Strange child
As a child the following were essential to stress-free living:

1) Never flushing the toilet until the last second before leaving the bathroom (otherwise you will get sucked in- obviously)

2) If you are playing outside, and a plane goes overhead, then you must run and stand indoors- or at least stand in a doorway so that the lintel is above your head (otherwise the plane will fall on you- obviously)

3) Always take the biggest step that you can from farthest away from the bed to get into bed (so anything nasty under it won't grab your ankles- obviously)

In addition we had to:

4) Every Sunday night, at dinner round at your grandmothers, put on a 'show' with your cousin and sister for the grown-ups which usually involved some dancing, some singing, etc. (none of us were particularly talented so this must have been fairly tortuous to everyone- obviously. Thank god there were no camcorders then)

5) Say 'It's taken boggart' when the angel chimes on the table at Christmas dinner did that thing where they suddenly go mentally fast as enough heat as built up. Something to do with an old Yorkshire relative (obviously)

6) Try and be the first to shout 'I can see the sea!' when driving to holidays in Cornwall. This was no fun, Mum always won. Obviously- she sat in the front and is nearly 6' tall

Now, about my only tradition is cackling like a hag when ever I fart in a noxious way that is becoming disturbingly more common as I grow older.

edit: Oh yes, and we do the champagne cork/silver coin thing thing as well. So far I have them from my 18th, my 21st, and my engagement. People used to do it with sixpences apparently, we now do it with 20p's. The silver is for luck. Obviously.
(clapper, Thu 28 Jul 2005, 14:46, Reply)