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¿Question #4416?
Randy Cox: OK. Let's be verbose. Answer this question in a long narrative and let's see whose long answer is best. Tell us how you celebrated birthdays when you were a kid.

BOBBYCAN: No.
Narlgoth: I would wake up at a regular time, being both a child of sense and discipline. I would check to make sure the time was appropriately late before raising my parents to be greeted and receive my first birthday wishes. My parents although not rich by any means would always provide and sate most of my current present wishes- I was a damn lucky kid. When flicking through family photos just the other day, whenever pictures of my birthday or a Christmas came around my mother pointed out the latest and greatest thing that had been purchased for me. I had popular taste, and my parents often scoured large areas of Yorkshire looking for the exact popular action figure or game I sought. Getting back to the day I'd go downstairs with my family and open presents excitedly as do all children. I'd then go to school as my birthday falls just around the longest day of the year and away from any holidays. Later in the evening I'd usually be treated to a family meal at a restaurant of my choosing. When I was younger still I had birthday parties, the kind that had all the stuff you'd want from a party, right down to themed paper cutlery, party bags and games. I remember on my 6th birthday I had a party at a children's play park called Kinderland. There was a thunderstorm. The weather was almost always bad on my birthday despite falling in the warmest time of year. Eventually I'd be taken home and would enjoy my new presents until bed time.
Weapon Gamma: Cake. Presents. Friends. No need for a long answer.
PsyJam: I'd rather read the other responses...
Hector Vortac: Childhood birthdays are an interesting psychological disassociation for me. As a kid I associated birthdays with the typical party with cake, games and presents, although I only had 2 such parties and can remember attending only 2 parties for friends. Even as an adult answering this question I had to think for a minute to remember what we usually did instead on our birthdays: go out to a restaurant. Apparently I wasn't devastated at missing out on parties as I can remember very much looking forward to eating out. Our family rarely dined out so it usually was done in connection with special occasions. Those few parties I did attend gave a couple of interesting memories. My theory on memories from childhood is that they are often connected to what one psychologist called 'aha!' moments (can't remember who). That is, not just unique and standout events such as a first visit to Disneyland or meeting a hero, but any moment that may be a child's first understanding or awareness of some concept or reality. For my 11th birthday party I only have vague memories of running around in the front yard. Memories from my 7th birthday are a little more interesting; in support of my theory I can even remember what I was wearing and where I was sitting. I do remember the special cakes mom used to make, including for this birthday (shaped like a fish) but the 'aha' moment came about when it came time to sing 'Happy Birthday'. Instead of the standard lyrics everyone - without discussion - sang the alternate verse "..you live in a zoo; you act like a monkey and you smell like one, too." Now, I was fond of singing that version as well, but I was furious that they were now singing it for MY birthday. So I stomped off and hid in my room. Now, at the time I couldn't give a name to the concept or even the emotion I was experiencing, but it was close to 'hypocrisy'; that and a vague awareness that I was sort of letting down my guests by not being with them for my own party. To my relief no one made anything of it when I returned. I even recall being self-conscious about trying to be a good sport while playing pin the tail on the donkey. Only now it occurs to me: did any of those kids form similar 'aha' moment memories about the kid who stomped out of his birthday party? More interesting is the memory associated with a party I attended for another kid and I know the name of the concept connected with it: guilt. First I have to digress. I was in 1st grade elementary school. For whatever reason I and about 5 other kids all chose to run off campus - no agenda, just running for no reason. It wasn't even like me to be so... rebelious. We were caught within seconds and were now 'in trouble'. The man now asked us for our names and I have no idea why I decided I would try to pass myself off as a fellow classmate. Would the man know I was lying? Would the other 5 (none of whom were particular friends of mine) rat me out? Did any of them even know the kid I was claiming to be? Then the man asked me to spell my name. Great! I had chosen a kid with an unusual last name (this is actually the first time in my life that I can't recall the name -- that's annoying. Steven someone). Spelling was one of my strong subjects and I thought I did okay. Then came the surprise a few weeks later: I got an invitation to his birthday party. 1) I don't remember him being one of my friends, and 2) not everyone in the class was invited. Or maybe just not everyone attended. There was no hint that anyone - Steven, my family, the school - found out about my lie, so it did seem he was unaware. I remember getting it twisted in my head that maybe his family DID know and this 'turning the other cheek' was a way getting me to learn about reconciliation. It worked. I've still never told him. How does all this paint my adult birthday world? I don't know but it's usually done with last minute planning for board games and Thai food.
vandemonium: We had cake and presents. Um, and ice cream. Usually my family was there. Often there was a dog or two. Occasionally some non-family members or "friends" as it were would join us. As my birthday falls in late May it often coincided with the release of a Star Was or Indiana Jones movie. That always rocks. This year (2008) the new Indy film is coming out and I was just thinking to myself, "it will be like old times, getting to see an Indiana Jones movie on my birthday weekend!" Now if somebody gets me some GI Joes (the 3 3/4" ones not the 12" dolls) my regression will be complete.
ZeroZilla: As one of Jehovah's Witnesses, I have never celebrated a birthday in my life. There were no parties for me, on my birthday, as a child, nor did I attend the birthday parties of any of my friends, including those school-friends who did not share my beliefs, and were often puzzled as to why I did not choose to join in their festivities. Occasionally, this puzzlement ran more along the lines of taking personal offense, but that is something that I could not help. For my part, I tried. I was always tactfull (or almost always, again with the trying) in my rejection of their kind invitations. (Even the ones I thought were a bare attempt to get more presents.) For the most part, I gave them the answer when asked 'why not?' with which I was most familiar; namely that birthday celebrations were portrayed in an extremely negative light, in the Bible. As a matter of fact, only two such celebrations are directly related to us in the scriptures, one each in the Old and New Testaments. In both instances, someone was killed as a part of the account/celebration. One birthday party was Pharoah's (Gen. 40:20-22), he caused the death of the chief of his bakers. The other party was for Herod the Great, made king of Judea under the Romans. Herod had John the Baptizer beheaded after making a promise to his daughter to give her anything she wanted (Matt. 14:6-10). Needless to say, 0 for 2 is a pretty poor record, and it takes on more weight if you recognize the fact that the accounts in the Bible are there for our instruction. On the other hand, two accounts, far seperated in the Bible record, while enough for me were often looked on as not substantial enough a record to make a life-pattern type decision on by people to whom I would try to explain my beliefs. This left me with the lone option of sticking to what I believed in, regardless of these opinions while still not being able to give other people a satisfying answer. That last part made me sad, so eventually I did a little more research, and discovered the following facts: First, early Christians (and, indeed, the Hebrew faith before them) rejected birthday celebrations as well. Given the fact that Jesus himself established the first-century Christian congregations, we can rest assured that their way of worship was closest to what we find depicted in the Christian Greek Scriptures. As a matter of fact, it wasn't until sometime in the fourth century that the Christian faith began to accept what had previously been rejected as a pagan custom. If you're interested, consider the following quotation: “The Greeks believed that everyone had a protective spirit or daemon who attended his birth and watched over him in life. This spirit had a mystic relation with the god on whose birthday the individual was born. The Romans also subscribed to this idea. . . . This notion was carried down in human belief and is reflected in the guardian angel, the fairy godmother, and the patron saint. . . . The custom of lighted candles on the cakes started with the Greeks. . . . Honey cakes round as the moon and lit with tapers were placed on the temple altars of [Artemis]. . . . Birthday candles, in folk belief, are endowed with special magic for granting wishes. . . . Lighted tapers and sacrificial fires have had a special mystic significance ever since man first set up altars to his gods. The birthday candles are thus an honor and tribute to the birthday child and bring good fortune. . . . Birthday greetings and wishes for happiness are an intrinsic part of this holiday. . . . Originally the idea was rooted in magic. . . . Birthday greetings have power for good or ill because one is closer to the spirit world on this day.”—The Lore of Birthdays (New York, 1952). Now, for myself, the Bible record would have been sufficient. And for a fact I have never suffered for not having had a party on my birthday. When I was very young, I might have been somewhat jealous of the gifts that some of my friends received on that day... but then we were very poor so my gifts (of which I got plenty, from my perspective) tended to be less... flashy, we'll call it, and I would have felt that way anyhow. I did get quite a lot of legos, and art supplies at various times, and I was happy with that. On the other hand, I think that, given the facts, adopting birthday customs from pagan religions (for those of you that care, which I recognize many do not) is comparable to picking up a piece of sweet-looking candy which has been lying in the gutter, and making do with a quick brush-off before eating it yourself (an illustration I've borrowed outright). It just doesn't make sense to me, but at least now I have a more complete answer when I try to explain that to others. (Again, as tactifully as I possibly can. For instance, in most cases I'd probably skip the tainted-sucker illustration...unless the discussion became more in-depth. :) )
madziar: Long.
MikeJoel: Well being from the south we were to poor to keep birthdays in a big way. So we would borrow another boot (each of us only had one) and go down near the swamp and do some frog stomp'n. Whoooheee that was fun. You got'ta know how to stomp them in just the right way or you really will make a mess. First never stomp a frog on the rocks, not only will it stick to your boots but you will probably slip off and miss. Naay the best way is to lure the little green things into the shallows and then get'em. Get down behind them bushes and wait till one of 'em pops their heads up along the bank then, as fast as molasses on a august day, leap over the bush and come down with both boots. Stand there for a minute without moving if you feel movement down there give a little twist and that should do it.... Better be sure you never stomp one of'm little yellow ones with the large blue spots, turns out their protected by the feds... Poor uncle Larry still has four years before he gets out of the county pen. Well there you have it..... and of course it was all made up (people in the south don't frog stomp) :)
vampywife: Oooh, hard question to be verbose on for me. Basically, my mum baked a cake and I had neighbors or family over, as my birthday as always before school started, so most of my friends weren't around. My friends all had slumber parties for their birthdays, though, so that was fun. My celebration practices haven't really changed much since then, though. I'm happy to spend my birthday with just my husband, and this year, will be spending it flying from Germany to the US. YAY for me!
KickahaOta: Briefly.
DHEK: ... Thanks for the invitation to participate in such a strange game, but I'll pass. As for answering the question, I mostly celebrated birthdays as a low-key affair as a kid, I think. Just had I think 1 or 2 birthday parties with friends and a few with family. Most birthdays were non-events.
beardedwonder: I went to a kid-oriented restaurant that pied the face of birthday kids. Thinking the pie tin was full of whipped cream, I licked it off my face. It was shaving cream. I've never gotten over the injustice. I suppose that began my interest in righting the worlds wrongs. I'll spare you the time it would take to read my prepared vebose response so you can use it to work on ending the genocide in Darfur. Go ahead, contact your senators and congressperson. Sign up at www.savedarfur.org. It's shameful to allow this to continue. How would you feel if you didn't do anything to stop the Holocaust? If you don't take action, your inaction should weigh on your conscience forever. If you believe you will be judged in an afterlife, I'll bet this is on the checklist.
Benzebub: Birthdays, what are those?
aleo09: once we had dogs and clowns
ZiggyZambo: I remember distinctly the 10th of November, 1991. Of course my birthday is the 10th of September, but that is clearly not the point. The date at hand is the tenth day of eleventh month in the year of our Lord immediately preceeding the year of out Lord one thousand nine hundred ninety-two. In case you are confunsed, that would be the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred ninety-one. Now, two months previous, on the actual anniversary of my birth to one Joan Gerke, and one Michael Gerke, I had come down with quite a nasty case of the flu. We decided to postpone the celebration for one month, to at least maintain the correct day of the month for the festivity, is not the correct month of the year. An astute reader will observe that I said ONE month, whereas at the beginning of this narrative I clearly positioned it's setting as TWO months after the actual day on which the standard 'birthday' celebration would traditionally occur. Indeed, dear astute reader, you are astute indeed. However, you are ignorant of the fact which I will presently relate to you. You are ignorant precisely because, although I use the term presently, I do in fact mean in the very near future. In this sentence in fact. Well, all truth be told, in the sentence immediately following this one. When came the day of my reschedualed hoopla, I was again stricken with the flu. What are the chances? Well, frankly, I have no idea. I am neither a mathmatician versed in the science of probability, nor a medical doctor knowledgable of the intracacies of the human immune system. However, from anecdotal evidence, I can tell you it may not be as entirely uncommon as one may be inclined to think, my brother having endured the very same viral repeatition the previous year. As one might have guessed, we decided to delay for yet another month. The day came again and the party went as planned. How was it you ask? Well, that is a story for another day.
Chris Page: Cake.
dmomo: No
MisterCranky: On my fourth birthday I had a fever of 103 and my party was canceled. That same day, JFK was assassinated. Needless to say, he stole a lot of my thunder. In subsequent years I didn't get too excited about my birthdays. Nobody of note ever got assassinated again on any of them so far as I was aware, and I found that depressing.
cad614: No
Big Bad Lex: At home.
WatchmanX2000: why, because you're unable to be verbose?
jellospike: I.
bigbadsteve: i forefit, jula wins
ChaosOrdeal: I celebrated birthdays by opening a gift that I didn't want from my parents.
LemonyFresh: I typically would have a birthday party at a bowling alley, and we would bowl and have lots of snacks. Ugh, that's all I've got.
Unitbuster: I never celebrated my birthday. My b-day is on December 26th, so I always got that crap where on Christmas my presents said "Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday." Of course, my thank you notes always read like, "Thanks, you cheapskate bastards."
Jula: As a child, I took a great pleasure in knowing that I was another year older than I was last year. I never did anything less than the best, for what I could afford, and invited the maximum amount of people to my parties (normally 7). My brother, too, would often bring one or two of his friends. Now, because I had a loving family and a large trampoline, I usually spent half of the day with my friends at home, and half elsewhere. First, all the guests (and sometimes their parents) arrived at home, where everybody snacked on chips and such. When most were gathered, Myself and my friends (Allison, Lindsey, and Elissa were always three of the guests there) we would run around outside and jump on the trampoline, playing various games. Afterwards, cake would always be presented, and gifts would always be opened last. At least, that would be the last event before going somewhere else. Places like the Discovery Zone. My friends and I would spend the rest of the evening there, and their parents would pick them up from there. Allison usually came hom ewith me though, along with her sister Jessica, who would challenge my father at Dr. Mario for the NES. Allison would then be picked up much later, after more rounds on the trampoline. When everybody was gone, my brother would torment me endlessly, and then I'd go to bed. The end.
jttm: Well, back in the day, when we put dem candles on the cake, we used earwax to make 'em candles. Do you know how to make candles from earwax? You need to pack it up tight. Nothing worse than having a stray flake in the cake. Anyway, it would take us months of collecting our wax... and we would all save em into a jar... sorta like how we saved our phlegm for lubricant... but different, see? because it was wax. Anyway, we would string the wax together, pack 'em up nice and tight, and coat it before sticking it on dem cake. Ahhh, good times
scriptorum: I just farted.
Lord_Prussian: I really have never enjoyed celebrating birthdays.
chaddyboy_2000: We had cake and I opened presents.
skelebone: Since my siblings and I are all close by birthdays (May 25, May 26, June 5), we usually had an omnibus celebration.
CDRodeffer: Cake
Randy Cox: When I was a kid, there were no Chucky Cheeses and even McDonalds didn't offer kiddie parties. We just invited all neighborhood kids, a couple of relatives that we really liked, and a smattering of friends from outside the area (e.g. church friends) to our house. There would be a store-bought birthday cake and everyone would bring a present. There was also ice cream. Sometimes, my mom would even purchase "party favors" and have a little goody bag for each kid. You played, ate, and I opened presents very quickly so that everyone could go back outside and play more. Is that how it's done nowadays?