Screaming when you cut a birthday cake

[Cammel]

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?

Yes but I never understood it. Haven't taught my DS to do it!

No thank god. What was the purpose of the screaming? Hideous.

Nope, never - Midlands 80s/90s

I don't get why people think it's so awful? Birthday parties are generally pretty noisy and full of people screaming anyway!

I’ve read some bonkers things on mn over the years, but I think this wins. What a bizarre thing to do! Very pleased this isn’t a thing in the NE.

London/Essex border 1970/1980s. Never heard of this, its very strange.

Only if the knife cuts ya finger as well as the cake

Yes, that was definitely a thing at my childhood birthday parties (South Africa, 70s). Not really a scream but more a sort of high-pitched “Aah” exclamation. There was some superstition attached to it - if you didn’t scream, your birthday wish supposedly wouldn’t come true or some other bad luck type thing (?). Anyway this particular tradition doesn’t seem to have made its way to the next generation.

No. Grew up in Wales in the 90s although parents both Londonersx

Errrrm it's a nope from the north west.

I am so thankful that there was no tik tok in the 80s and the rest of us who were just cutting our cakes not like freaks weren’t infected with this weird London thing. Christ. I’d think someone had cut themselves.

@BurnDownTheDiscoHangTheDJ

For balance, London and Essex in the 80s and 90s... Not a thing here.

Same. I've never even heard of it.

Perhaps MNers can institute making owl noises when they cut cakes now tho 😉😂

No, never heard of it. (Bradford 90s and 2000s).

Is it a proper high-pitched, back of your throat scream or more a sort of "Ahhhh!"/"Aaarrgghhh!" ?
(If that makes any sense at all).

If it's the former, it sounds bloody awful.

@JessyCarr

Yes, that was definitely a thing at my childhood birthday parties (South Africa, 70s). Not really a scream but more a sort of high-pitched “Aah” exclamation. There was some superstition attached to it - if you didn’t scream, your birthday wish supposedly wouldn’t come true or some other bad luck type thing (?). Anyway this particular tradition doesn’t seem to have made its way to the next generation.

Oh I'd forgotten that bit! Yes, if you didn't scream then your wish didn't come true.

I've never heard of this at all. I grew up in the 80s/early 90s in two very different parts of Scotland and it didn't happen in either.

Never heard of it thank god. No one would ever get a cake if they did that in my presence as I can’t tolerate screaming.

My friend from Zimbabwe does this. Was a bit of a shock for all the kids at her daughter’s birthday party!

A childhood friend did this. I was so surprised the first time I witnessed it. Proper high-pitched, full on scream.

We cheered when the birthday boy or girl blew the candles out. That's all. Thank heavens.
London/Essex.

@BasiliskFace

Yes. Scream when knife hits plate. 1980s Essex.

Nope Also raised in Essex in the 80s

80's North London and never seen this

Yep. Surrey 1980s. Wish in the middle, scream at the bottom!

MN sure teaches you some stuff huh.