, family plus girlfriend. I lost all interest in my own birthdays after 17.... I do remember being less than thrilled when my folks insiste on taking me out for dinner on my 18th. Worst was my 21st.... folks organised and threw a surprise party for me, every minute of which I loathed like you would not believe. Couldn't tell them that, of course.... well, not until my 30th loomed and I had to let Dad in on that secret on the QT in case they got any ideas of doing it again! With only a couple of rare exceptions for the duration of a relationship in which it was made abundantly clear that not marking my birthday was not an option, I have'nt done anything to mark it for about ten years now. Most of my friends these days aren't aware of when it is, so it goes past blissfully largely unacknowledged. The few who do know (mostly because the same ex made a point of telling them...) know better than to make a fuss.

Other people's birthdays are great, though. I still make a point of phoning the folks and singing them happy birthday. I feel like an absolute prize idiot doing it and it's always the longest minute of the day, but they appreciate it, so... [huh] In the event that ever I was in a relationship again, i'd love to take the lady out for dinner with all the trimmings.

 

[John in Covina]

Some-one having a party at home was a real novelty.

*************
It may be a fear of lawsuits or clean up.

Out this way the pizza chain of Chuck E Cheeses has become a focal point for kids parties.

 

[John in Covina]

I finally joined the surprise birthday club!

Friends that had me over of the BBQ dinner put it together telling me it was a wine tasting and I had no clue. Stealthy work indeed.

Made for a fun evening and i got suitably embarresed from the attention.

 

[tuppence]

*************
It may be a fear of lawsuits or clean up.

Out this way the pizza chain of Chuck E Cheeses has become a focal point for kids parties.

Definitely fear of clean up. Still there is other things kids can do besides McDonalds

 

[chanteuseCarey]

For the last few years especially we are doing even smaller parties at home. Never went to a "place" for having a party such as a park or a bowling party or whatever. Our home IS the birthday party place! No large groups, some years not even with my immediate family there, just a few friends.

In past years the children have had themed parties (usually meaning the party supplies and cake idea only-not a huge decorating theme thing here). And we have never ever given presents or goodie bags for the kids that are birthday party attendees. Our children in the last few years have been allowed to have one friend that comes to their party stay the night as a sleepover guest.

Something very different this year. For my just recent bday (8/27) our family went to a vintage themed big band dance in SF at the Presidio Officer's Club that night, so we asked if we could bring in a cake. My husband Chuck made the cake. He likes to make mine and the children's birthday cakes with fancy flavored homemade real butter cream frosting and decorate them. Me, I'm into the details of the party; party goods, dishes, tablecloths, flowers in vases, etc.

A many year family tradition for our two children's birthdays; the four of us go out to eat at the approx. time they were born- on their actual birthday day. We try to arrange to raise a glass at the exact time of their birth and we all clink glasses to celebrate.