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Original poster

Blowing out candles on cakes: would you?!

64 replies

CautiousOptimist · 22/01/2022 11:46

Putting this here rather than on COVID board because I think more of a general cross section might see it here. I hope that’s OK.

It’s my son’s birthday party tomorrow. Bowling. We’re taking a cake and I just thought, is blowing out of candles still frowned upon? I know it wasn’t something we did for a while, but there were no parties anyway.

Would you double take if your kid went to a party and the birthday boy blew on the cake? Would you even notice / care?! Am I overthinking?!

All the kids are in a class together anyway if that makes a difference.

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RamblinBoy · 22/01/2022 13:39

Honestly no this would not bother me at all. Never has, never will.

NoraLuka · 22/01/2022 13:41

I always hated the blowing on candles on the cake thing but that was way before Covid and it’s mainly because I’m a germphobe and I totally recognise that I am BU Grin

Candles on the cake should be fine if they’re all in class together anyway.

CowboyJo · 22/01/2022 14:19

I wouldn't let your son blow out candles in this current climate, but faffing about with clingfilm, separate cake and eggboxes just sounds pointless Confused

The solution is so obvious...get the sparkler type candles! They do some in the shape of numbers, and those ice fountains that are like mini Roman candles. They look much cooler and go out on their own, no blowing required Smile

Trust me, once you get sparklers, you'll never go back to normal candles ever again!!

If the venue doesn't allow sparklers though, Amazon do personalised cake toppers to add some flair to the cake so you can still sing happy birthday with a nice looking cake. I don't think blowing out candles is as important to children as us parents think it is - they just look forward to the cake eating!

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eurochick · 22/01/2022 14:23

I'd use a stunt cake (cupcake or similar) for the candles.

ancientgran · 22/01/2022 14:25

@NuffSaidSam

Yeah it's fine.

I probably wouldn't eat the cake (at least not the top bit), but I wouldn't eat cake that a kid has spat on even before covid!

So true. Such a shame when you can't face a slice of cake.
CowboyJo · 22/01/2022 14:25

Or...if you have one of those handheld fans with you and a bunch of candles in the house that need using up, your son can use one of them to put them all out Grin

ParkheadParadise · 22/01/2022 14:29

Wouldn't bother me.
At dd's party in December, several kids blew the candles out on her cake. They were all more than happy to eat it 🎂🎂🎂

Spilltheteaplease · 22/01/2022 14:41

I think covid has put me off this forever. Not sure why it hadn't occurred to me before that it's a bit gross. I'd do a cupcake.

morechocolateneededtoday · 22/01/2022 14:45

Been to 9 whole class parties between Sept and now and birthday child has blown out candles at every single one without exception.

CowboyJo · 22/01/2022 14:47

@morechocolateneededtoday

Been to 9 whole class parties between Sept and now and birthday child has blown out candles at every single one without exception.
Yuck...😷
BeckyWithTheGoodHair010101 · 22/01/2022 14:48

My daughter actually had covid for her birthday, we got her a cake, but I put cling film over it before letting her blow out the candles as I wanted to have a slice...! Grin she's having a party this weekend and I've got one of those sparkler fountain things instead for when we sing happy birthday, so people aren't uncomfortable about eating the cake.

MarshaBradyo · 22/01/2022 14:51

It’s fine he can blow them out

CowboyJo · 22/01/2022 15:00

Should've shared in the original post, but when my 6-year-old daughter had her 2021 birthday, we did a party with all her friends a couple of days before her actual birthday. The original plan was to do a sparkler fountain for her fancy cake at the party, and normal candles to blow out on a small cake on the actual day.

But my daughter loved the sparkler so much she said, "mummy, can i have a sparkle candle for my real birthday too?" So out I bought another sparkler and the waxy candles I had just bought went unused...

None of the other kids wanted the normal candles on their birthdays they decided they wanted sparklers too, so we ended up using some of them on Christingles and giving the rest of them to the local school for theirs Grin

Timeturnerplease · 22/01/2022 20:25

Have people no idea just how many snotty hands touch the average classroom door/pencil/glue stick in a day? How many times children cough or sneeze or even (thank you to that particular Year 6 class for starting this craze) fart on each other daily.

I wouldn’t be worried about this at all, but then again I am a primary teacher and thus have a magic covid barrier.

RamblinBoy · 22/01/2022 20:32

My kids have had those sparkler ones. Once they went out they asked for the proper candles that they could blow out. I do think the blowing out is super important to most kids to be honest.

Kookookachuu · 22/01/2022 21:58

We were at a children’s party today and they blew the candles out on the cake as normal. We all ate some of the cake, it’s never bothered me before and it doesn’t bother me now. My preschooler DS regularly sneezes/coughs right in my face anyway Grin

Twizbe · 22/01/2022 22:06

Had my son's party today and we had a special cupcake with his candle in for him to blow out.

DappledThings · 22/01/2022 23:34

Blowing out candles is normal and has happened at all the parties my DC have been to pre and during covid.

Any clingfilm/separate cupcake/pretend cake business is all very silly.

TheLovelinessOfDemons · 22/01/2022 23:36

DS 10 blew out the candles on his cake and I'm sorry to say that I didn't even think of this.

AlwaysLatte · 22/01/2022 23:58

We always used to blow the candles out on cakes but the last couple of years we've presented the cake plus a cupcake with lots of candles crammed in for them to blow out so they don't slobber on the cake.

Bakewelltart987 · 23/01/2022 00:00

Have not even thought about it untill reading this and my dd has had a birthday party and been to quite a few aswell.

ANameChangeAgain · 23/01/2022 00:07

We call it the spitting in the cake ceremony. Its fine for kids, just a but yuck for adults. A low level of germs is how we develop our immune systems.

ParentalGuidances · 23/01/2022 00:53

At home party - no problem

Anywhere else - give them a wee cupcake to blow the candle out on or even pre cut the cake and put the candle on their piece only.

I personally wouldn’t mind eating a cake it if it had been blown over but not everyone is this carefree.

Fluenty · 23/01/2022 01:19

I, and my kid’s, wouldn’t eat a cake that a kid has spat all over
Even pre covid

That said I think it’s a fun part of birthdays so if I were you I’d just do it anyway for your DS and leave people to decide for themselves

SMBC2020 · 23/01/2022 05:48

I teach 5 year olds. Before lockdown, when we were all super careful and cleaning the classroom constantly, I caught kids in my class licking each other's tongues. I think candles will be fine Smile