Put on your party hats and loosen up that belt for some cake because we're nerding out about parties this week! Festive facts and celebratory stories about party rituals, inventions and more: Shakespeare Goes to a House Party music quiz, etymology of party words, Dana finds the first examples of party balloons (and it's gross), Karen wants to climb the traditional ham pole of Spain's La Tomatina tomato-throwing festival, and Colin explores the weird ritual of having live birds fly out of pies. 
ALSO: GJB listener John wrote us an "Um, Actually..." theme song!