To let DS blow out his birthday cake candles this weekend ?

[Ishouldtryabiteachdayer]

So having both lots of Grandparents for a birthday tea in the garden. My Dad says he's not eating the cake I'm decorating if DS blows on it. He says as he "might catch the virus." Would I be unreasonable to let DS blow out his birthday candles?

I mean eating birthday cake is optional, I could provide other shop bought cakes ? Seems sad not to let him,,but it is a bit gross when you think about it these days. BTW DS is turning 5.

I think people have objected to birthday cake for some time for this reason. Ypu could put clingfilm over it before stabbing the candles in.

Who cares if a GP can't have a slice of cake? Sod him, he's had plenty of birthdays. Let the 5 year old blow out his candles on his cake.

Make your dad a separate fairy cake. Let your ds blow the candles out

Or put the candles in something crazy for a laugh - a banana or pastie

Anyone else now thinking about how Much cake they've eaten over the years with spit & snot particles. Almost 20 yrs of parties, 4 kids of my own plus various family members. That's a lot of snot.

Also, make sure the child is not facing all the guests when he blows.

I've not eaten a birthday cake at a birthday party for years. The idea of eating cake that someone has just blown their breath all over makes me feel sick. A separate cake with candles is a great idea, pandemic or not

I would let him blow the candles out and buy a little shop bought cake for those who don't want it. The cake's for the birthday boy, not the grandparents. I can't imagine making a fuss of this if it were my kids/grandkids. You just keep schtum, let them enjoy and say 'no cake thanks, I'm stuffed'.

Your Dad is an adult I am sure he can survive without this piece of cake (as he is clearly incapable of peeling the decoration off)🤷‍♀️

Leave DS cake as normal for him to blow out his own candles on, as normal.

Fondant makes a good decoration but is gross to eat anyway, we always just eat the sponge.

I’ve never heard the like.
The chances of catching the dreaded lurgy from birthday cake must be minuscule.

@MarkRuffaloCrumble

My DS is 20 and blew his candles out last year by flapping his hands as he thought blowing was unhygienic . I was quite proud of him tbh, as it is a gross tradition, especially with young DCs.

Especially at the moment you should be a bit more tolerant of your Dads view on this and find a compromise as others have suggested.

Sounds more like a case of OCD to me but i guess everyones different.

If you want to accommodate him, then a cupcake with candles is the way to go.

If you don't want to accommodate him, then get a cupcake for him to eat separately from the cake, and leave the candles on the main cake.

I can sort of see his point, to be fair.

I used cling film 8 years ago on DD’s party cake because she had a cold and I knew she’d be blowing her candles out twice (bilingual).
Not a huge leap of the imagination and an act of respect to everyone who was about to eat it.

Just had a lockdown party.... loads of fancy fairy cakes ..... happy birthday sung. No blowing spitting on cake.

Maybe not this year. But only on mumsnet would Anyone think twice about eating a birthday cake that's had candles blown out on it.

And nobody has or will ever suffer because they didn’t get to blow out their birthday candles one year

Equally the grandad won't suffer by choosing not to have a slice of cake. Cupcakes for those who want them, main cake with candles for child is what I'd do.

Not just a mumsnet thing I am afraid. Heard it years ago in the real world. It's kind of true if you think about it....

My DS is 20 and blew his candles out last year by flapping his hands as he thought blowing was unhygienic

I read this as "my DS is 20 months" and thought for a second you had an extremely hygienic 1 year old

I still have the photo to prove it!

My 12 year old blew her candles out 2 weeks ago. We all lived. Let him blow the candles out ffs. It's not like they've had much to enjoy lately. If your dad doesn't want any fair enough.

We’ve just had a birthday for DD and “blew candles out” by flapping hands and made a joke about it that we were blowing the candle out social distance style! Everyone had a laugh and nothing was missed by not blowing the candles out!

This is another one of those situations where if it wasn't for MN I would have no idea people thought it was an issue.

I've been to many a child's birthday party. I've never seen a separate cake or any flying spittle on the cake. Just the child blowing out their candles then cake being handed round and enjoyed by everyone. If any of the adults did turn it down I just assumed they didn't fancy cake, were on a diet or something. Fear of minuscule droplets of breath was not something I'd ever considered.

Dd 85 yr old great grandmother blew out candles last week
Her cousin 2 weeks ago who turned 6 did too
Corona didn't even enter our minds
I'd let him blow out candles

For many years for large parties I have made a show cake and a cutting up cake - still iced in a similar way and same ingredients but presliced so already in party bags to save time. We have always run our own parties and one time I was stuck in the kitchen for ten mins slicing cake while the party disintegrated around me. The show cake is either eaten at home or sliced up and frozen for school lunches (now they are teenagers it doesn't get to this stage). When I suggested it on here a few years ago posters said it was ridiculous but turns out we were just being hygienic, who knew. Probably too late for this weekend but worth considering for other parties. Maybe we will see the return of the candle snuffer.

I also did the small extra cake with candle in . No one wants a spat on cake at the best of times .