Brace for a Birthday Flour Storm

November 20, 2015Jenn Goddu 1 Comment

Before today, I’d always associated flour with birthdays in terms of making a cake. Now, however, I will have to rethink this.

Did you know that in Germany, on someone’s 16th birthday it is tradition to throw flour over his or her head? Apparently at 18 they do eggs. (I did not find any indication they continue through the cake recipe with sugar at 21 or baking soda at 25). Actually, at 25, unmarried men are treated to sock garlands around their homes. The Sockenkranz labels them confirmed bachelors. Sort of like the Pepper Person tradition in Denmark.

Better yet, in Jamaica, no one is immune from this powdery tradition. Mango Salute magazine reports family and friends “spend days devising cunning ways” to enable a so-called “Flour Shower” before adding on some kind of liquid leaving the birthday boy or girl covered by goo (Too bad giving umbrellas is verboten).

This tradition is also seen in Indonesia. Blogger Lily Wiggins shared her own experiences being floured there, along with her appreciation for how the tradition prompted even strangers to smile and wish her “Selamat Ulang Tahun!”

There are other cultures that butter the nose of the birthday celebrant, so I pity the single man of Canadian and Jamaican descent spending his 25th birthday in Germany. He’d be surrounded by socks and slipping into his birthday with a buttered nose and floured head!

Photo credit: martinak15 / Foter / CC BY

Gift Giving Taboos

November 13, 2015Jenn Goddu 2 Comments

Photo credit: / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

For many people part of the excitement of birthdays is the gifts. I’m not only talking about kids. Adults can get pretty loopy about the loot they receive too.

In the interest of helping out loyal readers of this blog, I’ve compiled a list of gifts to avoid for the superstitious and with attention paid to international customs:

It’s bad luck to give a clock or timepiece gift in China as the word for clock sounds like death.
Handkerchiefs are another bad choice (because you know you were ready to give those monogrammed ones you made!) as they are used to wipe away sadness and frustration and you don’t want to draw those to the birthday recipient.
Moroccans may not want their gifts in yellow, pink or violet as those are colors associated with death.
Put a small amount of money in a new wallet, purse, or piggy bank to give the receiver good luck or to ensure that they will never be without money (depending on which interpretation of the tradition you adhere to).
Shoes can be a mistake as they symbolize giving the birthday guy or girl the ability to walk away forever.
Giving an umbrella or fan is thought to be bad luck too (because the Chinese words for fan and umbrella sound like the word meaning to scatter or to lose).

Apparently, the way to counteract many of these superstitions is for the birthday boy or girl to pay the giver a token sum (even a penny). In this way they have paid for this item instead of getting it as a gift. Somehow that keeps the chi/fates/bad luck elves at bay.

And whether or not you are superstitious, you should probably steer clear of self improvement gifts. You might have the best of intentions, but you could easily offend your recipient by wrapping up that diet cookbook or bathroom scale as a birthday gift.

Need help with the wrapping of your now appropriately chosen gift? I blogged some suggestions in the past.

Fabulous Fall Birthdays

October 23, 2015Jenn Goddu 1 Comment

Earlier this month a UK columnist chimed in with “11 reasons October birthdays are the best.”

She had some I agree with:

“Everyone can celebrate with you.” You’re in school with your friends. Weddings that conflict aren’t as common. The holidays haven’t made budgets tight.
“You will look fabulous. Everyone knows that the autumn wardrobe is the best wardrobe.” I always wondered if I thought this way just because it was my birthday season…but at least I’m not alone.
She’s also keen on the connection to Halloween for the chance to wear costumes. I’ll agree that is great for kiddos.

Then her no. 11 is “beautiful scenery for a beautiful birthday.” Have to agree there. It’s a lovely time of year to get away and see some fall foliage. Check out this Budget Travel slideshow of beautiful fall colors if you don’t agree.

Photo credit: Puzzler4879 / Foter / CC BY-NC

Now, I’m not sold on the rest of her points. Sharing a birthday with Simon Cowell and other stars, the “beautiful birthstone,” and several UK-specific reasons don’t really “wow” me. Nevertheless, I’d add:

A fall birthday means you can comfortably enjoy a fire outside. I’ve enjoyed Smores at the family fire pit on weeknight birthdays.
Candy. There’s a lot of candy around with Halloween on tap for the end of the month.
It’s cool enough for a hot chai or a hot chocolate outside in the fresh air without feeling as if you are going to sweat off 16 pounds (although that may not be the worst thing if you’ve indulged too much already in the aforementioned candy).

Obviously I’m biased to October birthdays. What are the reasons your birthday month is the best?

What the survey says about birthdays!

October 2, 2015Jenn Goddu 1 Comment

Ok, growing up one of my favorite shows to watch when my parents left me unattended was Family Feud. Yep, I have just admitted that publicly for the world to see.

Photo credit: jacorbett70 / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

Now, as an adult, I still love to learn what a good “survey says.” So imagine my delight to discover that someone did a survey to discover what would be the happiest day to have a birthday!

Turns out that in the UK it’s June 20. The Mirror tells us this is because it is the day with the most daylight.

Apparently, of the 2,000 people surveyed, those who had birthdays in June were the happiest with the month of their celebrations. While August celebrants came in a close second in terms of satisfaction with their birthday month.

November birthday celebrants were least likely to be content with their lot. The Mirror further reported: “The bleakest day for a November birthday was revealed as the 10th, with the highest number of people (54 per cent) of respondents claiming that they weren’t happy with the day.”

To me these results go against all common wisdom about birthdays! Those who have summer birthdays never got to celebrate in school and have to deal with friends and family summer vacations when trying to set up a party.

Or what about the difficulties suffered by the December and January babies who have to compete with holidays and the malaise that follows the crush of December gift-giving and fetes?

I’m going to argue these results are skewed due to a small sample size, being offered only to Britons, and somehow influenced by the survey sponsor being Mars Bar Cakes. In the meantime, I will continue with my wholehearted belief that October 6 remains the very best day for a birthday. Come on fellow Libra — who is with me?

Birthday Royal Excuses

August 28, 2015Jenn Goddu Leave a comment

A birthday is a day on which we might be forgiven for feeling slightly more sovereign than those around us. Looking at examples from history can help those of us who love our birthdays feel a little bit better about any extravagances today.

Accused of going overboard on your special day? Bring up England’s King Charles II.

Photo credit: Internet Archive Book Images / Foter / No known copyright restrictions

He held a double gala celebrating his nativity on the 29^th of May along with the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. After more than a decade of unrest, Charles had returned to the throne. Plus, he was hitting the big 3-0 (probably even a bigger deal back then when life expectancy was truncated compared to now). What better excuse to throw a lavish public ceremony?

Arriving in London he was greeted by the cheering army while he exchanged his coach for a charger. Riding past he was treated to pipe music, processions of young girls dressed in white, Morris dancing, flowers strewn in his path, and tapestries strung on the houses he passed. According to a Victorian historian cited in Lewis (1976), “The different streets…exhibited a scene of splendor perhaps unparalleled in the annals of public rejoicings” (p. 83). Of course the event wrapped up with fireworks and “a profusion of wine and food” (p. 84).

If your outfit is questioned, look to the example of Kublai Khan.

Photo credit: Foter / CC BY-SA

Lewis (1976) quotes Marco Polo’s description of a grand festival to celebrate his majesty’s birth: “the grand Khan appears in a superb dress of gold” attended by a“full twenty thousand nobles and military officers” also clad in gold silk and ornamented with precious stones (p. 86).

That’s right. The partygoers dressed up in gold, silk and jewels too. Think of that next time someone shows up to your celebratory shindig in sweatpants!

Photo credit: .Va i ♥ ven. Arp / Foter / CC BY

The Politics of Birthdays

August 21, 2015Jenn Goddu Leave a comment

I am going to have to start suspecting anyone who wants to know my birthday!

So, I’ve written about advertisers wanting to know our birthdays to better target us. Plus, twitter wants to know your birthday now, too, so that it can — yes — give the information to advertisers. But now politicos are getting in on the action too!

Image:
http://media.graytvinc.com/images/vote131.jpg

I was intrigued by a headline announcing presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton was asking her supporters for their birthdates. On her site, under the headline, “Who doesn’t love birthdays?” we’re told “Hillary always remembers a birthday.” We’re then promised a “personal note” on our special day if we provide an email address, zipcode, and date of birth.

That’s the thing, points out the New York Times’ Derek Willis. With a date of birth along with zip code, Clinton’s campaign can better target its campaign communications. “The date she’s even more interested in is Nov. 8, 2016. Election Day.”

I noted the date of birth form asks for the year of birth. We don’t really need to know how old someone is to send them a birthday greeting, yet it will help Clinton’s team in determining what messages to send and when.

You know what, though? I’m still interested in what Clinton will say in a “personal” email on my birthday. So, I signed up. Of course, once I did the campaign asked me for $. I’ll wait to see what she says on my birthday before deciding to make any contribution!

Photo credit: SEIU International / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

Celebration of You, Redefined.

July 3, 2015Jenn Goddu 1 Comment

I am firmly in the camp of those who believe your birthday is a great day to celebrate you. In fact, really, I am among those who would stretch it happily over an entire week or longer if given the opportunity.

Yet I recently read about Dr. Christiane Northrup’s advice to Oprah about celebrating birthdays differently as a means to live agelessly. She says in a clip (see below) from her discussion with Oprah for Super Soul Sunday, that she doesn’t want to see her milestone birthdays becoming millstones. “In our culture, it says you’re running out of time. You only have so much left.”

Who over the age of 40 hasn’t felt that way?

Photo credit: Aih. / Foter / CC BY

Northrup’s plan is to celebrate more than just surviving to one of the big-O birthdays. Instead she wants to focus on all of her accomplishments and things she is proud of from the past year. Then, she suggests, you’re celebrating your increased competence and enhanced worth.

This is a great perspective to take at a birthday – whatever age you are turning. This treats the birthday as a time for reflection and valuing our own self worth. This sounds more in line with what the Victorians thought of birthdays, as discussed in a previous blog. The only worry is that this might make things worse for those who’ve endured a tough year and are prone to more desperate thinking as a milestone birthday draws near.

Maybe Northrup’s idea needs to be tweaked further. Your birthday is a day to take a look back at the positive things that have happened — and celebrate them — but also a day to look ahead and set some realistic goals for the positive change you can bring about in the coming year.

Birthdays in Kids’ Books: Get Better!

June 5, 2015Jenn Goddu 1 Comment

Great birthday books are difficult to find. One day, mine will be released and it will be epic!

Until then, you’re mostly stuck with kids’ books. Looking at Today’s Parent Top 10, I was reminded how birthdays are often an opportunity for kids to learn to be better. In Victorian times, birthdays weren’t celebrated but rather seen as a time to encourage kids to be reflective and “grow in goodness.”

Today, it’s an opportunity for a child to celebrate but also learn or practice:

Patience, as in How Many Sleeps Till My Birthday.
Manners, as in How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Birthday.
Generosity, as in My Super Sister and the Birthday Party or The Meanest Birthday Girl.
Confidence (or not to play dead), as in Scaredy Squirrel Has a Birthday Party.

The book on their list I’m going to pick up? Happy Birdday, Tacky! Apparently Tacky the Penguin saves his own surprise party in Nice Icy Land with a positive attitude and impressive dance moves! Alright Tacky!

Photo credit: Steve Corey / iwoman / CC BY-NC

Cake, ice cream, and noodles!

May 15, 2015Jenn Goddu 1 Comment

What’s your favorite birthday food? Here in North America we generally think of birthdays as a time to eat cake and ice cream.

North American kids will likely expect pizza too, if they’re at a party. It never ceases to amaze me how kids will cry out, “this is the best pizza ever!” over a slice of that cardboard thin crappy pizza provided by the roller rink, arcade plaza, or trampoline park.

But other cultures mark this special day with different fare. For instance, in China someone might nosh (if the Chinese do in fact nosh) on noodles. They’re known as longevity or long life noodles and are also enjoyed on New Year’s. Take out the water chestnuts and this looks like a yummy recipe to try.

One of my great friends always wanted to celebrate her birthday in an Ethiopian restaurant. Yet I’ve only just learned that Ghanians start their birthday with oto. A SkinnyGourmet blogger shared learning to make this mashed yam and onion dish and also explained why brides traditionally eat this on their wedding day, too.

I’ve blogged about Australian’s fairy bread in the past. Apparently Russians prefer pie while those in India will serve payesh (a sweet rice pudding)!

As long as it’s yummy, I’m pretty sure we’ll all get along just fine at a birthday feast.

Birthdays are Best

Everything about birthdays. A blog focused on birthday fun facts, parties, tunes, trends and more. And there will be cake.

Widgets

Search

Birthday Fun Facts