Just lean your heads with their tissue paper hats a little closer to the lit candles on the cake, and watch the fun begin!

At least the first three birthday parties are strictly for the adults because the child is too young to care or remember anything about them.

This is a partial view of the largest number of people ever to attend the birthday party of a 2-year old.

There appears to be a Hummel figurine on the top of the cake so maybe these people, like me, are of German descent. We had Hummels all over the place (but never on top of a cake). That one with the accordion looks similar to one I have but is attached to an ashtray.

Do you like children Mr. Fields?
Yes, parboiled, parboiled.

This may have been primarily an adult party, for the washed-out aqua motif is a bit subtle for kids, I think.

We actually refer to them as "crackers"; a word with several very different meanings in your wonderful country. Most are as cheap as previously described, but "Tom Smith" is a specialty company that produces crackers of very high quality that we thoroughly enjoyed this past Christmas. Credit where its due!

Thanks again for the great memories, Dave. And congrats on the "Time" article.

If you look at referenced picture from last summer, perhaps the mother's relatives got to sit in the good dining room while Dad's relatives were relegated to the finished basement or den with kitchen chairs, or vice versa. Those cheap tissue paper hats used to come in what the British call "snappers" (used at Christmas) which is a decorated cardboard tube that snaps like a cap gun when one pulls the end off and contains a cheesy little prize and a tissue paper hat. Those and the little crepe paper covered candy & nut baskets used to be obligatory at every birthday party. Good times.