Birthday customs

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This is a silly question, but still, here goes:

When you say "Happy birthday" to someone, do you pull the person's ears upwards, as if you were trying to lift him/her of the ground (gently, of course)?

The reason I ask is that this is customary around here, (especially if you are congratulating the birthday to a child), but I can't seem to remember if I've seen it done elsewhere on the globe (by seen, I imply TV shows etc.).
So, I'm simply wondering if the ear pulling custom is local or is it more widely spread.

I warned you that it was a silly question.

 

Nope, no ear pulling here in Brazil.

By the way where exactly is “around here”? In the shadow of a Walnut tree?

 

Around here is Serbia. Sorry, I forgot to write that.

 

Birthday bumps

 

Never seen that one here, or BA's bumps.

In fact, the only real custom (other than the singing and occasional hugging) is that some people are inclined to give you a punch for each year you have attained. This could be to encourage you not to gain too many more.

 

How can you have not heard of birthday bumps! 'And one for luck!' then nobody catches him/her

 

I have never heard of Loreseeker's or Barmy's custom. I cannot speak for the worldwide popularity, but I can tell you that I've never seen either here in the states. We just sing Happy Birthday and you blow out the candles on your cake.

 

No ear pulling or attempts to dislocate any limbs here. Being from the US, I'm with Aldeth. My birthday was on Friday and my wife had a surprise party for me. I had no idea, as she had planned it very well.

 

Er, no. Strangely enough, it is not customary to conduct acts of violence on people on their birthdays here. Can't think why not, I must live in an odd place.

 

When I was a kid it was a "birthday spanking" where the birthday boy or girl was held down and given one swat on the butt for every year. It usually happened several times on the birthday.

A better tradition... in the past few companies I've worked, a person brings in donuts on their birthday.

But no ear pulling.

 

Oh yeah, there's the whole taking some fodder into work thing. I assumed that was done everywhere though.

 

I've seen the punching one before. But people tend to use that as an excuse to really wail on someone they don't like.

 

No pulling ears. We used to give bumps when I was (much) younger.

The Canadian tradition involves a complex combination of a hockey stick, a Margaret Atwood poetry book, a unicycle, maple syrup, a McKenzie Brothers video, and an agitated polar bear. And water beetles. Lots of water beetles.

 

Now that sounds far more like playground culture!

 

No silly answers only silly people Sorry had to.

Birthday involve some singing and loads of joy

 

Thanks for the replies. It seems ear pulling is indeed a local specialty.

Still, I'd prefer that over bumps... or the polar bear thing

Just for the sake of clarity: the singing, cake, candles, bringing candies to school/work place... it's all done here on birthdays too.

And presents . How could I forget presents?...

 

Presents? What's that

 

I've seen the bumps done on people, but usually that sort of stuff stops at around age 14. God knows if someone tried to do it to me now I'd end up off wrok for a week at least. My 6 year old daughter, however, kept swatting my butt and saying "You're the Birthday Boy!" so the spanking thing must be what is done at her school and in the insular home her mother keeps.

My ex used to have a custom on my birthday (when things were going well between us) that involved her . . . . .

Maybe I'd better not share that one!