Chilean birthday

Today, we are having Franco’s birthdays (my host mom’s grandson). Since family decided to throw the party at home (probably since it is much cheaper) everyone was working very hard for the last couple of days to clean all house including the swimming pool. I was not sure how successful would be cleaning the pool since they were dealing with this for a few days and I did not see any progress, water in pool looked very dirty. As you can imagine, kids do not care about things as cleanness so they took baths anyway.

Two days ago Franco’s parents made a huge shopping and later on Claudia (Franco’s mom) was doing a ‘surprise packages’ for kids – different for boys and different for girls. This is a custom in Chile that when a kid has birthday every guest when leaving the party gets a surprise gift. This gift, usually is a package of different sweets and small toys.

Alright, so how does Chilean birthday look like. First, party needs to have leading subject, in case of Franco’s party it was swimming pool, that is why many days before were used to clean the swimming pool. Secondly, there needs to be a big birthday cake. Usually it the same blue and white cake that every birthday party hold, maybe only size changes.

Birthday parties are usually thrown during weekends at 4 p.m. Basically after the lunch. Every kid is accompanied with his parent or parents. Thus, birthday menu must also include food for grownups. The last one are usually served completes (Chilean version of hot-dogs), sandwiches (like in case of Franco’s party) , chips and sodas, juices. For kids, there is a lot of junk food and sweets. Different kind of chips with different colours and shapes, sweets including chocolate, candy-floss, unhealthy, sweet sodas and juices – you name it. That’s a stuff kids love.

 

After around 2h, it is time for cake. So first, everyone is singing the birthday song, then person thinks about his wishes and blow candles. But wait, it is not the end. Before the cake is cut and served, the person having birthday needs to put his head into cake:).

Now, cake can be served.

 

The final point of he party, it is sign party is over and it’s high time to go home, is a ball with candies. A big bag full of candies is hung on the tree. Next, birthday kid with covered eyes is given something to break it – it depends how strong is bag. Sometime is can be a balloon filled with candies, so in that case small pin is enough to break it. Every kid is handled a small bag and when the bag is broken, as you can imagine, all candies spill on the flour and every kid is trying to collect as much as possible. So this custom closes birthday party.

On leaving every kid is handled a thank you package i mentioned at the beginning of the post with some sweets and thank you note.

 When everyone is gone, one can finally enjoy all the gifts he has got.

I must say it was very nice day and great party with so much fun. I am looking forward for another party since I was invited by 3-yeras old Alonso to his party that takes place in a month.