Fun Birthday

An Unusual Birthday Present For a Memorable Birthday
By Rob Small

Many types of birthday present can become rather routine and boring. A more unusual gift or treat may be much better appreciated. Plenty of less obvious presents can be bought or made for that special alternative birthday gift.

Finding a present for someone who already seems to have everything that might be suitable as a gift is a challenge, but can be fun. For the person who likes a surprise birthday present there are plenty of options.

A voucher for a special birthday treat can provide a pleasant surprise. Plenty of exciting experiences can be chosen for adventurous types. These can be booked on the websites of the organisations providing them.

A balloon ride, helicopter flight or white-water rafting session could provide a memorable treat. For the more adventurous, plenty of lessons that provide an adrenaline rush are available. The choice depends in part on the person’s level of physical fitness and what is on offer locally.

Sailing, windsurfing, rally driving and flying lessons are examples of experiences that will be highly enjoyable for the right type of person.

Less costly treats include tickets to events and performances that the recipient might not normally consider attending. Opting for this type of unusual birthday present carries a risk, of course, but it shows you’ve tried to find something different.

If you have suitable contacts, you might be able to arrange a meeting with someone the recipient admires, such as a celebrity, sports star, actor or other performer - perhaps after a performance and combined with a restaurant meal.

If the cost of an unusual birthday present has to be kept to a minimum, there are other possibilities that can gain as much appreciation as an expensive gift. If you’ve put a lot of time and thought into making a present yourself it can be treasured for many years.

If you are good at do-it-yourself and know the tastes of the person whose birthday it is, you could redecorate a room in their home as a surprise. This needs careful planning and co-operation from others who live with them.

A specially made, personalised item can constitute a unique birthday present. Anything with the person’s name or photograph incorporated into it could be considered.

The obvious item is a birthday cake with personalised decorations on top, celebrating particular interests and events, but there are also more unusual birthday ideas. You could take a good photo of a treasured possession such as a boat or car and mount it in an unusual way, such as on the face of a large clock. Relevant and meaningful photos can also be printed onto a wide variety of objects and garments by specialist printers.

Buying an unusual pet is sometimes thought of as an interesting and suitable birthday present. But before presenting a lizard, giant spider or snake, take great care to research whether this really would be the right thing for the person concerned.

The welfare of the creature being given as a present is a major consideration. Its housing, care and feeding involve commitments that the recipient has to be prepared to learn about and take on. It must not be a surprise present but planned carefully in consultation with all involved.

Finding an unusual birthday present involves research and some effort but, for the right person, it can be really worthwhile.

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The Air Hogs Vectron Wave - 5 Birthday Party Games For Children
By William Stroup

The Air Hogs Vectron Wave is a child friendly hovercraft with special obstacle sensors that allow it to respond to your hands or any other flat surface. After placing it on a flat surface such as a table or floor, you can slip your hand under it. By lifting your hand, the hovercraft will rise while lowering your hand will make it drop; similar movement happens when you slowly move your hand left or right. This type of interaction lends itself well to traditional birthday party games for children. The Vectron Wave can be used in variations of Simon says, hot potato, musical pillows, telephone and limbo.

In Simon says, the traditional rules apply while an adult should be Simon. But, there is a twist. Simon can only say: Move Up, Down, Left, Right or Hover; in response, if Simon says, the child uses his hand to make the hovercraft move up, down, left or right. Of course, if Simon did not say, or the wrong movement is made, the child is done. This game can be done as a group, or individually.

When I was younger, I played hot potato with my grandparents. We would pass a bean-filled sock around while 1950’s music played. When the song ended, whoever had the sock had to do a simple task, usually a silly one. In this variation, the hovercraft is passed from child to child. The best way to do this is for one child to guide the craft near the next child who, in turn, puts his hand over the other and takes the craft. Do choose music that will not be too distracting.

A variation of the hot potato is the game musical pillows. The hovercraft is still passed from child to child while music plays. But, when the music is done, whoever has the hovercraft is out. This process continues only one person is left; he or she is the winner and given a reward.

Telephone and limbo are two games best played outdoors; though, they can be done indoors. For telephone, the children are spread out, preferably in a straight line (this is why outdoors is best). Instead of passing a phrase from person to person like the traditional game, you instead pass the hovercraft. In limbo, the children will not be going under a rope or stick; they will maneuver the hovercraft under it. Just like in the traditional game, whoever can not get their craft under the stick is out; the sole survivor is the winner.

Though the Air Hogs Vectron Wave is a hovercraft, its ability to respond to hands makes it useful in a lot of traditional children’s games. With just a little bit of creativity, you can add zest to a traditional party and entertain yourself, other parents and all the little ones.

Read more about the Air Hogs Vectron Wave and other indoor child-friendly Air Hogs remote control models here: http:///www.squidoo.com/vectron-wave, and find great savings for that next cool gift for your children or yourself!

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The Ultimate Guide to Birthday Presents For Men
By Bobby A. Spider

It is Valentine’s Day as I write this article so perhaps it would be more appropriate to talk about valentines presents for men but let’s stick to our original topic of birthday presents for men and go from there. So, exactly what should you get that guy on your birthday list? You could always get him a tie or sweater, but why not take your gift giving up a notch and get him something really special this year? In this article we will be highlighting the top five present areas you should consider.

Area #1 - A Romantic Gift

Are you having a romantic relationship with this fellow? If so, why not get him something romantic for his birthday? Romantic presents for men are always a great idea for someone you want to impress. How about this idea…a romantic getaway? You could plan a little trip to that special city that he has always been wanting to visit. You could probably both benefit from getting away from all the pressure of daily life.

Area #2 - Homemade

Homemade presents for men literally scream out “I really thought about this present”. A homemade present is a unique present, and it adds that “little touch of you” that guys love to receive. The question is, what type of homemade gift. Well, you are planning to get him a birthday card anyway aren’t you? Well then, why not get him a card from Jib Jab? This company creates extremely funny stuff…you should definitely check them out.

Area #3 - An Unusual Present

We all truly love to get something that is very unique and special. Men just love to show off something to their friends that is a true conversation item. Unusual presents for men can be a novelty gift…something that just screams out “look at me”. We have found the company that has just this sort of gift. They have tons of stuff. For example, is he a Star Trek fan? If so, you could get him a Star Trek Tribble? If you are not a Star Trek Fan you probably have no idea what we are talking about…but he sure will.

Area #4 - Food

“The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”…or so the saying goes. If this is true then there is no better way to show that special guy in your life that you truly care than getting them some fantastic gourmet food…something that they will really love to “chow down”. Here’s a suggestion you might want to consider…how about making him a steak dinner one evening? You could add a nice dinner set and some candlelight and it will be an evening to remember for all time. We have found just the steaks for this occasion…

Area #5 - Sports Presents

Many guys are into some sort of sports, and they will appreciate it if you will notice that fact. How can you? By a specialized gift on their birthday of course. Why not get them a special sports related gift? An autographed helmet or football, autographed jersey or basketball, autographed bat or baseball, or autographed stick or puck can go a very long way to say to him “I know you are a sports fan”.

The Conclusion

We hope that you truly enjoyed this little journey into the wide world of great birthday gifts for men (stay tuned…we will be dealing with anniversary presents for men in an upcoming article). Our summation? It’s really not that difficult to get a great present for men (and boys for that matter). You just need to do a bit of initial planning and focus on the five main areas that we have mentioned above. For more info on where you can get the presents we have highlighted, please visit us on our web site.

Check out our web sites if you are looking for either anniversary presents for men or birthday presents for men.

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Fancy Birthday Cakes - ‘Rubble Cake’
By Jenny Scarfe Beckett

There’s a certain amount of pleasure gained from making fancy birthday cakes that cost next to nothing. How? Not cheap ingredients! Make your fancy birthday cakes from the trimmings of other cakes.

There is inevitably some ‘fallout’ from making celebration cakes, particularly wedding cakes made of many layers. These cakes always need trimming and cutting into shape before they are glazed with chocolate.

• But what can you do with those delectable biscuity trimmings?

• What to do with the traces of ganache from the different fillings?

• What to do with the spare cake and cream left over from the cake shaping?

You can just eat it all, then and there, but that seems downright greedy - or throw it away, which seems downright wasteful… or you can make more brand new fancy birthday cakes!

Just after delivering a large wedding cake one year, to be honest I was a bit ‘caked out’! But my grandson wanted one of my ‘fancy’ birthday cakes. I needed something different, quickly.

I remembered that in my Grandmother’s time, bakers used to put all their cake ends and scrapings from the day’s production into a large bowl, together with any plain cake left unsold and a goodly slosh of alcohol. This was mixed, made into a large slab and sold next day in small slices as Tipsy Cake.

That set me wondering.

Could I do something similar for my grandson, but keep it alcohol-free, and also use up the spare ganache I had prepared for that wedding cake?

Yes! It was one of my most successful fancy birthday cakes, a 3D chocolate dinosaur.

The basic ‘construction material’ is now known in our family as Rubble Cake.

Rubble Cake is excellent for creating 3-dimensional detail. For larger cakes, use sponge layers and ganache for the main body of the shape, then rubble cake for the rest of the modelling. The shaped cake should be refrigerated at regular intervals to harden the chocolate in the mixture. Once the model is firm, more room-temperature rubble mixture can be added.

Rubble Cake: my original experiment (quantities are variable!)

• I was using a mixture of fat-free sponge trimmings and leftovers already carrying some ganache and white chocolate mousse. I broke up all the cake into small pieces about the size of a walnut into a bowl.
• I made sure the ganache was at room temperature (ie soft and slightly runny). I put it through the microwave for 20 seconds.
• I added enough runny ganache to the cake morsels to just coat them. On stirring, the mixture was similar to very large breadcrumbs or crumble. (Drier than you might think.)
• I covered the bowl with film and left it for about 30 minutes.
• When I came back to it, all the sponge had softened, I gently stirred and broke it up with a metal spoon.
• Then, using my hands I scooped up some of these ‘cooked cake crumbs’ and compressed them slightly. It formed a mouldable ball of ‘rubble’ like loose sticky dough.
• I did the same with the rest of the cooked cake crumbs.

Note: exact results are unpredictable according to the original cake components. Remember that ‘less is more’ regarding the amount of ganache you add to the cake crumbs. Too sticky a mixture is difficult to work with. However, don’t panic if you do add too much ganache; just pop it in the fridge to chill slightly in order for it to harden before use.

Model at will!

As well as fancy birthday cakes, this same mixture makes good plain truffles if rolled into little balls and dusted with cocoa. It can be used as a base for cold chocolate mousse cake or can be used as one layer in a chocolate layer cake.

(Note: so successful was Rubble Cake that now the joke is on me. Instead of making Rubble Cake cakes from leftover trimmings I now have to bake new cakes to break up for my fancy birthday cakes…)

Jenny Scarfe Beckett has been cooking for friends, family and even complete strangers for fifty-five years. Over the last twenty years, Jenny has also been experimenting with chocolate in its various forms including ganaches, glazes, creams etc combined with simple sponge to create perfectly balanced chocolate recipes. The aim is to create gourmet chocolate ‘mouthfuls’ using very good ingredients so that less is definitely more.

Now, after ‘personal’ cookery for many years, she’s happy to share her recipes. Especially the ones that work.

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How To Make Birthday Wrapping Paper
By Lee Ka Hoong

If you want to teach your children something then I can give you an idea - you can show them how to make birthday wrapping paper. Let me tell you the procedure of making it using potatoes. First you will have to collect all that is required to make the birthday wrapping paper. What you will need are potatoes, paints with a drop of water added to them and plastic container lids.

You will be making potato prints and for this purpose you will need to cut a potato into halves or fourths. Then take a piece of the potato and draw a design on the open portion. The design can be a flower, a geometric pattern or anything according to your wish. But you need to keep one thing in mind, after the drawing is complete, an adult or an older child should be given the task of carving the design into the potato. The next step is of dipping in which you will have to pour the paint on to the lid of the container and dip the potato into the paint. Then take the paper and press the potatoes with the designs face down on different parts of the paper. You can also make various drawings and decorate your birthday wrapping paper.

After you finish this procedure, allow the paper to dry. Finally when your birthday wrapping is ready, it can be used for many purposes. If the birthday of a family member or a friend is coming up then you can use your newly made wrapping paper to wrap up the birthday presents. You can also use the papers to make birthday cards. These wrapping papers can be covered with plastic and sold. You can also keep the paper and use it throughout the year to wrap up presents.

It is a great idea to spend your free time making the birthday wrapping paper as the children can stay engaged, explore their creativity and you can also spend some quality time with your kids. Make sure you have enough potatoes in your house so that you can make different designs. You should also cover the place on which you are working as inadequate covering may lead to a dirty and chaotic situation. The wrapping paper that you are using should be stronger than the regular wrapping paper available at the store. The only precaution you need to take is to give the younger children the task of drawing while the adults should carve the designs into the potatoes.

Lee Ka Hoong

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Birthday Gift Ideas For the Terrible Twos
By Sal Trump

Congratulations on becoming the parent of a two-year old. You are one of the lucky ones who have the challenge of entertaining a little one who’s ready to take on the world. So, what do you give your child for their second birthday? They are at a stage where they’re losing their baby status, but they have not quite made it to the stage of being a toddler. This is a significant learning period for your child, so the best gifts are those that enhance their ability to learn about their world, while entertaining them at the same time. The following are some gift items that are sure to be a hit.

Much like adults, two-year-olds have a fascination for all that is big and shiny. Toys that are loud and bright are always great gifts for your young one. Among the more popular gifts for children are toys that are replicas of gadgets we adults use today. One example is the mini toy laptop. These are great items for that burgeoning techie. Since computers are a way of life, this will give your two-year-old the opportunity to play around and see what they’re all about. This gift is perfect for either a girl or boy and usually offers exercises to help your little one with numbers, words and spelling.

The next great birthday gift for your son or daughter is a toy cell phone and PDA. Yes, they do exist. Although your baby will not have a need to text and coordinate schedules just yet, this is a good starter toy since chances are they’ve been fascinated with your phone since the day they were born. Your two-year-old will have a blast pressing buttons and listening to the cool sounds their phone makes. These phones usually light up and can potentially hold your child’s attention for hours. They’ll be so entertained with their new phone that they won’t want to be without it, which is pretty much the case for us adults.

And finally, the most popular gift idea for the terrible twos is a gaming system, the more popular one at the time being Wii. This is a great gift item that can be a source of entertainment for both you and your kids. Surprisingly, young children can learn the games on this system at lightning speeds and before long they will be beating you at tennis. Sad, but true. With a little research, you can find just the gift to entertain those tiny balls of energy, while teaching them those necessary social skills. With the right gifts to stimulate your children both mentally and socially, you might find that the terrible twos won’t have to be so terrible after all.

Sal Trump is an online publisher providing great tips on birthday gift ideas. To learn more about this topic, visit http://www.LastMinuteGiftsGuide.com today!

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40th Birthday Jokes
By James Kelsmith

What is it about one’s 40th birthday that makes one dread it? The answer is that most people hate the thought of being “over the hill”! Even as turning forty is not one of the easiest things in the world, it sure does open up the flood gates of pranks and jokes! Some people take an almost sadistic pleasure in knowing that a friend or relative has turned forty! While they may not peer closely at your hair in the hope of spotting your gray hair, they will not pass up the opportunity of sending you a 40th birthday gift, joke or gag that conveys the message loud and clear!

Leaving these people behind, there are others who love to have a good laugh and therefore enjoy sending out funny poems and gifts that not only lighten the event but bring joy and laughter along with sincere wishes to the recipient. Don’t forget that turning forty is a milestone in life’s journey, and has to be remembered. As this is an important birthday, make sure that you make your friend’s fortieth birthday a memorable one filled with fun and laughter.

There are plenty of jokes that actually make fun of aging or becoming old. These surely help in lightening the fear and dread of becoming older, by adding laughter to the whole situation. Make sure that someone you care for has a fortieth birthday that is funny without being corny by bringing joy to a person who is getting older. It makes it easier to do this if the person celebrating his/her 40th birthday has a great sense of humor.

One-liners and short jokes are the ones that are best. It is obvious that most fortieth birthday jokes will end with a great punch line about becoming older. If your joke is too long, then it could get boring and end up with the listener anticipating the typical punch line before you can get to it. Therefore short, quick jokes are the answer.

Another tip is that you should not overdo it. Tell only a few “over the hill” jokes which will be really funny. If you tell too many jokes at a time, it will not only get boring but monotonous. Never ever make the person feel really old, especially if YOU are younger! The point of telling these 40th birthday jokes is to have fun and not to make the person feel worse.

You can try and be original by making up your own fortieth birthday jokes. This can be done by changing around certain details so that they actually relate to personal situations in the person’s life. Mix personal stories about the “birthday boy/gal” with your jokes so that they are more entertaining. All the time, you have to remember that the main aim of all these jokes is to have fun - so do not go overboard and be insulting and sarcastic etc.

Make sure that you hit your friend’s or relative’s funny bone with 40th birthday jokes, gifts or gags that will not only guarantee laughter and entertainment all around but make them feel better about their balding pate, expanding middle or thick glasses! You could also get a funny singing telegram to surprise the person at home or at the office. This is sure to send colleagues and co-workers into splits of laughter.

For more information on where you can find the best 40th birthday jokes, gift ideas, and tips you need to take a look at http://www.40thbirthdaygaggifts.com.

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Birthday Wishes
By Hasmukh Amathalal

Let me wish you many more happy and bright days

I wish to be guided by you in my own ways

Will you hold me forever and take to the end

Many best wishes of the day for you to be sent

What a beautiful wishes to offer in a particular way?

Wishing many many happy returns of the day

Has it not become customary to wish bright sun in cloudy atmosphere?

Do we wish it as mere formality or simple necessity is there?

These were the simple questions hounding me as an individual

I never thought I was playing dubious role which seemed not real

I found convincing answer for wishing a beautiful and real friend

Lot many good wishes with rose petals to send

What am I and what brings me to you? I asked to friend

“Why it happens to me”if I take it as true?

I always think of taking your care

No matter how far and where you are

You were so nice and kind

I consider myself lucky to find

You are like precious gem

I wish to keep you in mind with frame

I may not use polished language

It may not be proper or appropriate

I shall cherish the long memory of school days

We might have not carried along and parted ways

You are like towering strength

For you I may go to any length

I might look little different

Love may be seen as true and apparent

Rose may have its own fragrance

Friendship has got its own elegance

I always towards sky and glance

Think of meeting you by chance

It might not become possible to see you in person

I think I might have to wait for coming good season

Rain may drop from clouds in usual manner

Tears may role out from eyes later or sooner

We may not wishing a person for no reason

Birthday brings good opportunity for liaison

It is meeting of mind with intense feelings

Intense hatred too may melt without concealing

It may pave the way for happy occasion

Two hearts may unite if taken proper decision

It is of course unique way of dealing

Wounds may dry up with careful healing

Wish from the heart if you happen to garland

Embrace with deep love if she is your girlfriend

Gender may not bar you from exchanging messages

It has all kind off warmth without feelings of ages

hasmukh amathalal

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Children With Autism - Birthday Parties
By Andrea S Parker

I saw a post by another parent on a message board and it began this way, “Today is my autistic son’s birthday and I am sad…” I recalled all the many years past that I felt the exact same way. This was a sentiment that it was impossible for many people to understand but I bet other parents of children with autism do. The reason for the sadness is certainly not that you regret the day they were born! Parents of children with autism love them with one of the strongest, fiercest loves ever seen on this planet.

The reason for the sadness is because a birthday represents a significant milestone- a date of importance that cannot be ignored. Every year, at various times but certainly on birthdays, parents of children with autism face the indisputable fact that although their child might be twelve or thirteen chronologically, they are far younger than that developmentally. This creates an understandable pain and anguish in the parent. This highlighting of the developmental differences inherent in the disorder makes it difficult for many parents to “celebrate” a “happy birthday.” It takes time, and above all a very difficult spiritual concept called “acceptance,” to actually have fun on the birthday of a child with a significant cognitive/ developmental delay.

Today, my son’s birthdays are an absolute blast. I suppose this testifies to how far we have both come (more me than him.) He is fifteen now and doing much better than before. Yes, he is still significantly delayed in certain areas, particularly speech. Interestingly though, on his birthdays now I rarely think about the delay anymore. He is very happy and he is doing very well. His birthdays are joyful now. Perhaps they are celebrations of the absolute warfare I feel we have been through.

To those parents who are sad on the birthday of their children with autism, to you I say I understand. I have been there. One day in the future you will be happy on his birthday, I promise it.

If you would like more free updates, you are cordially invited to my blog at http://www.autismfundraisingguide.blogspot.com

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Advantages of Booking DJs For Birthday Parties
By Sam Qamand Michael Hanna

If you are looking to book birthday music then a DJ is certainly one of the easiest musical talents to hire and largely you can find local or UK based DJs fairly easily. Whether it is a birthday bash you are planning or indeed any other intimate celebration you will want to know the options open to you and the services that they can offer to make your 18th, 21st, 30th party lively, atmospheric and memorable for all the right reasons.

DJs can be booked either directly or through an entertainment agency that has a large number of DJs on their books. Agencies generally have lots of choice and can usually tailor their services to your needs (some people might choose a live band for the first half of the event and a DJ for the disco half etc.), however some few specialty agencies may only provide specific musical talent such as nightclub techno or R&B DJs, though this is usually clarified on an agencies website.

At times an entertainment agency will also have cover bands, live comedy talent, illusionists and other acts that can compliment your birthday party with DJ intervals neatly placed during the night to relax your guests and get everyone on the dance floor once the live entertainment and dining has finished.

Birthday Budget or Premium Celebration?

A point to mention at this time is that some agencies will have lists of various packages. For instance mobile disco and DJ packages with a magician for children’s birthday parties may be available and perfect for the youngsters and those wanting to book all entertainment through one avenue. Or perhaps for a more sophisticated 50th birthday the agency may supply you with a good all round price for a solo artist teamed with a DJ who plays the intervals to suit your theme.

Premium birthday packages available out there may include portable dance floors, video disco and illuminations to alter the colour of your venue which make your birthday celebrations really stand out from the crowd. Some DJ agencies will be happy to recommend warehouse and loft venues should you be planning a huge birthday party to be proud of. Agencies offer mobile discos so that they can fit a variety of extra features to your venue.

Summary

All agencies and packages differ so when comparing try to compare budget packages together and premium packages together to get a true view of pricing and always make sure that you check out the deposits and booking fees payable - because agencies can organise most or all of your birthday entertainment you will generally get a one figure deposit rather than paying fees to a number of different suppliers, that has to be worth the excitement of the evening!

Sam Qam has seen a few mobile discos and is often surprised by the quality that DJ agencies can provide.

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