Here in my country we love to celebrate birthdays. There are of course many reasons behind it but the most important is that we find very polite to wish our family members, friends, colleagues or boss. Either we do it personally, on the phone or via a text message. Do believe me some people might get even offended, if you forget their birthday.
The family celebrations with the closest relatives usually take part at home of the celebrated person (sometimes at the restaurant) on the weekend – usually on Saturday. Some people invite the visitors for lunch they cooked, others might start after lunch – depends on because it is very individual. The person who celebrates birthday should have birthday cake, right? So before the celebration you have to choose and order a cake, which is not a piece of cake :D You know, there are so many kinds of the cakes that one feels like – which one should I choose? Oh myyy, help me somebodyyyyy! As for me – sometimes I bake a cake, sometimes I order it. This year I baked the spider cake for my son but my daughter is more picky - she wanted a cake with the ponny or the unicorn. Well, as my abilities and skills aren't that good (just didn't want to spoil her birthday with some weird shape of something which would hardly look like the unicorn) I decided to order the cake and as you can see – it was really a masterpiece :)
So let's continue with our celebration. When we all gather after a few minutes of chatting and gossiping we create a queue of course that in front of it stands that person, who celebrates birthday and then others wish this person things such as good health, long life, many good friends, success at work, school etc., then they give kiss to this person (ususally on lips-hahaa-don't faint please) and afterwards everybody gives a gift. By the way during the whole celebration we také the pictures so that one should recall after some time such a nice day. Then it is time to unwrapp the gifts - I just love this moment - especially when it comes to my kids because their sincere happiness makes me happy too.
When we are done with the gifts we light up the candles on the cake (in case of kids usually-cant imagine so many candles on my cake :D), then it is time to blow them out and tradaaaaaaa.. we can cut the cake, eat it and drink coffee (kids limonade).
After finishing eating the cake, we open the bottle of champagne (for the kids - kid's champagne) or wine and we drink to the celebrated person. Cheerssss!!!! Well – drink doesn't mean we get drunk of course, I am talking about one two glasses of wine, beer or something else. We enjoy nice time we spend together, talk about everything and we also eat. What do we eat? Well some chips, cheeses and hahaaaa.. Czech special dish – chlebíčky (khlebi:chky) – let me translate it as "little breads". It is a special white long bread, which you cut, then put potato salad layer or some other salad on it, then ham – depends on you if chicken ham or some other ham, egg, piece of cheese, cucumber, tomato etc. It is sort of art because we decorate it like insane. Recently I found a video about a cool topic: "How foreigners see the Czech people" – so you can check the episode, in which they gave them chlebíček…(just skip the add and ignore the Czech subtitles because they speak of course in English)..
So this was in short something about our birthday celebration – of course then there are kid's birthday celebrations with friends, celebrations at work with colleagues etc. Hahaa.. we always have reason to celebrate as you can see...
Let me finish this blog with something like...
CHEERS AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU – no matter, when it was or will be!!!
Comments
AG, :|
Woww! This culture is good to keep the family gathering.
Here in my country, celebrating birthday becomes a rare thing now. It is occasionally done for kids. OR, they may buy a cake for the family and eat themselves. No one will feel offended when people forget his/her birthday, even between the spouse, I think. :D
If ever youngsters celebrate their birthday, one may treat friends with spicy foods and drinks. ^^
I remember your spider cake was awesome. And, Happy Birthday to your daughter! :)
happy birthday
Well.. in my culture, we don't celebrate birthdays, but very recently people have started to learn it and to do it the same way but just without Champagne or kisses on the lips :P
I would love to be invited to your birthday for two reasons... the cake and the lips kiss :D
Happy birthday to Natalka :D :-*
It is nice to celebrate birthday.But, here is the point that you value your beloved ones.Cake, party, gift and the other rituals are detail.Important think is to be remembered.
Very cool cake... and very cool mom! ^_^
A very merry unbirthday to you and all your family!
Dear Luci, Lovely to know about your country birthday celebrations.
Thanks for sharing
Happy Birthday your beautiful daughter! God bless her!
Yes, something is very similar with our traditions:) But I have never seen such decorated chlebicky before... And this ponny cake is very cool:) I want to have the same cake in past:) And I wonder why there are full name at this cake? Isn't it better to write short name, especially if she is just 5 years old?:) As for me "Natalka" looks very officially and strictly. Thank you for sharing Lucinka!!!
Btw, why that obsession to bake cakes at home?? "You just enjoy, let the rest for professionals" (just an advert) :D
So you're celebrating her birthday just now, right?
Ohh.. funny video. I'd like to see how you eat 'gachas manchegas' lol
Well, celebrating birthdays in Czech Republic is almost the same here in the Philippines. The games, clowns, presents and lots and lots of fun and laughter are all part of the celebration to commemorate another year of existence of a loved one especially for kids and the elderly. Unfortunately, I don't celebrate my birthday because I intend to forget it so I won't get old. Maybe when I reach 100 I guess!
By the way, I'm loving that cake of yours, Luci! :)