Birthdays Games
in Germany
Celebrating a child's birthday
is a special tradition in all German states, including Bavaria. Each child
celebrates his birthday in his own way, but they all have something in
common. All children look forward to this day very exitedly.
Usually the party is prepared
by the child's parents. Nice invitation cards are sent to between five
and twelve children. Then the guests have about one week's time to buy
a little present. Finally the party takes place, the guests arrive and
the presents are given to the so-called "birthday child". Usually it is
common to serve some drinks, and eat a piece of birthday cake. The cake
is decorated with candles, each candle represents one year of the child's
life, but before cutting the cake, the candles on the cake are lit while
the guests sing a song like "Happy birthday to you" or "Zum Geburtstag
viel Glümlck" or others. Then the "birthday child" has to blow out
all candles at once to get a free wish. If he is lucky and blows them all
out, his wish will come true.
After the meal games are
played, for example:
Eating chocolate: gloves,
a scarf, a cap, a bar of chocolate and a dice are placed together with
a knife and a fork in the middle of the table. Each child in turn has to
throw the dice until the first six is thrown. The one who throws the six
has to put on the clothes alone. Then he tries to eat the chocolate with
the knife and fork. Meanwhile the other children are continuing to take
turns throwing the dice until the next six is thrown, the first child then
passes the clothes and chocolate to the next person. The game continues
until there is no chocolate left !
Push a card game. At least
six players are needed. One child is chosen as the leader. The aim of this
game is to get a quartett (4 cards of a kind). The leader calles out "push"
at regular intervals. At each "push" everybody passes an unsuitable card
on to the next one. As soon as someone has a quartett, he puts a finger
on the tip of his nose as inconspicuously as possible. Those who notice
this do the same. The one who does not is out.
Other popular games are:
Die Reise nach Jerusalem, Eierlauf, Topfschlagen usw.
After the games there is
a small snack for the children. There are crisps, pizza or "wiener-wursts"
with potato salad. At about six o'clock the parents collect their children
from the party and they go home tired, but happy with a little surprise
bag to take back home.
Jeanette
Kleppisch, Judith Aloni, Julia Müller (7d)
Teachers:
Reinhard Forster
<[email protected]>
Werner Guellner <[email protected]>
Kurt-Huber-Gymnasium, Gräfelfing,
Germany
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