Birthday traditionsUsually we're too busy racing around getting everything organized for our party to wonder where all these ideas came from in the first place! So here is my mini guide to help :)
Every year when you sing "Happy Birthday" or play classic kids' party games, or even light the candles on the cake, you pass traditions on to our children that form part of their upbringing and culture. Isn't that amazing? If you're still planning your party, then now's a good time to dive into the world of birthday traditions, and discover a few nuggets of information and inspiration to make that party extra special!
And the original words? "Good Morning to All"... With the original song written in 1893 by American sisters Patti and Mildred Hill, this song is now copyrighted - which means that public singing of "Happy Birthday to You" in restaurants, for example, is theoretically illegal unless authorized! Our family tradition is to sing the song when the lights are dimmed and the cake is brought in with candles flickering. Once the candles are blown out - we do it a second time! Own up - who doesn't want a photo of the birthday child's face when the cake is brought in? Which brings me to...
The rising smoke from candles was believed to signify prayers being wafted up to God - from which we have taken the idea of making a wish and blowing out the candles. I'm finding it harder and harder to blow them all out at once - not a problem for our little ones, I hope! Let's start cutting the cake - oh, the cake!
Nowadays you might want to feature your child's name or age on the cake, or put some kind of greeting on it. And cake decorations can include candy, ribbons, princesses, or even Bob the Builder... I wonder what the ancient Greeks would make of Bob ;) And of course our cakes are not only baked at home, but mass-produced in supermarkets or available for online ordering.
In ages past, kings and queens might have expected their subjects to give them gifts; the ordinary man, woman, or child would not have experienced this, and may well not have known when their date of birth was anyway! Present giving goes along with the old idea of protecting someone from evil: wishing them well, surrounding them with good thoughts. The Victorian development of Christmas as a time to give gifts may well have sparked enthusiasm to enjoy birthday gift-giving too - when people began to be able to afford such luxuries, and at a time when the manufacture of toys was just beginning. How could anyone have foreseen the huge choice of toys and games on the market today? There is still a place for the traditional birthday gift, however. For a first birthday party or toddler party, gemstone gifts associated with the month of birth are still a good choice. "Memory" gifts, such as charm bracelets or footprint/handprint keepsakes are also popular. But for the kids - nothing beats a fab toy they've set their heart on!
Birthday cards go back around a hundred years, and, again, were probably influenced by the Victorian Christmas, which inspired the first Christmas cards.
Early Victorian birthday cards featured flower girls, chubby cherubs and wildlife scenes. How this birthday tradition has changed! E-cards, singing cards, personalized photo cards - modern tools bringing this tradition firmly into the 21st century.
Your kiddie guests get to have fun with their friends while they're all dressed up, and the thought of winning a prize... well! I must admit, I did cry at one of my own birthday parties when I didn't win the prize I wanted... oh dear! These Classic Kids Party Games will remind you of traditional games that are so familiar and heart warming to watch as parents :) Party games as a birthday tradition have a little history, too.
Kim's Game, for example, originates from a spy story called, not surprisingly, "Kim," written by Rudyard Kipling in 1901. The spy was trained to observe and remember small details and this was the inspiration for the party game. Go on - look at the items on the tray for ten seconds, then close your eyes and try to remember them all! Written records giving evidence of early party games are scarce, however; the Oxford English Dictionary, for example, has no records of Pass the Parcel before 1967... ...however it has traced Pin the Tail on the Donkey back to 1887. Wow! You see? That ol' donkey's been around a while! Birthday traditions are all about having fun!. And the parties we enjoyed as kids - we want our own kids to enjoy, too! Want more "blast from the past" inspiration for a party? Try my special collection of Victorian Tea Party Games. |
