Love this thread! And such great and funny quirks! I have some birthday-themed traditions...
- When we celebrate my father's birthday, all the grandchildren (16) clap him out once he has blown the candles with the number of birthdays. It began on his 61st, with just a couple of toddlers and us parents, and has grown into a much-loved tradition. This year he was 81, so 81 big claps from a house full of kids ranging from 3years old to 21. He loves it so much that he often gets teary- quite the sight in a grumpy old sod!
- In our own household, if you turn 12, you get twelve gifts and so on. (It seemed a good idea when they were turning 3!) As they have become older, we wrap up pencil sharpeners, Tim-Tams and bits of memorabilia amongst the real gifts. There is almost always an item of my clothing wrapped in the mix, because one year my two eldest children (aged about 8 and 10) were told 'Henry's birthday presents are on our bed with the giftwrap so go and wrap them up while he's not looking.' They inadvertently included a t-shirt of mine left folded on the bed, much to Henry's confusion, and it became a family joke.
- Gifts must be opened in a particular order, and we use photos of them at different ages ( open youngest to oldest) or mathematical equations. Recently, we have introduced musical trivia which they need to answer correctly before the gift can be opened.
- Our birthday celebrations are very unfussy,-usually afternoon tea, but they are full of quirky traditions, right down to the small cake stand which the birthday person must use as a plate and the old tankard of Fanta, which they thought was so special when they were young.
- Once you start thinking about it, there are so many family traditions, all the more special because they are unique to your own family.
