Cake for 1 year old... Trashy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not fond of this practice and didn't do it for DD's first birthday. We helped her blow out her candles and she got the first piece of her birthday cake - just like every subsequent year - and shared her cake with her guests (which is the point of birthday cake in the first place). I don't like seeing a blatant and planned waste of food and I like the original concept of a shared birthday wish so much more than a separate "stunt cake" for the baby. DD ate her first piece of birthday cake and we have cute photographs to remember the messy moment.

I loathe seeing a bride and groom smash wedding cake into each other's faces, too.

I don't think the practice of giving a one-year-old a cake to smash up is "trashy" - just so common and unnecessary.

I do love the original idea that a birthday cake or wedding cake is the shared sweetness and shared wishes of all the assembled guests. Which is one of the two reasons I never turn down birthday or wedding cake (the other being that I love cake!) I want to share their happiness. You're right - a "stunt cake" defeats the purpose.

Thanks - DS is only 9 months old but in three months I will make sure to give him the first piece of his birthday cake and share the rest with his friends and family.

So, would cupcakes also defeat the purpose? Because that's what I did. My son ate it like there was no tomorrow. Very little mess because he wanted it all in his mouth.

[Anonymous]

I can only imagine the social anxiety experienced by people who think about whether it is trashy or tacky to give a kid cake to smash on their birthday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can only imagine the social anxiety experienced by people who think about whether it is trashy or tacky to give a kid cake to smash on their birthday.

Uhhh... What?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not fond of this practice and didn't do it for DD's first birthday. We helped her blow out her candles and she got the first piece of her birthday cake - just like every subsequent year - and shared her cake with her guests (which is the point of birthday cake in the first place). I don't like seeing a blatant and planned waste of food and I like the original concept of a shared birthday wish so much more than a separate "stunt cake" for the baby. DD ate her first piece of birthday cake and we have cute photographs to remember the messy moment.

I loathe seeing a bride and groom smash wedding cake into each other's faces, too.

I don't think the practice of giving a one-year-old a cake to smash up is "trashy" - just so common and unnecessary.

I do love the original idea that a birthday cake or wedding cake is the shared sweetness and shared wishes of all the assembled guests. Which is one of the two reasons I never turn down birthday or wedding cake (the other being that I love cake!) I want to share their happiness. You're right - a "stunt cake" defeats the purpose.

Thanks - DS is only 9 months old but in three months I will make sure to give him the first piece of his birthday cake and share the rest with his friends and family.

So, would cupcakes also defeat the purpose? Because that's what I did. My son ate it like there was no tomorrow. Very little mess because he wanted it all in his mouth.

It depends on what your purpose is. It's the difference between actually "breaking bread" with someone (sharing the same loaf of bread) or taking separate dinner rolls from a basket. If the symbolism is not there and birthday cupcakes are just a fun dessert for a birthday or wedding - then it's fine. I've even seen wedding cupcakes lately. I just like the old original meanings of things like birthday cakes and candles. And from a pure waste point of view, I certainly prefer a baby getting a cupcake rather than a whole cake to destroy and waste.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can only imagine the social anxiety experienced by people who think about whether it is trashy or tacky to give a kid cake to smash on their birthday.

I don't like the practice of having a baby trash an entire cake but I feel no social anxiety about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can only imagine the social anxiety experienced by people who think about whether it is trashy or tacky to give a kid cake to smash on their birthday.

Uhhh... What?

Judgments about trashiness/tackiness are really judgments about social position. To me, thinking about the social implications of your child's reaction to cake is like thinking about plucking your baby's eyebrows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can only imagine the social anxiety experienced by people who think about whether it is trashy or tacky to give a kid cake to smash on their birthday.

Uhhh... What?

Judgments about trashiness/tackiness are really judgments about social position. To me, thinking about the social implications of your child's reaction to cake is like thinking about plucking your baby's eyebrows.

You are missing to point, PP - I'm sure no one is thinking about the baby's reaction or damage to his social standing! I wouldn't give my baby a roasted turkey to drool on and throw on the floor for his first Thanksgiving either - no matter how cute the photographs of a baby and a 14 pound roasted turkey were. It is a waste of food.

And as a PP pointed out, not the intent of a birthday cake anyway.

[Anonymous]

Dear lord. Only on Dcum is giving a baby cake considered 'trashy.'

Why are people SO obsessed with class here? I don't get it.

[Anonymous]

Well, if you let the child destroy the cake and then try to feed that to the guests, that would be all wrong.

[Anonymous]

I didn't know that a birthday cake had an intent.

Plus now I'm having flashbacks to my college literature classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Impractical? yes.
Trashy? no.

+1

my DD got a slice of ice cream cake to destroy when she turned one. it surprised me a little that, while it got smeared around, she ate almost all of it - her first tastes of chocolate, cake and ice cream. I don't really see the point of going to the trouble to get a separate smashcake, but I don't object either? the pictures are probably cuter, I guess? What gives, OP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I didn't know that a birthday cake had an intent.

Plus now I'm having flashbacks to my college literature classes.

Why do you think everyone has one every year on their birthday? Of course there was an original intent. Same with Christmas trees, wreaths, birthday candles, wedding rings, wedding veils, etc. It's a matter of whether you embrace the intent or not. Like the other two (maybe three) PPs, I like the original intent of sharing birthday cake. But I am not willing to arrest those who don't!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dear lord. Only on Dcum is giving a baby cake considered 'trashy.'

Why are people SO obsessed with class here? I don't get it.

Because so many people are trashy and classless. Not in this example necessarily but in many others. "Class" has moved in meaning beyond social classes and now represents a grace and way of carrying yourself that has nothing to do with income or education.

[Anonymous]

I gave my so a slice of cake. Black Forrest. He debpvoured it! I have no regrets!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dear lord. Only on Dcum is giving a baby cake considered 'trashy.'

Why are people SO obsessed with class here? I don't get it.

Because so many people are trashy and classless. Not in this example necessarily but in many others. "Class" has moved in meaning beyond social classes and now represents a grace and way of carrying yourself that has nothing to do with income or education.

I'd venture to say that it is because people are insecure about something. Or perhaps fear that they are just the same as everyone else and don't have an intrinsic worth that is higher than others.