Margret Stöckler
A birthday party without Oups? Unthinkable!
Since Oups joined our class, he naturally celebrates his birthday with us too. Over time, a wonderful ritual developed, where the focus is not on the gift in the treasure chest, but on the heartwarming words of those celebrating with us.
Would you like to celebrate your birthday with me today?
First, the circle is, of course, nicely decorated...
After I had prepared a few birthday circles, a girl enthusiastically took over this task and usually started her decorating work during the snack break. I have observed that in almost every class, a child with a special passion for decorating and beautifying usually somehow finds themselves.
Our birthday ritual every year included our class candle, yearly stones, a small treasure chest, and of course Oups (and later Oupsinchen too)!
Compliments for the birthday child – the birthday shower
After a sung serenade and an enthusiastic birthday rocket, the birthday child gets to sit in the middle of the circle and is showered with compliments, good wishes, and kind words by the other children. Over time, the children develop an impressive attentiveness and increasingly choose truly "fitting" words for each child. A few days ago, I had the first birthday celebration with my "new" students. I explained to the children that we would now spoil our birthday celebrant with beautiful words and wishes, and I sat on the rug next to the birthday child. First came my "shower," but then Oups wanted to sit on my lap. The children were quite surprised when he suddenly whispered something in my ear... It became very quiet in the classroom, as the children really wanted to hear what he was telling me – but the little guy once again spoke "only" with his heart, and I told the children that I was supposed to convey something to the birthday child. So I offered the child Oups' hand and said: "Oups is happy that with your cheerful smile, you make the sun shine in our hearts every day. He is very happy because you help make it as beautiful here as it is on his heart planet." Wow... how wonderful... it warms all the children's hearts! And mine too, of course!
Rituals with Oups remain exciting for me because they change over time when you let the children participate in their design. And every class, every group is completely different, and in the past, variations and extensions of rituals have emerged that I would never have expected. For example, three years ago, during the compliment shower, a child said: "Can I say today what Oups whispers to me?" Isn't that simply wonderful?
A year later, Oupsinchen landed in our class because she missed her friend Oups too much, and from then on, she clearly celebrated with us too. In the next picture, you can see that she also got to address her "words" to the birthday child.
It would be a lie if I claimed that all the beautiful words made the looking and rummaging in our filled treasure chest superfluous, but the children truly enjoyed "their warm shower" every time from the first to the last child. In fourth grade, as the children became more aware of the impending farewell, boisterous hugs were added – which often wasn't so easy in a criss-cross applesauce position! 
