This takes the cake -- a British birthday tradition

Now that Christmas is over, birthday party season has started again.

On the first day back at school my three got several invites between them. I don't remember going to so many parties when I was five. Maybe they weren't as memorable back when bell bottoms were all the rage. They were always at home (occasionally we went to see a movie). I remember having a few friends over, we played games like pin the tail on the donkey and musical chairs and opened presents. The highlight was eating birthday cake and ice cream.

These days my girls talk about their party months before it happens. We usually end up inviting the whole class and a few extras, especially when they were younger. They eat lots of sweets, get an obscene amount of presents and then have a break down the size of Mt. Everest.

Even though I have lived here for ages, the one English birthday tradition I can't get used to is sending the birthday cake home. I say English because my husband does not remember this being the case in Scotland when he was growing up.

Please can someone explain why you would send freshly cut cake home with children wrapped only in a paper napkin, crumbs and all. Why not just eat it there? I asked several mums and they did't have an answer, just "it's traditional".

If you haven't been to a child's birthday party here yet, it goes like this. After the party activities (most likely a clown or gym), there is a birthday "tea" no matter what time if day it is. This consists of cold sausages, ham and/or jam sandwiches, Hula Hoops, and some attempt at fruit and veg, like cucumber slices and carrot sticks.

Then a beautiful birthday cakes comes and everyone sings "Happy Birthday to You" with a "Hip Hip Hooray" thrown in for each year of age. Then the cakes gets whisked away, to be cut into slices and wrapped in party napkins and given to each guest to take home. I'm not sure why there isn't more rebellion on the child side at not getting to eat the cake, but perhaps they are used to it and just expect it.

My kids either shovel the cake in their mouths on the way home and get crumbs all over the car or in the case of my eldest, who hates jam in cakes, it ends up forgotten on the front seat waiting to be sat on.

It's just one of those things to get used to as an expat, like racing to the grocery store before 4 pm on a Sunday to get milk...

This post was written by Susanna, an Expat Mums Blog founding contributor. You can read more at her blog, A Modern Mother.

Photo credit: Lee Turner

Comments

[Expat Mum]

I can only think it goes back to rationing (during WW2) -and wasting nothing. Here, the kids barely eat what is served at the party and certainly nobody takes anything home. The waste is unbelievable.

[Michael Harling]

Being an adult without young children, this tradition escaped me. It certainly is curious, but nothing the British do surprises me any more.

[Susanna (A Modern Mother)]

Expat -- yes there is an obscene amount of wastage, and most alarmingly it all seems to be OK. Those big portions, by the way, stem from America's immigrant past (we moved here and look how well we are doing and how much food we have).

Mike -- yes nothing surprise me too!

[cakes philippine]

Hahaha...this is going to be a memorable day for the celebrant "beautiful birthday cakes comes and everyone sings "Happy Birthday to You" with a "Hip Hip Hooray" thrown in for each year of age." Such a touching moment. Well all I'm waiting for is when all starts eating cake.

-krisha-

[Top Online Backup]

Wow, it's always so awesome to learn about traditions over there. I had no idea that cake must be sent home, with crumbs allowed to fly all over the place no less, with the kids. That just doesn't make much sense.

Next party, why not throw an awesome "Have Your Cake and Eat it Too!" party. Why not? It would be fun to look at the kids faces when they realize that they are NOT bringing the cake home and are ALLOWED to eat it RIGHT NOW! Woooohoo!

[Alex]

It's because the kids get full of party food and can't fit it in. It was always the best part about parties: the parents wrapping up cake so you could eat it later, while you were investigating your goody bag :D

[Portia Cason]

I'm an expat and I love this tradition (besides the inevitable crumbs in the car, as you mentioned) because the party is OVER!

[Ted]

This is done in Australia as well to a certain extent, think it actually derives from sharing part of the party with those that didn't attend rather than any sort of tradition, also happens at weddings.

[jack]

It is because they are usually running around and if they all eat cake they will be sick and they will end up eating too much and also make a mess.

[David]

English guy here.

A lot of the time you have a piece of cake at the party, and a second piece wrapped up inside a 'party bag' to take home with you.

[BoozCake]

I wouldn't say 'instead of' eating it at the party; it's usually in addition to, and applies to any party/occasion where there is cake, kids party or not. Though at children's parties they usually overdose on other stuff and don't want to eat the cake.
As for the 'why', mostly this is a 'waste not want not' post-WWII rationing tradition where we just want the cake to be used up rather than go stale.

[Simon]

I loved that as a kid getting to take your cake home and eat it alone....
But it's sausage rolls, not sausages that I remember fondly. Cold, clammy, rubbery sausage rolls..:)

[Lisa]

Maybe it's a way of making sure you don't get stuck with a big cake and no one to eat it except yourself once the kids are gone! :)

Or more likely,to keep the crumbs in your car and out of the party thrower's house!