Birthday Mania

Germans love birthdays. Theirs, other people's, even the idea of birthdays. And now it appears that Fiona's been inducted into the kindergarten birthday club. After a year of not being invited ANYWHERE, we're heading on to Birthday Party #3. I guess once you're invited to one, you get included on all the lists? Maybe. Or maybe Fiona's gotten so much cooler in the past months that now she's on the A-list. Maybe only people who are turning four and five have birthday parties. I really thought it would be turning six and seven that we'd have to join this club, but apparently, this is not the case here in Weimar, Birthday Central.

All of the birthday parties appear to have some things in common. They all begin at 3pm and go until 7pm. (7! I am already stressing about Fiona's birthday party in January when I'm six weeks away from having Butterfly. I want to be in BED at 7. I don't want to be tending to a bunch of four-year-olds). Each party has an insane amount of cake, candy, racing about (at 3) and then a dinner (I've seen bratwurst at one, pasta at another) at about 6. So I imagine the dinner is meant to settle the kiddies down before they head home. Gift bags (more candy!) and balloons are a must. Birthday hats also- paper cones are fine, but today's was a homemade Viking hat. More on the Vikings later.

After each party, Fiona came home so tired she could barely walk. Today we had a lovely new twist- she was so exhausted that she sobbed the entire ride home ("I neeeed Paaaaapaaa! I neeeeeeed a driiiiinnnk!"), through her bath, and snuffled during her books. She was sound asleep about one minute after climbing in bed.

The next party is on a Saturday afternoon, which I prefer to a school night, and it's for a little girl, and may be more low key than today's party. I suspect that the reason Fiona was suffering from Acute Circus Syndrome (thanks, Auntie Barbara, for that term- I love it and use it as often as possible) today was because it was a Viking party, involving swords, shields, and, strangely enough, a pinata. Viking, in this neck of the woods, is pronounced "Wick-ing" and there's some new movie about "Vicki" the Viking who is called "Wiki" and every time the mum told me it was a "Wiki" party I kept thinking "Wikipedia?" No, no, Wiki, the Wicking. Oh-kay. Since I don't see movies, especially German movies, kids' movies, and Viking movies, I'm way out of the loop on Wiki the Wicking. But I suppose now Fiona knows him and will recognize him wherever we go. She does teach us as lot about German pop culture.

So, dear readers, I need your thoughts. Fiona's early January birthday (meaning I must host the party indoors, in my flat which is not small compared to apartment standards, but not nearly as comfortable for a birthday party as my own house) will be here before I know it. What kind of a party will I have for her? Dare I go "American style" and host a party at an indoor play gym? Should I do something like "make-your-own-pizzas" that keeps kids sitting down for long periods of time (ha!)? I actually prefer make-your-own-sundaes, because those are a bit more fun than pizzas and I don't have to cook, but in early January? One thing I've noticed is that it's perfectly acceptable to invite just a few friends for the birthday party (thankfully) and so I need not invite the whole class. Anyone have any great ideas for a four-year-old- girl birthday party that will translate well to Weimar, The Land of the Birthday Parties?