How did this odd tradition get started? What’s the rationale behind it?
Well you know what they say, “First the spanking and then the oral sex.”
Well, we already have Birthday hits (I dunno which came first), and frankly, which would you prefer to perform when the person in question is of the opposite sex? I know * my * answer 
no, it’s too perilous.
Oh, can’t I have just a little peril?!
I give my wife B Day spankings once a year.
adam yax: Well you know what they say, “First the spanking and then the oral sex.”
“Oral sex! Oral sex!”
Funny… only one legitimate reply. The rest are hijacks from Monty Pythonists. :D:D:D:D
Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam!
Oh, I bet you’re gay.
(in british accent that I can’t do at all) “no i’m not”
Oh, monty python… I thought everyone just had sick parents.
Guess I missed that skit.
Are you dopers stumped, or just bored by the question?
Hey, I gave a viable answer. Sure it revolved around the rampant sexuality of whoever was responsible, but then again, what doesn’t?
and BTW: this, is an ex-parrot.
Oh, if you insist, I’ll give a serious reply:
When I was a little kid, every time an adult (other than my parents) found out my birthday was coming up, they’d gleefully say, “Hey- time for the birthday spankings!” I mean, every time. Maybe it has something to do with growing up in the South. And at least to my young ears, they said it with a sort of sadistic relish, as if to imply “oooh- you’re gonna get it now!”
What was weird about this was that first of all, I have never, ever heard of any child actually being spanked on their birthday. Being a kid and not knowing any better, when I was, say, 5 years old I thought I actually was going to be spanked, and was rather frightened by the whole idea. It didn’t take me long to figure out that there was no such thing as birthday spankings, so imagine the following scene:
Adult: “So, I hear you got a birthday coming up!”
Ben (age eight): “Uh… yes.” (* Oh God, they’re going to go through that stupid spanking thing again…*)
Adult: (nodding smugly) “Yep- looks like it’s time for the ol’ birthday spankin’s!”
Ben (age eight): “Yeah, I guess.” (Why do you get off on playing with children’s heads?)
Anyway, I don’t know how this originated, but if you assume that the real custom is to tell children that they will be spanked (rather than actually spanking them) then I think it’s just something one guy thought up and adults hooked onto it because they thought it was a cute way to tease children. Why so many adults in my home town got such a kick out of it is anyone’s guess.
-Ben
Awww, c’mon guys, I’m waiting for an answer. My birthday’s in two weeks!
Ben, I think you may have something there–kinda like a urban legend typey thing, eh?
Come to LA, and you’ll have your spanking in two weeks. 
re-reads adam yax’s post on what spankings lead to
Promises, promises…
:eek:
I guess I have to make an honorable woman of you, then:
“To-morrow is the joyful day, Audrey; to-morrow will
we be married.”
–As You Like It (heh), Act 5, Scene iii
[trying to be serious]
Maybe it was something some boy invented as an excuse to whip the daylights out of his kid brother on said brother’s birthday:
“Pssst! Hey, Billy, c’mere! Today’s your birthday, eh? Do you know what happens on people’s birthdays? Huh? People get SPANKED! Yeah! Really…”
[/trying to be serious]
DRY, honorable, schmonorable. How will I explain the engagement?
What the hell? Birthday spankings? Are you guys on crack? What a totally bizarre life some people have had…
I say burn the lot of them.
And then the comfy chair.