from recipes.kaboose.com

Many people still enjoy a lovely layer cake frosted in butter cream with a garden of flowers and birthday greeting top, but many cake designers are going the extra mile in birthday cake design by creating incredibly intricate cakes. Cake designs exemplify a variety of shapes and sizes, and use props or molds to make them look like buildings, animals, cars and anything else the birthday celebrant may desire.

Layer cakes
One of the easiest birthday cakes to make is the simple layer cake. Layers are assembled with delectable filling and topped with frosting and decorations. Butter cream or whipped frosting is usually the choice of designers for these types of cakes, but fondant frosting is swiftly becoming more popular. Fondant is a thinly rolled sheet of sugary goodness that is draped over the cake, tucked under and smoothed to make a solid sheen on the cake. A combination of fondant and buttercream decorations makes the design much more interesting and delicious. Tiered layer cakes, which look like wedding cakes with more color, are becoming a popular design for birthday cakes. Add one or more layers and situate them symmetrically or tip them to make a crooked or cockeyed cake. A birthday celebrant that loves their dog can have a representation of that dog made in fondant and air sprayed with color on the top of their cake.

Square or Rectangular Cakes
The square or rectangular birthday cake is still popular and often makes the base for a design. Make a garden on top of a rectangular cake by adding all kinds of frosting flowers. A design for a fisherman might be a blue frosted square cake with a plastic boat and fisherman placed on top of a wave. Designers might use action figures or statues on top of a cake. A young boy may have Spiderman as his hero and want a cake with a Spiderman figure on top. Many bakeries can take photos and print them on special materials making them edible. These photos are placed on the top of a cake and make for an interesting and endearing design.

Molded and Cut Cakes
Some birthday cake designs require sheet cakes to be cut and formed into a number corresponding with the age of the birthday celebrant. A sheet cake is easily cut into any design, but making the cake 3-D is a little more difficult. A design may require several sheet cakes be cut and stacked to achieve the correct shape. Designers also use molds to make a cake. Batter is poured into a mold that might be in the shape of a teddy bear or castle. Once the cake is baked, the mold separates and out pops the cake ready for decoration.

Check with the local bakery and peruse cake designs in their portfolio to choose just the right design for the birthday celebrant, or try to make your own using a mold or stacking up cakes to make a shape. Make sure the cake is as tasty as the design is unique.

from BabyCCinoKinds.blog

Birthdays are always celebrated in the Netherlands, with one twist. Adults are expected to throw their own party. This is not a great burden because they will be invited to everyone else’s birthday party in return. Parents, of course, provide parties for their children.

The Dutch consider birthdays so important that they keep a special calendar so they will know when one is coming up. This is always hung in the downstairs bathroom. The Dutch heartily frown upon failing to celebrate the anniversary of one’s own birth or to show up when invited.

Until they reach the age of twelve, children are treated to a cake complete with candles. Youth and adults take “tratkeren,” or treats, to school or work. Usually, they bring a pie or other sweet made with some sort of fruit. They are careful to bring enough for everyone. People over the age of twelve do not put candles on the cake or pie.

When throwing a party, the host or hostess thoroughly cleans the living room and arranges a large circle of chairs, one for each guest. This often entails gathering every chair in the house and borrowing from friends or relatives.

Baking a pie or pastry for the party is one of the duties of the host. Dinner is never served at the party. Instead, crackers and cheese or sausage will be provided with plenty of coffee. The Dutch serve their coffee in small cups, so this entails a lot of replenishing.

Each guest arriving at the party greets first the host or hostess and then everyone else in the room with “Gefeliciteerd,” or “Congratulations.” If the person is well-known, three kisses on the cheek are in order. Otherwise, a handshake will suffice.

The guest offers a gift, which is immediately opened and displayed on a table with all the other gifts. Then the recipient thanks the guest with another three kisses or a firm handshake.

The birthday song is usually not sung, but the Dutch do have their own song, “Lang Zal ze Leven,” which is heartily sung when the pastry is brought in.

Once the pie or other sweet is consumed, crackers and beer are offered. Some individuals prefer to simply keep the coffee flowing and avoid serving any alcohol. This is entirely up to the person giving the party.

In the thrifty society of the Netherlands, one party suffices for everyone: friends, co-workers, fellow students, neighbors and relatives. This can make for a crowded living room, but no one seems to mind. The custom of conversing in a large circle is a distinctive part of Dutch culture, so this is never dispensed with.

Turning fifty calls for a huge celebration with lavish decorations. Friends and relatives may put up posters of the honoree all over town. A fifty-year-old man is called “Abraham” and a woman is called “Sarah.” The bread or pastry may be shaped like an old man or woman.

Whatever the age of the honoree, birthdays are observed according to a long tradition of both hospitality and thrift. In the Netherlands, it’s cool to be cheap. Most people own a bike and will use it instead of a car whenever possible.

When meeting a Dutch person for the first time, maintain a somewhat formal relationship. Shaking hands is appropriate. Conversation should focus on family, work and hobbies. If knowledgeable about the Netherlands, show interest by asking some questions focused on local history and culture.

It’s best not to talk about politics, controversial topics or stereotypes such as windmills. The Dutch have a keen interest in politics but reserve this conversation for later, when they are better acquainted.

So join right in with a hearty “Lang zal ze leven,” or “Happy birthday.”

from CakeAndCandySpecialties.com

In the 2010 Gallup World Poll, Denmark was voted the happiest country in the world. The egalitarian society and moderately high standard of living combine with strong family relationships to make Denmark an exceptionally pleasant place to live.

Danes love their country and proudly display their flag for holidays, birthdays, anniversaries and just about any other occasion. Theirs is one of the few flags in the world that is named. It is the Dannebrog, or Danish red cloth. It is the oldest national flag that is still being flown.

The flag is bright red with a white Scandinavian cross. The Danish royal family and government fly their own distinctive flag, the Dannebrog with a swallow tail on one end. No one else is allowed to display the royal flag. The Danish Navy has a similar flag, and maritime organizations can display the same type of flag with their logo.

The Danes tell a popular story about how the flag was created in the year 1219. They say that during the Battle of Valdemar, the flag fell from the sky. The sight inspired the Danish soldiers so much that they were able to push on to victory.

When a Danish child celebrates a birthday, the flag is proudly displayed at the home. Most houses in Denmark have a sturdy flag pole for such occasions. The celebration begins when the family gathers to waken the honoree with a song. Traditionally, the parents place presents around the room so that the first things the child sees will be gifts.

Most parties are held in the home and are attended by relatives. The birthday cake, which is called a “cake man” is supposed to represent the child. The cake is lavishly decorated with miniature Danish flags and sweets. It is served with coffee in the afternoon.

After the cake is consumed, presents are opened. Danes love to give lots of presents. Usually, the honoree will be asked for a list of things he or she would like to receive. The guests often stay to enjoy dinner with the family.

One popular type of cake to serve at the party is a sponge cake cut into four layers and lavished with fruits, pudding and jam between the layers. Whipped cream can be slathered over the entire cake before it is decorated with flags and sweets.

• To make a traditional Danish sponge cake, first sift the dry ingredients:
•  a cup of flour
•  a fourth-teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of baking powder
•  Beat three eggs, gradually adding one cup of sugar and beating well.
•  Blend in the dry ingredients.
•  Heat a half-cup of milk until it bubbles slightly and let cool until just warm.
•  Add a teaspoon of vanilla.
•  Stir milk mixture into the rest of the batter.
•  Prepare baking pans by greasing generously and lightly flouring. Pour in the batter and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.
•  Cool the layers on racks before slicing them into four layers.
•  Between the first and second layers, spread crushed Italian macaroons soaked with cherry kiafa.
•  Between the second and third layers, spread vanilla pudding.
•  Between the third and fourth layers, spread raspberry preserves.
•  Cover the entire cake with whipped cream.
•  Decorate with maraschino cherries and sliced almonds.
•  Add miniature Danish flags.

If men or women reach the age of thirty and remains single, people give them peppermills. The birthday honorees are then called “Pepper Maids” or “Pepper Men.”

Danish people love celebrations. They honor the queen with a parade and an adoring crowd. They fly the flag for any holiday and to mark birthdays of children and adults, whether members of their household or of the royal family. Their reputation as a happy society is well-deserved.

from Shutterfly.com

When most people are looking for birthday gift ideas, they tend to go to a large department store or to the mall. However, many people have unique and quirky tastes. Finding the perfect gift at a traditional store can be difficult when you are buying for those with unconventional interests. These kinds of people would prefer an antique book to a silk necktie or a personalized piece of jewelry to a sweater.

However, modern shoppers have a tool that past generations did not have. By using the Internet to shop, you can buy an unusual item from anywhere in the world with just a few clicks of a computer mouse.

Personalized Gifts

Personalized gifts are a hit with almost everyone. You can buy your birthday person a set of wineglasses engraved with his or her initials or a casserole dish decorated with the cook’s name. Alternately, you could buy a personalized jewelry box, wall hanging or photo frame.

Finding companies that specialize in personalized gifts is easy. You only need to enter the words “personalized gifts” in the Google search box. You will then find hundreds of interesting and unique gift ideas for your birthday person.

Photo Gifts

Have you ever looked at the variety of photo gifts available at photo processing websites? You can have a favorite photo turned into a mouse pad, throw pillow or neck tie. If your birthday person has plenty of grandchildren, you could have photos of the grandkids made into a photo calendar. Many companies can turn a favorite photo into a purse, piece of jewelry, clock or even an iPod case.

These special gifts are available at websites like Snapfish, Shutterfly or Tiny Prints.

Follow His or Her Interests

You can find interesting birthday gifts that coordinate with the birthday person’s interests. If he or she has a favorite television show or movie, you can find shirts that reflect those interests at the TV Store Online website. Visiting the UncommonGoods website will yield hundreds of unusual and interesting gift ideas. For the geek in your circle of friends, the ThinkGeek website will give you an amazing assortment of humorous and fun gift ideas.

Café Press is an online company that creates merchandise to reflect a variety of interests, occupations, hobbies and passions. Whether your birthday person is a math teacher, engineer or Shakespeare expert, you can find something on this site that will make him or her smile.

Internet Shopping Tips

When shopping on the Internet, always try to buy from reputable sites, especially if you are using your credit card. You may also want to open up a PayPal account for additional protection against fraud.

Another important consideration when Internet shopping is the cost of shipping. One company may have a lower sale price than another, but the cost of shipping may make up for the difference.

When Internet shopping, you will also want to buy several weeks ahead of the birthday to make sure that the gift arrives in time for the big day. Shipping estimates can not be 100 percent reliable, so you should make sure that you have enough time for any unexpected delays.

When you shop on the Internet, you can be assured of finding the best birthday gift ideas for those unique people in your life.

from StudioDIY.com

Birthdays are cherished and celebrated with joy in this country. Children’s parties may include a clown and many guests who sing lively Jewish songs, clap their hands and sometimes play the tambourine. Sometimes the birthday child wears a crown fashioned from flowers. If a boy, he fits the crown over his yarmulke, the small cap that males of the Jewish faith wear.

Decorations are colorful and usually include lots of balloons. The birthday child has a special chair decorated with flowers or paper frills. The highlight of the party involves having well-wishers gather around and lift the chair once for every year, plus once more for luck.

The cake has a candle for each year, but sometimes another is added to represent the coming year. If old enough, the child lights the candles to the accompaniment of cheers and song. He or she then tries to blow all of the candles out with one breath. Guests wish the child “Mazal tov,” or “Good luck.”

Special days in the life of a Jewish child include the Bar Mitzvah for boys who are thirteen years old and the Bat Mitzvah for young ladies of twelve years. The child reads Torah on that day in the Synagogue. Family members and friends gather for a lavish celebration. This is a coming-of-age, since the Jewish youth becomes a full-fledged member of the congregation.

The eighteenth year calls for another big celebration. On this day, the guest of honor may go out with friends after celebrating with family members. The teenager is considered an adult with the advent of this year.

For adults, birthdays that end in a zero are times of both reflection and celebration. The individual uses this event to look back on accomplishments and regrets, take stock and think about what the coming years will bring. One decade is ending and another is beginning.

The Jewish calendar is the official measure of time in Israel. It is a lunisolar calendar which is based on the cycles of the moon and the seasons. Each month lasts 28, 29 or 30 days. The Jewish calendar consists of twelve months but begins in the spring with the first month, Nisan. Passover is celebrated in the month of Nisan. Each month starts on the new moon.

Before the adoption of this calendar in AD 359, the Sanhedrin set the months each year. The calendar is shorter than the natural year, so a month is added every three years to keep it consistent with the seasons. Each year, Jewish holidays fall in the same season.

Days in Israel begin with sunset instead of the Western custom of figuring days from midnight on. The Hebrew alphabet is also numeric, with each letter representing a number. The letters Yud (ten) and Hey (five) are not used in the Jewish calendar because they are the first two letters in God’s name and are considered too sacred for this.

In Israel, birthday traditions have evolved to include both Jewish and Western customs. The most important component is family unity and the joy of celebration.

from conniescelebrations.com

If you look at Facebook, Pinterest or most women’s magazines, it can be very easy to feel intimidated by the fabulous birthday parties and cakes that crafty, inventive people create for their loved ones. It doesn’t take very long at all to find pictures of perfect, beautiful cakes that people obviously spent hours sculpting in the kitchen. However, many people do not have the time, talent, money or inspiration to create a cake that is awe-inspiring for a loved one’s birthday celebrations.

The perfect birthday cake for your loved one does not have to be an impressive fondant sculpture. Nor do you have to spend hours crafting the likeness of Lightning McQueen or another cartoon character from icing. The perfect birthday cake should be a reflection of the birthday person, showcasing his or her interests and tastes.

Instead of cruising the Internet or perusing books and magazines for pictures of cakes that you wish you could make for your loved one, spend that time considering the interests of the birthday person. What is his or her favorite flavor of cake? Would he or she like to have another favorite dessert or candy reproduced in a cake form? If your birthday person does not really like cake all that much, maybe he or she would love to have an ice cream cake, an enormous chocolate chip cookie or a pie instead of a traditional birthday cake. A dozen doughnuts from a popular coffee shop would make certain people happier than a beautiful, icing-covered cake from the bakery.

Maybe your loved one has a particular passion that you could reflect in the birthday cake. If the birthday person loves to travel, perhaps you could create a cake from a foreign country that he or she visited on a recent trip. Alternately, you could top a cake with an edible photo from a vacation that the birthday person has taken recently. If your loved one has a hobby, like fishing or collecting a particular item, you may want to decorate the cake with fishing lures or collectibles that he or she can keep after the party is over.

Visit your favorite hobby store to find ideas for birthday cakes. However, don’t limit yourself to the cake decoration aisle. Instead, you should think of the entire store as an idea generator for a birthday cake. You may want to top a birthday cake with a real model train or another collectible. Silk flowers, faux butterflies, fairy figurines or artificial dragonflies can make a gorgeous cake for a young girl.

The ideal birthday cake should be the birthday person’s favorite flavor and should be embellished with items that will make him or her smile. Learn to think creatively, and use items that no one would ever expect as cake decorations. The opinion of the birthday person is the only one that matters, so consider what he or she would like the best.

from Blog.MajorLeagueWellness.com

Except for white South Africans, most inhabitants of the continent do not celebrate birthdays. Tribal customs formed centuries ago did not include the annual celebration of the day of an individual’s entrance into the world. This may be due to the high mortality rate and reluctance to draw the attention of the spirits to the fact that a child has managed to survive for another year. Many Africans do not know the exact day of their birth. If they do, the mother might share a small treat with the child. The idea of throwing a party is very foreign to her.

Instead of annual celebrations, African tribes celebrate milestones in the lives of their children. The birth of a new child and safe passage through the first weeks of life are significant. Pigmy peoples sing a birth song to welcome a newborn, and mothers in Kenya take their babies into the cattle enclosure to introduce them to their source of prosperity. There the father and other villagers hold a christening ceremony. A West African mother will take her eight-day-old baby for a first walk around the village, greeting friends and relatives along the way.

When an Egyptian child turns one year old, the family decorates the house with fruit and flowers that symbolize health and long life. The child’s first step is cause for great rejoicing, but the biggest celebration waits until the child enters puberty. For Nigerian children, the first, fifth, tenth and fifteenth birthdays are particularly significant. Families throw great parties at those times, inviting up to a hundred guests and roasting a whole cow or goat.

The Coming of age is a time of initiation into the responsibilities and privileges of adulthood. The young people learn the stories and songs, the laws and customs that the tribe honors. Following instruction, they must face traditional tests designed to help them understand their adult responsibilities and prove that they are ready to assume their roles. After this time of trial, the entire community comes together to share a feast and welcome the new adult members.

In Ghana, children who have arrived at puberty are treated to “oto,” patties made from sweet potato and egg for their morning meal. The tribal feast follows later in the day. Asante tribal members take a ritual bath on waking to cleanse them of imperfections.

For Masai boys who are thirteen to seventeen years old, the first phase of initiation lasts three months. They must leave their homes and learn how to be warriors. They paint their bodies white. After three months of instruction, they have their heads shaved and are circumcised.

The second phase of initiation among the Masai occurs when the youth again leave their homes. They live together in a separate area called a manyatta. They learn to hunt the predators that would carry off their herd animals. After some years living in this manner, the Masai youth has earned the right to marry and become owner of his own herd.

Masai girls are initiated at fourteen or fifteen years of age. They learn how to care for a home and for children. They then marry and become mothers themselves.

Rather than individual birthdays, African tribes celebrate group events with all the youth who have achieved this milestone. Swahili has no word for “birthday,” but the language does include words for group celebrations. In Congo, the typical celebration is for the child to return home and offer a gift to the parents as a way of honoring them. The cooperative life of the community takes precedence over individual achievement and distinction.

These customs contrast sharply with the western birthday traditions of lavish parties that are an expected annual event. South Africans of European origin may be wakened at dawn by friends who serenade them from outside their homes. They then invite the singers in for cake and other refreshments.

from feed200.photobucket.com

Bakery birthday cakes come in such a variety of flavors and designs, it is hard to choose just the right one. Birthday cakes are created in any shape including a favorite breed of dog, favorite car, airplanes or they exemplify the profession or hobby of the birthday celebrant. Traditional cakes are covered with flowers, but are made unique using an edible photograph or decked out with cake toppers in plastic, ceramic or glass. Cakes can look like a pirate ship or like a beach with rolling waves and sandy shore.

Size
The cake should be large enough to feed all guests coming to a birthday party. An 8-inch round layer cake feeds about 12 people while a fourth of a sheet cake serves 15 to 24. A half sheet cake offers around 40 servings and a full sheet cake serves 48 or more slices. The bakery will advise number of servings from all cakes including specialty cakes.

Type and Design
Choose a flavor suitable to the birthday party keeping flavors simple for a child’s party. Adults appreciate specialty flavors like Red Velvet or German chocolate cake. Decide what kind of frosting is best for the cake. A simple butter cream or whipped icing might be just the thing, but most bakeries also offer fondant icing. Fondant is a thick, sweet substance that comes in sheets and molds over the cake. If you have never tasted fondant icing, ask the bakery if you can have a sample. Some people think it is too sweet for their tastes while others love the texture and flavor. Bakeries usually have pictures, samples and descriptions of the cakes they make. Look at their portfolio online or at the bakery. Even though you may have a certain design in mind, the bakery may have made another design that is perfect.

Order
Take a trip to the bakery to order and make sure the colors for the icing, the flavor and handwritten decorations are recorded correctly. Also confirm the pick-up date. Some bakeries need a week or more notice to create the cake while some only require a few days. Before you leave the bakery you should know exactly what you are going to get and how much it will cost. Some bakeries will ask for a deposit and you pay the remainder when you pick up the cake.

Pick up
Check the cake before taking it out of the bakery. If there are any mistakes, have the bakery fix problems right on the spot. Pick up the bakery birthday cake no longer than 48 hours before the party. Cakes dry out as time goes by and you want your cake to be as fresh as possible for the party. It is best to have the cake made the day before or morning of the party.

Keep the cake in the bakery box until right before the party. Remove it by opening the top, folding down the sides and lifting it out. Do not forget to pick up some birthday candles when you pick up the cake.

from Aylmer2.Zazzoo.blogspot.com

Saying “Happy birthday” to a Chinese child could be a little complicated. In Mandarin, you would say shēngri kuàile, but in Shanghainese, the correct words are sangniq khualoq. Other Chinese dialects include Cantonese, Hakka, Hokkien and Taiwanese.

A Chinese baby celebrates the first birthday at the age of one year and thirty days. Guests bring gifts of colored eggs or good-luck charms. Boiled eggs signify peace.

While party guests look on, the child is placed on the floor surrounded by objects. Everyone waits to see which thing the baby will pick up. A book means he or she will be a teacher. A doll signifies that the child will have children. A coin means wealth.

Newborn babies are also celebrated, usually with gifts that are decorated with tigers. The tiger is a symbol of protection is China.

Traditionally, Chinese people do not celebrate with cakes. Candles represent short life, so even when a cake is served, candles are not used. After the first year, everyone celebrates at New Year’s. Noodles are usually eaten, since they symbolize long life.

The Chinese horoscope is based on four elements: year, month, day and time. To the Chinese, the most important elements are the year and the month an individual is born.

The Chinese celebrate twelve animals in their zodiac, based on the legend that the Buddha called the animals of the earth to visit him after his death. Twelve animals responded, and each was given a year as a reward for loyalty.

The animal spirit of a person’s birth year is thought to have a significant influence on that individual’s personality. Relationship compatibility is also influenced by the particular animal spirits of individuals. The animal signs of the Chinese Zodiac are pig, dog, rooster, monkey, sheep, horse, snake, dragon, rabbit, tiger, ox and rat. Some signs are very compatible, some denote relationships that will require a lot of effort, and some are considered incompatible. This is based on characteristics of the particular animal. For example, two aggressive animals would usually not make good companions.

Chinese culture is among the most ancient and complex in the world. The literature and arts are very important in the life of Chinese people. Music and cuisine play an important role in daily life. Physical well-being is important, and exercise that incorporates Chinese concepts of balance and harmony plays a large part.

While the dominant culture is Han Chinese, the country has 56 different ethnic groups, each with its own traditions. Each region of China is represented by three “ancient treasures,” or traditional ancestral products. For example, Guangdong Province is associated with hay, chen pi (tangerine peel) and aged ginger.

China is rapidly changing and developing industrial and economic capabilities. Although China has adopted the Western calendar and now considers January 1 the start of the business year, the traditional holiday is celebrated in the spring. It is now referred to as the Spring Festival. The traditional Chinese calendar was complex and set according to lunar phases, solstices and equinoxes. For this reason, the new year does not fall on the same date each cycle.

The celebration began in the middle of the twelfth month and lasted until the middle of the first month each year. The New Year Festival is the most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. Preparation included thorough cleaning of homes and ritual sacrifices of food and paper icons. Elders would give money to children.

A feast marked the first day of the festival, and the last day included a meal of round dumplings to symbolize unity and perfection. Modern Chinese now celebrate a week-long holiday that gives the opportunity to travel home for the celebration.

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