By Alexis Charney, IB Program Director
Given the 120 campers joining us this session we have to get creative how we celebrate birthdays. Our Unbirthday party tradition at IB is inspired from the Mad Hatter and March Hare of Alice in Wonderland. In the film, these characters imagine what it might be like to celebrate the remaining 364 days in the year. The Mad Hatter sings “Now, statistics prove that you’ve one birthday. Imagine, just one birthday every year. Ah, but there are three hundred and sixty-four unbirthdays! Precisely why we’re gathered here to cheer. A very merry unbirthday to you.”
At IB we celebrate everyone’s unbirthday in one culminating celebration. Campers walked to the top of the apple orchard for a garden tea party where we set out blankets, shared hot cocoa, and ate strawberry chocolate cake to commemorate our lives. Each cabin sat together in a circle surrounding strips of paper and a wishing jar. Campers were encouraged to write one wish for themselves, one wish for camp, and one wish for the world. These wishes included world peace, more bacon, a camp dog, familial safety, and access to clean water for everyone to name a few.
Here’s to the many wishes that may come true throughout the year!