Cambodians generally do not celebrate their birthdays. However, at the Cambodian Children’s Home we do celebrate the children’s birthdays. It is one of the ways by which we let the children know that they are special.
With nearly 40 children in the Home, we try to observe the birthdays in the most economical way, yet make the celebrations full of fun. We thus celebrate birthdays with a little party by the month, with different kinds of cakes each month.
Although the parties are for combined birthdays, we do something special on each child’s birthday. There are no fancy balloons, clowns, or mascots, and there may not even be cakes. We often burst out in song, perhaps with special food and a gift. We may surprise the birthday child by suddenly singing while in the learning center, or even while the birthday boy or girl is still sleeping. Or we may go through most of the day pretending to forget that it is somebody’s birthday before acknowledging it. But it is always something special to let the birthday child know that he or she is loved and remembered.
