RainbowSprinkles Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 What are some birthday traditions that you do as a family every year? One of ours: I always bake cupcakes! I don't bake too often (but would like to do more of it). I started this when my daughter turned 3 and have been doing it for all my dc since then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NanceXToo Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 (edited) We make pancakes for breakfast, and cook sprinkles into them (or chocolate chips or some such, whatever the kids want), and put a candle in the birthday kid's pancake. ETA: And of course, whoever's birthday it is gets to pick what they want for their birthday dinner, be that a restaurant meal or a home cooked one. Edited December 5, 2010 by NanceXToo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenaj Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 Sometimes I think we've added too many traditions over the years. Somehow, we've developed a whole routine that involves the whole day. The birthday kid gets to pick breakfast which is usually either homemade cinnamon rolls or donuts from one of our local bakeries. Then they get to open their presents and they have come to expect three. That tradition started accidently but now the little ones expect it so I try to oblige - sometimes the third present is just a favorite candy bar :) They also get to pick lunch and supper and they get to pick their cake or dessert. Sometimes it's an ice cream cake, sometimes I get to bake and I have a few kids who prefer apple pie. They also get to go out with Daddy for breakfast at some point, usually within in the next few weeks. Oh, and probably the one tradition that they enjoy the most is that we get the day of their birthday off from school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan in SC Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 We decided a couple of years ago to stop having parties and go on a family weekend trip instead. We will go to the mountains, or the beach, or to our favorite college for a couple of baseball games. Each child gets to choose. My parents, siblings, and sometimes my MIL go with us. It's been really fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 The birthday person gets their choice for dinner, which is always at home. They get to go do something fun, like a movie and dinner, with a few friends around their birthday, but the actual day is at home with family. At dinner, we go around the table and everyone says what they appreciate about the birthday dinner. After about the second go-round, it turns into a roast. Then they get their presents and we all eat cake and ice cream. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry in OH Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 Birthday cake and a nice meal on the birthday. The children also receive gifts. For DH's and my birthdays we do family outings in lieu of birthday gifts. Most years we have a larger family gathering with a second cake on a Sunday near the birthday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bairnmama Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 We basically just let the b-day child pick what to eat for supper and get the day off of school, but my friend's family has an amazing family tradition. She decorates the entire kitchen/dining room with balloons and streamers and sets out presents the night before after everyone has gone to bed. Then the next morning they eat birthday cake for breakfast and the birthday child opens their presents. The entire day is spent doing family activities and a party with extended family is in the evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 Birthday person gets breakfast of choice...... if it is older ds or dh, then it is the closest Saturday, due to college and work..... younger ds and I are in the summer, so canceling school, well, there isn't school then anyways. Dinner is to the restaurant of choice. Two of us usually choose Japanese. Dessert of choice at home afterwards, unless the restaurant has a "to die for dessert", like when older ds chose The Cheesecake Factory. Gifts at home after dinner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 I scrapbook, and each child has their own scrapbook with the story of their lives. Actually they're all in volume 2 now. On their birthday we get down their scrapbooks and read the whole thing. We all like that. They also choose a restaurant for dinner and pick their dessert. More often than not it is a homemade chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. Sometimes it is a Baskin Robbins cake. Dh prefers pie. For my birthday I usually choose a restaurant with great desserts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 Birthday kid gets to choose dinner and type of cake/pie (I have a turkey baby and he sometimes chooses pumpkin pie.) During the elementary years said kid also got the day off school. And I usually hide the gifts and kid does a treasure hunt to find them. I give a card with a clue which leads to the next clue and so on (usually about 6 clues) until kid finds the gifts. Our oldest no longer does these, though. He's in high school and we usually offer him a choice of a couple gifts. I think he likes the opportunity to have a say in that. Cinder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in AZ Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 Later in December is my dd's birthday. It'll go like this: Night before, "Good night, 8 year old girl." Morning of, "Good morning, 9 year old girl." Complete with big hugs. :D We do parties, gifts and other things but both of our dc love this tradition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainbowSprinkles Posted December 5, 2010 Author Share Posted December 5, 2010 Later in December is my dd's birthday. It'll go like this: Night before, "Good night, 8 year old girl." Morning of, "Good morning, 9 year old girl." Complete with big hugs. :D We do parties, gifts and other things but both of our dc love this tradition. I love it!! Thank you for sharing, everyone! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 We take the day off school. :D For my ds we have to celebrate with my parents. Logistically that hasn't worked out for the past few years. We just moved closer and my son is extremely happy. He was born on my mom's birthday and they have a special bond. He doesn't care about having friends over for a party, he just wants his Mama there. It's very sweet and she loves it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoyfulMama Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 No formal schooling, but often a fun field trip ends up on birthdays. ;) Each gets to choose one the dinner menu, and they get to choose dessert. We also have a Celebration Plate, and they get to eat off that for dinner, as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 No formal school and he picks dinner. Also, I make cake or cupcakes for his party, but he also gets his favorite pie made just for him on his actual birthday. Of course, I make 2 so dh and I can eat some pie too. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 We bake cupcakes too, then we all decorate them together. Because my dd speaks some Japanese and we host Japanese students, we sing a Japanese birthday song after the traditional "Happy Birthday." At bedtime, I tell the birthday child the story of his or her birth. It always ends with, "I held you and I nursed you and I named you ____." Birthday child gets to choose dinner. My 10 y.o. wanted dinner for breakfast and breakfast for dinner. :D We also have a special 8 y.o. gift tradition: A suitcase, a Bible and a pocketknife. Plus one other personal gift. And my sons have started their own tradition. Each boy sets the alarm for the time of their birth and wakes up to tell himself Happy Birthday. I told them I love them, and if they want to come tell me it's their birth time I will give them a birthday hug, but I am not getting out of bed at 3 in the morning (or so). Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linders Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 Everyone knows it is someone's bday bacause when we wake up, the birthday person's kitchen chair is draped with balloons. For the kids, they also wake up to streamers trailing from their bedroom door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holdoll Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 The birthday girl gets to pick what kind of cake and ice cream she wants and chooses her favorite birthday dinner. This year we also took the day off from school for both of them. Now they want to know if they can take off Mom's birthday also. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2jjka Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 We eat dinner (or lunch) out - birthday kids gets to choose the place For a gift - birthday kid gets a nice hardcover book - with an inscription from Mom & Dad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 I bake a cake and it is ALWAYS ugly. I also make the birthday boy his favorite dinner and he opens gifts after dinner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowperch Posted December 5, 2010 Share Posted December 5, 2010 Sibs bake and decorate cake. Boxed cake mix, disgusting frosting, lots of candy all over the cake. We are healthy eaters most of the time but 7 times a year (plus Halloween, Valentines and Christmas) we bust out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RainbowSprinkles Posted December 6, 2010 Author Share Posted December 6, 2010 We bake cupcakes too, then we all decorate them together. Because my dd speaks some Japanese and we host Japanese students, we sing a Japanese birthday song after the traditional "Happy Birthday." At bedtime, I tell the birthday child the story of his or her birth. It always ends with, "I held you and I nursed you and I named you ____." Birthday child gets to choose dinner. My 10 y.o. wanted dinner for breakfast and breakfast for dinner. :D We also have a special 8 y.o. gift tradition: A suitcase, a Bible and a pocketknife. Plus one other personal gift. And my sons have started their own tradition. Each boy sets the alarm for the time of their birth and wakes up to tell himself Happy Birthday. I told them I love them, and if they want to come tell me it's their birth time I will give them a birthday hug, but I am not getting out of bed at 3 in the morning (or so). Cat I really love the highlighted idea! Hope you don't mind me stealing it? :) Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 We usually wake up early, surround the child, and sing to them in bed. Then they open their gifts. Special dinner. Their choice of dessert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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