LL-L "Rituals" 2002.01.09 (08) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 09.JAN.2002 (08) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: "Randy Elzinga" <frisiancow at hotmail.com>
Subject: LL-L "Rituals" 2002.01.09 (02) [E]

Lowlanders,

R. Hahn wrote:

"This custom survives, though apparently barely, in North America, as I had
to find out to my horror on my birthday six weeks after first arriving in
the United States.  Fortunately, that was the first and only birthday on
which I got a ritual beating, and I can't say that I am sorry that this
custom has been discontinued in my circles, for the blows would meanwhile be
too many to endure.  On the upside, Americans treat you to parties, food and
drink, besides gifts, on your birthday, while in Germany the adult birthday
"child" has to throw their own party and pay for rounds of drinks (but does
get gifts), which to some people may be as painful as a thumping."

And I respond:

As a child many (mostly male) students in my grade school underwent the
"birthday bumps", usually consisting of a knee to the rear end for each
year.  I don't recall any accompanying song, except perhaps for the chanting
of the numbers by the children giving the birthday bumps.

Similar to the practice you mention in Germany, the birthday boy or girl was
also expected to bring candy or some sort of treat and share with the class.
  My birthday is in the summer, so I never had to recieve the birthday
bumps, nor bring treats.  However, my brother's birthday was in February,
near to my half birthday (a consolation prize for those souls whose birthday
is in the summer, celebrated about half a year later, usually on the same
day of the month as the person's birthday, but six months later).  For his
birthday my mother would come to school and cook chicken legs or chicken
wings for our classes.  I didn't find out until recently, though, that this
was to celebrate my half birthday as well.

The school that I attended (located in southern Ontario, Canada) that
practiced both these rituals/customs had a very high percentage (in the
nineties, I would say) of students, including myself, with parents or
gradparents from the Netherlands.  I spoke recently with my housemates on
the birthday ritual of bringing treats to school on the childs birthday, and
none of them recall ever doing anything like that.  Is this practice based
on something from the Netherlands, and perhaps related to the practice in
Germany that Ron mentioned?  What about the bumps?

Also, an unrelated question.

Throughout my entire life I have known about these wonderful treats called
croquettes.  They consist mainly of a meaty paste, chicken or beef usually,
covered in bread crumbs, and they are usually deep fried.  I have never seen
these outside of the Dutch community here in Canada, and it seems they are
served quite often with Dutch Mustard (Hollandse Mosterd).  The name looks
French.  What is the origin of this treat?

Randy Elzinga
frisiancow at hotmail.com

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