Birthdays

 Home

One lazy afternoon here in Mexico, squeals of laughter caught my attention and drew me to my front window. Just across the street were eight little girls, taking turns to climb up an inflatable ladder only to slide down the other side, splashing into our neighborhood pool. They giggled and jumped out only to do it all over again. The girls were at a birthday party; complete with decorations, family, cake and of course, a piñata!
I found myself smiling and thinking that birthdays seem to be universal. How did that happen? How do other cultures celebrate? Where did the concept of hosting a party come from? Well, to find answers to those questions, I had to be willing to dive into the pages of history.
Celebrating one’s birth actually began in antiquity when periods of time were determined by the repeating cycles of the moon, sun and changing seasons. With the introduction of the Egyptian calendar, Greeks, Romans and Persians had the ability to mark significant dates, especially the birthdates and astrology signs of gods, kings and high-ranking nobility.
These pagan cultures feared the influence of evil spirits, which were said to be especially attracted to people on their birthdays. To protect their loved one, family and friends would gather in merriment, bringing gifts to protect them from evil in the upcoming year. In fact, these practices have led to a number of birthday traditions that are follow today.
The lighting of candles on a round birthday cake can be traced to the Greek worship of Artemis, the moon goddess. The shape represented the round moon and the lit candles reflected its glow. They would sing songs, sending prayers to the gods. Some of us may recognize this as making a “birthday wish” while blowing out the candles with one breath.
Celebrating birthdays became more common, despite age or wealth. Eventually, they became a worldwide tradition. However, the manor in which a birthday is celebrated varies depending upon religious beliefs, cultural traditions, family culture, geographic location and economic status.
Here in Mexico, birthdays often include a priest’s blessing and a party with friends and family. Piñatas, popular for children, are made from paper mache and are fashioned as animals, flowers, cartoons and other such objects. The piñata is filled with small candies, toys and coins and is suspended from the ceiling. Blindfolded, each child takes a turn striking the piñata. When one child is able to finally break the piñata, he is able to claim a year’s worth of luck while everyone scrambles to collect the falling treasure.
In Mexico and in several other Latino cultures, girls who are celebrating their 15th birthday will enjoy a “Quinceanera”, marking their passage into adulthood. It often includes a religious ceremony where she recognizes her heritage and her spiritual journey while performing a candle-lighting ceremony.
Canadian and American children also celebrate their birthdays with parties complete with games, presents, singing, cake and ice cream. Some receive “spankings”, which are in jest. However, a century ago, these spankings were believed to be wishes: one to grow on, one to live on, one for happiness, one to get married and so on and so forth.
Two American sisters, Mildred and Patty Hill, wrote the song, “Happy Birthday to You”, in 1893. Nobody gave it much regard until the original words “Good Morning to You” were changed to “Happy Birthday to You”. Now it is one of the most recognizable songs in the world.
The English, recognized for beginning the tradition of sending birthday cards over 100 years ago, bake cakes with hidden objects. Many believe that the person who finds a coin in his piece of cake would be wealthy.
Danish families place gifts around the birthday child’s bed while she is sleeping and Norwegian children select a friend to dance with while entertaining classmates. Swedish children are served breakfast in bed and given pound cakes, which are decorated with marzipan.
The day an African child is born is not as significant as when he reaches a certain age. It is on this day that he and others of the same age are initiated into their community, learning their culture’s laws and ancient rituals. In China, when a baby turns one, a variety of toys are placed on the floor surrounding the child. The object that the child chooses is believed to be a symbol of their future profession or life’s purpose.
No matter the tradition, belief or the method of celebration, birthdays are as unique as the person himself. If you are commemorating your birthday with us here in Mexico, “feliz cumpleaños”! Perhaps you will find luck by striking a piñata filled with treasure, health and happiness for the year ahead.
(Sources for this article include giftsofnz.com, coolest-kid-birthday-parties.com and birthdaycelebrations.net.)