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Original poster

Screaming when you cut a birthday cake

307 replies

Cammel · 23/01/2022 21:09

I remember me and my friends doing this as kids, but DH doesn't think it's a thing. Was it just my friends or does anyone else remember doing this?

OP posts:
Doifollowrule · 24/01/2022 00:39

Molly King on radio 1 was talking about this a while ago, her family do it....

Frannibananni · 24/01/2022 00:51

God no

Sweetpeasaremadeofcheese · 24/01/2022 01:03

@CowboyJo

My DH is Australian. Growing up he said he used to cut the cake after everyone sang happy birthday instead of blowing out candles. But he didn't scream.

Instead it was this silly thing they said where if you touched the bottom of the plate while cutting the cake you'll have green babies Grin

DH always jokes about it on our kids birthdays now

Aussie here. We used to say if the knife hits the bottom you have to kiss the nearest boy (or girl if you're a boy).
Ellowyn · 24/01/2022 01:19

I'm so old, we wore little white gloves and our pretty party dress when we went to a party. There was certainly no screaming - just awkward table manners and a few quiet games.

Ellowyn · 24/01/2022 01:19

...and then we all grew up and did a lot of drugs.

LastChristmasIGaveYouMyHeart · 24/01/2022 01:22

Not a thing when I was a child. Though happy to accept it could be a thing, just that I never experienced it. It sounds fun!

I remember going to a friends birthday party, I think she was 9, and all her family members took turns shoving cake in her mouth. I was awed, and still to this day think it was awesome! Disclaimer: I said shoving cake in her mouth like it was a bad thing but she was eating it and was laughing. It was messy though.

Bravenheart · 24/01/2022 01:40

How weird NO!

SquidMonkey · 24/01/2022 02:47

Is this the new "snapped and farted"?

lennybruceisnotafraid · 24/01/2022 03:13

Yep, everyone screamed when the knife hits the bottom. Weird!

oncemoreunto · 24/01/2022 03:16

What?
Mid 40's never heard of this, ever anywhere.
Neither has DH who grew up in London.

lennybruceisnotafraid · 24/01/2022 03:17

Late 80s, south east, bunch of prep school girls. So silly, and yes a two second collective scream and the parents must've thought us bonkers.

I want to say something about letting spirits out, or in, I don't know!

PepInYourStep · 24/01/2022 03:34

Not personally, no. But customs differ, even very locally.

DaisyTheUnicorn · 24/01/2022 03:41

Wow properly bonkers! It looks like it was a custom that one boarding school started... and spread a little but thankfully not too much!

Thankful not to have encountered this particular tradition! And have been surrounded by ex boarding school people for various sections of my life!

DaisyTheUnicorn · 24/01/2022 03:43

You'd imagine the odd NCT group with someone doing it thinking it was universal.... and corresponding thread on here wouldn't you!? Its strange it seems only to have been contained to those groups and not spread!

Kelly7889 · 24/01/2022 03:43

No, never heard of it. Screaming of any kind was seriously bad form and bad manners when I was growing up, and only to be used in emergencies.

Chocaholic9 · 24/01/2022 06:06

No, never heard of it. Born in the early 80s

TenoringBehind · 24/01/2022 06:27

Never heard of this.

I’m a child of the 70s. We would have a ceremonial viewing of the cake, watch the birthday child blow out their candles, and then the cake was taken away to be cut up.

Startoftheyear2022 · 24/01/2022 06:38

London childhood too and it was totally normal. Brief loud scream when you cut through the cake, everyone laughed. Done.
Not so weird I'd say!

mardyandmafted · 24/01/2022 07:17

Never. I don't recall being at birthday party where the cake has been cut in front of everyone.

Screaming would definitely have got me a clip round the ear as a child, I got sent to bed after my 5th birthday for crying because I didn't get a loot bag!

SisterAgatha · 24/01/2022 07:19

Yep. London. 1980s

UserError012345 · 24/01/2022 07:22

No not heard of it

GiantSpider · 24/01/2022 07:42

@DaisyTheUnicorn a quick scan of this thread indicates that approx one third of the people replying are familiar with this tradition. So not massively widespread, but a lot more common than “one boarding school and spread a little”! I didn’t know anyone at boarding school when I was growing up.

SisterAgatha · 24/01/2022 07:46

Boarding school tradition, omg I grew up in Tottenham Grin

My mates never went to free school, let alone school you have to pay for!

Snowiscold · 24/01/2022 07:47

Definitely not boarding school or even private school. Inner city primary. Normal to do the scream/yell.

DaisyTheUnicorn · 24/01/2022 07:49

Ah but mumsnet is not representative of the population, and people replying to this thread are self selecting. It seems a likely fommon factor was boarding school.

What is unusual is it not spreading into woder awareness. That SO many people have been to NCT/school parties and never heard of it etc.

I've come across a lot of traditions through media/reading/friends/ moving around the country/groups I'm in that I wouldn't personally have done. But I'm aware of them if that makes sense. For so many of us with kids/going to parties and even moving in NCT circles etc to have never heard of it is unusual. I'm really curious about where it is!