McDonald's is celebrating Grimace's birthday with a purple milkshake for some reason

If you’ve been to McDonald’s recently, you might have noticed that they’re celebrating a birthday for a very odd, purple blob monster.

Well, it’s the Grimace’s 52nd birthday, and the fast food joint is honoring its longtime character with a special milkshake and a menu tailored to apparently what the Grimace enjoys eating.

“Our fans have amazing childhood memories of their birthdays at McDonald’s…and Grimace’s Birthday is all about paying homage to the amazing, fun moments we all share,” Tariq Hassan, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer at McDonald’s USA, said in a press release. “We’re excited to put a modern spin on these memories to continue to drive McDonald’s relevance with a new generation. Grimace is the perfect lovable icon to have McDonald’s meet our fans at the intersection of nostalgia and culture.”

If you’re deeply confused as to what’s going on at McDonald’s right now, don’t be alarmed.

We’re here and happy to help you understand who Grimace is, why it’s important to celebrate his 52nd birthday and what on Earth is going on with that purple Grimace milkshake.