Bo's puzzle of the month | Vintage Bo

Check me out...

I'm getting breakfast-in-bed from a foxy pup in this vintage jigsaw puzzle.

Can you name all of the animals shown on the wall behind me?

Bo shares unusual birthday customs from around the globe

^{In Switzerland, scary clowns stalk, harass and deliver a pie-in-the-face to the lucky birthday boy or girl} 

We just celebrated Dad's 50th and I did my best to learn the Electric Slide at his big birthday bash but I think I'll just stick to chasing balls, barking up trees and nipping at the opposition's ankles if that's okay with you, Pops. Man, B-Dawg can really move!

USA

Around these parts we like to celebrate birthdays with cake, candles, cards, gifts and of course a rousing round of Happy Birthday to You. My favorite part of the celebration is chewing open my gifts. 

I don't care if my gift are wrapped or unwrapped just as long as I can eat, chew or chase them. But did you know that in Holland it's considered bad luck to receive a present that's wrapped in black and white? What if the gift giver is color-blind?

Argentina & Brazil

The birthday celebrant receives a tug on the ear for every year they've lived plus one for good luck. When Carol Burnett tugged on her earlobe at the end of each of her variety shows, it was a signal to her grandmother letting her know that she was doing well and she loved her. 

My secret code to Dad is when I drool on camera. Sorry, I can't tell you what it means or you'd have to enter the Witness Protection Program.

Australia

At birthday "barbies," children eat fairy bread which is buttered toast, cut into triangles and sprinkled with "hundreds and thousands," what we commonly refer to as "sprinkles."

The treat may have been inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's poem, "Fairy Bread" published in "A Child's Garden of Verses."

Canada 

Well-wishers show they care by rubbing butter on the birthday human's nose to make them too slippery to be grasped by the evil clutches of bad luck.

Who knew bad luck went for the nose first? Is margarine okay? I might try this one myself...

 Germany

Unattached men who reach the 30 year milestone must sweep the steps of City Hall while their friends throw litter on the stairs. It's a personal advertisement alerting single women that he is available and capable of keeping a clean house. 

Who needs Match.com when you've got a broom and group of trash toting friends?

Great Britain

The tradition of baking symbolic tokens into birthday cakes began in medieval times. The party goer who discovers the coin will be wealthy while the unfortunate guest who chips their tooth on the thimble, will never marry.

Hmm...could it be that potential suitors are put off by their toothless grin?

Ireland & United Kingdom 

The birthday child gets "the bumps." He or she is held upside-down and given a gentle bump on the head for every year plus one for good luck. Similar to spankings, punches and earlobe tugs administered in other countries.

Why do so many "good luck" traditions involve pain?

Korea

A celebration, called a "paegil" is held on the 100th day after a baby's birth. Guests feast on rice cakes, black bean cakes and other delicacies. If the rice cakes are shared with at least 100 people the child will live a long life, so the family sends containers filled with treats to as many people as possible.

Recipients return the dish (or tin) to the family filled with skeins of thread symbolizing longevity and rice and money symbolizing future wealth. 

With all that thread, I foresee their future fortunes coming from careers in the textile industry.  

^{Bo Obama's Dog Blog sources: Birthday Customs, Birthday Rituals from Around the Globe, Birthday Traditions from Around the World, The World's Most Unusual Birthday Traditions}