Birthday punches

Birthday punches or (Birthday beats in Canada and the UK) is a North American based tradition in which the friends of a person, on his/her birthday, administer punches anywhere on the body.
The Act
Usually each person administers the number of punches corresponding to the birthdays age +1 (n years +1), with the punches getting progressively harder, and with the final punch (for good luck) being the hardest. The punches may be followed by a "pinch for an inch" for growth. These punches are not intended as a punishment, but rather as a rite of passage as the receiver becomes another year older. The Punches may only be administered on the receivers birthday, after that, the deal is void, unless a direct statement to the victim is made to the punchee due to the fact that the puncher or punchee is not present due to extraordinary circumstances. The person receiving the birthday punches MUST be standing up. If the receiver is sitting down their friends may pick them up if they refuses to stand and then administer the birthday punches. Note that you are not allowed to "borrow" punches from friends who do not wish to administer the punches themselves. Every person must follow the (n+1) rule, no exceptions. There is also a rule stating that the "birthday boy" must not physically abuse the "birthday beater" during or after the phases of "birthday beating" on the same day.
In the US however, the birthday beats tend to be administered by students in the same secondary school, and is therefore sometimes done on the first school day after the victims birthday if the birthday falls on a bank holiday or weekend. Although this tradition is not necessarily done to hurt the individual, it involves punching them and therefore may be seen as assault or battery if taken to the police.
Many UK schools have banned the tradition from happening due to the suspicion of bullying.
A common practice is that if the punches are avoided or denied, one punch is added for each day that the punches are put off in this manner. If the person still does not accept their punches after two weeks, their status as a person can be put up to popular vote by those desiring to administer the punches.
Rules
Rules vary in different parts of Canada, the U.S, and the UK, but usually give the birthday boy/girl more choice in the beatings. An example of some rules popular in Canada and the United States are;
1. The beater and the receiver must agree to taking the punches, a person wishing to give birthday beats cannot just start without the birthday boys/girls consent.
2. The beatings must happen on the actual birthday, unless it is on a weekend or other holiday.
3. If the birthday boy/girl does not want a certain person to administer the punches, they can either; a)choose a different person, or b)have their status as a person be put up to a popular vote.
4. No borrowing of punches from friends who do not want to give them out.
5. If the birthday boy/girl did not give birthday beats to the person who now wants to give them, and their birthday is past, they can refuse them from that person but they have to get them from a person whose birthday has not past and is chosen by the first birthday beater.
6. If a person breaks any said rules there are usually three accepted punishments; a) they themselves get double the birthday boys/girls age in punches, b) they have their status as people put up to a vote, and c)they get triple on their birthday

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