More Party Party

We´re off to another birthday party this weekend.

Judging by the exquisite handmade invitation and location at one of Joao Pessoa´s biggest party rooms it is set to be another lavish affair (check out my blog from April 2009 for our first experience of a full-on Brazilian birthday bash).

Thankfully they´re not all on this scale - I feared after our first experience that we´d be taking out an annual bank loan to finance our own children´s celebrations. But Brazilians certainly take birthday seriously (yep, any excuse for a party!).

Even the schools encourage it. As well as being the official "Toy Day" for the younger students, Fridays are also the official party day. Any child whose birthday occurs during the week is permitted to celebrate during Friday mornings - and not just with their classmates. In come Mum, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa, Aunts, Uncles and a brood of siblings to join the revelry! Hardly a moment to get any work done in between but they all come home happy. Six months ago I was still gritting my teeth in annoyance at the interruptions to my sons´ education, but now I´m just glad they come home happy. Maybe I´ve been here too long already?!