Do you use a birthday ring in your home?

[kayte]

I would like to get DD for her next birthday (she will be 3) and so I have begun researching to buy one. And I have lots of questions, so I thought I would ask someone that already uses one...

They seems to come in different sizes (number of candles) and am curious if you have opinions on which is best--I am guess the 16 candle count one--but I am not sure.

Also what do you fill the extra holes with? Have you bought the number set and display their age? Do you have little figures for the other holes and if so do you replace them yearly, bi-yearly or have you used the ones you bought at the earliest age you started using the ring?

Do you use it for other holidays or even at birthday celebrations (like your own) where you have outgrown the candle count?

Is your child(ren) aware of the tradition of using the ring at every birthday? How do they react to it?

Do you have any thoughts on the best one available? I am guessing the plainer, the simpler, the better, no? Best place to get it?

TIA

EAT-- I forgot to ask... are the holes standard sizes? CAn I buy a ring and inserts from different companies? ALso will I need to buy candles from the same manufacturer/store each year? Or stock up when I buy the ring?

[HIU8]

I've never heard of a birthday ring. What is it? Just curious. Sounds like it might be a nice tradition to start. I don't know if it is the same thing but our tradition is to use a musical cake stand that lights up and plays happy birthday.

[ilfaith]

I'd never heard of a birthday ring either...so I googled

The Birthday Ring is a classic German birthday tradition. It is a symbolic way to celebrate the anniversary of your child's birth and show reverence for each year of their life thus far. A birthday ring consists of a wooden circle with holes representing each year of life. You may place ornaments or candles in the ring to adorn your birthday table or cake top.

Traditionally, on your child's first birthday, you place one candle on the ring and fill the rest of the holes with figures. On each consecutive birthday, you replace one figure with a candle. Place the unused figures in the center of the ring to signify the child's previous years. Finally, on the twelfth or sixteenth year (depending on the ring you choose), the ring will be fully illuminated. This is truly something your child will look forward to each year!

You may choose to create your own variations on this tradition, perhaps placing figures that represent events your child experienced during the year since the last birthday or using just one number decoration to represent the child's age along with the cooresponding number of candles. The birthday ring can also be used as a deoration throughout the year. It is a beautiful additon to a nature table when the decorations are changed with the seasonally.

http://www.threesisterstoys.com/c-14-birthday-rings.aspx

http://www.thewoodenwagon.com/c-birthday-ring.html

It does seem like a nice tradition...and something that would make a nice baby or first birthday gift. When I was born, I received a tall candle (like this http://www.lorisparties.com/c0649b22f2cf9d5b95187cc0e3f306fc.item ) that we'd melt down every year (well, when my parents remembered to take it down from the box on the top shelf of the closet...I remember quite a few years when we'd burn two or three birthdays off at once)

[brittone2]

We have a Spiel und Holz bday ring. We have a 12 year one. I use figurines as the fillers (try to reflect age/interests, etc.) and put the number of candles in for their age. We started it when DD turned 1 but we use it for DS's bdays now too (he's older). I was stumped for ideas for DD's first bdady and that was part of her gift. I'd like to do a "red plate" tradition as well but we haven't gotten there yet.