How do you do birthdays in the UK?

Hi there, I'm wondering how you all celebrate birthdays in general and in the UK specifically.  See in my family, no matter your age, the whole family gathers and we have cake, ice cream and cards/presents and yes we sing happy birthday.  In fact since there are 5 May birthdays we celebrate them all together and add the ages and put that number on the cake!  I think last year we were 248.  

Now Chris has been telling me that they don't do that in his family.  No cakes, icecream or singing.  Gifts yes.  Well wishes yes.  But frankly I want a cake.  Even if I have to make it myself.  We bought a cake from some shop once and the "frosting" was horrible.  So how about it?  Is my new family unusual?  Or am I doomed to no birthdays (at least the way I'm used to).  Thanks.

Hubby and I don't live around any family, but we do celebrate the children's birthdays with cake, ice cream and pressies.  He doesn't get me a cake for my birthday, but I do make him one.  Not sure if it's a man thing (ie, forgetful) or just that most adults he knows don't 'do' cakes.

Hi, Most families here celebrate with birthday cake and candles for each year,also have ice cream jello,cakes,lots of sweets,savoury bits ,cheese and pinapple on sticks sausage and onion on sticks,we sit around table and sing happy birthday,then they get to blow candles out,the children then pay games,like pin tail on donkey,blind mans bluff, pass the parcel, Some families take kids to bowling parties or Mac Donalds, depends what people want.I like the cake and ice cream approach lol,but not the candles my last cake was a fire risk,lol  

Celebrations in general arent as big of a deal here.  But I think birthdays are just what you make of them!  There's no reason you can't make a big deal and start a new family tradition just because your hubby's family doesn't celebrate them much.

Cakes are different here though.  Frosting is always the hard marzipan stuff, and most cakes are fruit cakes.  Children's birthday cakes are generally white sponge with cream and jam between layers, covered with hard sugary frosting.  

You'll realise after being here a while though that you can make just about anything yourself!  It may not turn out like Betty Crocker but with a good cookbook, conversion charts, and some patience, you can whip up that cake you want!

Our celebrations over here are MUCH bigger than they were in the states.

In America, we'd get together with family in the evening and go out to dinner, go back to the house, have cake, open presents, etc...

Here, my MIL sneaks in in the middle of the night and decorates the entire house with balloons and banners (and then the rest of the day is pretty much the same).  But she REALLY makes a point of it being YOUR day, which is cool, but nauseating at the same time.  I like my birthdays to be a little bit quieter.  I'd rather have a nice dinner party than have my house look like a Chuck E Cheese grotto.  

I have to admit for Glenn's birthday we celebrated with a party and I had a friend ship me 2 cake mixes and 2 tubs of frosting from the states lol...then for his brothers birthday we found a very nice 1/2 sheet cake at costcos and yes it had a jam layer but it was very nice and it did not have mauzy frosting it had a very nice american style butter cream frosting.

I am a little sad about Juliona's first birthday coming up in Nov. non of my family will be here to help celebrate it we always made a HUGE deal out of the kids first birthdays. I will be sticking with my family's tradition and making her my moms chocolate wakey cake just for her though.

Hi there, I'm wondering how you all celebrate birthdays in general and in the UK specifically.  See in my family, no matter your age, the whole family gathers and we have cake, ice cream and cards/presents and yes we sing happy birthday.  In fact since there are 5 May birthdays we celebrate them all together and add the ages and put that number on the cake!  I think last year we were 248.  

We did the same thing in the states but over here hubby and I just go out to dinner or something and we get cards and or presents from various family and friends...it just doesn't seem to be a big thing over here.

They aren't a big thing here compared to my family's (get together, cake icecream yadda yadda).  And it makes me sad.    I may try again this year for David's b-day tho and make him a cake.
wench

Well....I think Bday arent as big of a deal here.  And children parties, well I just cant get use to them...I completely understand why they dont open their presents at the party, BUT in a way.....isn't opening the present just part of the whole party thing, well it is to me.  

Hmmm thanks everyone!  I appreciate all your experiences.  Seems like some are very different from others.  Collington while its sweet that you MIL does this special deal for you I think I'd want more low key too.  But compared to others its closer to the usual birthday here in the states.  

ItsBcoz I didn't realize the kids didn't open gifts at the party.  Hadn't been to one as yet.  

I guess I'll be making my own cakes - which is ok as I like to do this.  Calling:  Ma, ship those cake mixes!  I think I'll have to take a few with me (with frosting) after I'm married.  I definitely don't like the marzipan frosting.  I didn't know what that was.  But yuck!

Take heart, Tesco's has Betty Crocker cake mix (um like two flavours) and also frosting (again I think just basic choc and vanilla, but still!)

wench

awwww wench you just made my day.  I insist on cakes etc.  Its what I'm used to.  Course I'll take the dinner out as well.  <wink>

We def make ALL the bday cakes.  cant handle that mazi stuff ...yuck!

Yuck is right ItsBcoz.  I didn't like it either.  Only I didn't know what it was.  I'd never had marzipan before.  This one won't be having it again either.  Ewwwww.

Nobody likes the marzipan/hard icing stuff, except maybe my Grandmother! Sainsbury has some nice cakes if you don't want to make your own (or if you are like me and not to be trusted with a baking tin), and especially nice gooey chocolatey ones, no marzipan or hard stuff in sight. YUM.