Birth days… we all have them! So, whether you have already had a birthday this year or if its still to come; I wish each and every one of you a very Happy Birth Day!!
Have you ever wondered about the origin of how celebrating birth days came about? I found myself pondering this very thing this week when asked what I wanted to do for my birth day coming up later this month 🤔
So, I consulted the all-knowing Google, and discovered some of the following…
Psst... scroll to the bottom of this blog to see when The Breath Connection gals have their birthdays 🎂
Ok, back to the blog!
While many cultures developed birthday celebrations separately, the Egyptians were the first ones to get the party started; but only for the pharaohs. When Egyptian pharaohs were crowned, they were seen as having ‘birthed’ into being a god. Thus, the first pharaoh birth day celebration wasn’t marking the birth of a human, but rather the birth of a god.
Certain ancient cultures believed that the spirit world was closer to a person on their birth day, allowing the person’s spirit guides or protectors to be more intune. Thus, it was believed to be a most fortuitous time to make a wish as your guides were close, attentive and standing by, making it more likely for your wish to be heard ♥
The Greeks also believed that everyone had a protective spirit present at their birth, who would watch over them during their entire lifetime. They believed that by celebrating ones birth day, they were celebrating this bond between the human and their spirit guide.
Many of these ancient traditions adapted into the birthday celebrations we know and love today…. Cake, candles, gifts, surprises, flowers, and maybe a noisemaker or two 🥳
So how did these forms of celebrations arise?
Cake
While cakes had been around long before birthday cakes, Germans started the tradition of cakes adorned with candles. Sometime during the end of the 18th century, Germans began celebrating Kinderfeste. This celebration involved placing one candle for each year of life on a cake. The person whose birthday was being celebrated was meant to blow out the candles while making a wish.
Candles
Birthday candles seem to have started with the Greeks. They celebrated Artemis, the goddess of the hunt and the moon, by offering her cakes adorned with glowing candles. While these cakes weren’t meant to celebrate Artemis’ birth, the cakes represented the food that Artemis would help them hunt and store for the winter, while the candles represented the glow of the moon. The Greeks also believed that smoke helped carry their messages to the gods, so by blowing out candles they sent their wishes to skyward.
Noisemakers
While noisemakers may seem like they’re meant to add to the birthday celebration, their original intent was a bit different. It was believed that loud obnoxious noise would ward off evil spirits and bad intentions from the birthday person… by scaring away the bad guys, you could prepare for a great year ahead!
The Happy Birthday Song
As with most folk music, it’s hard to point to the song’s definitive origin. Many accounts have Patty and Mildred Hill (sisters and kindergarten teachers) from Louisville, Kentucky as the song’s original 1890s authors.
The song has a long history of copyright commissions and legal battles spanning decades. In 1988 the media giant Warner Music purchased the song’s copyright for $25 million dollars! In 2013, producer, Jennifer Nelson, while making a documentary about the “Happy Birthday” song and its origin decided to sue Warner Bros., stating their copyright was invalid.
In 2015, Judge George H. King ruled that Warner Bros. copyright claim was indeed invalid. Since there were no other claimants to the copyright, the song effectively became public domain at that time.
Since then, the Guinness Book of World Records has nominated the song as one of the top three most sung songs in America, along with “Auld Lang Syne” and “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow”!
Here are some ways that different countries around the world celebrate birthdays…
Brazil
If you’re a child living in Brazil, you may want to protect your ears on your birthday. Family members and friends will pull on a child’s ear for each year of their life. The hope is you’ll grow old enough for your ears to reach the ground! Other countries like Russia, Italy, and Argentina also practice this ear-pulling tradition.
China
In China, the first birthday is the biggest celebration. Friends and family gather around the little one while offering small gifts like flowers and books.
A traditional Chinese birthday celebration for any age starts with you and your family eating longevity noodles. A longevity noodle is one, really long noodle that would fill the bowl on its own. The long noodle symbolizes a long and prosperous life!
Denmark
In Denmark, you might think you’re celebrating your country rather than your birth. On a person’s birthday, people surround them with the Danish flag…on cakes, plates, balloons, and more. The good news is that all this flag decor can be used over and over for all the birthdays in your home or office.
Ireland
In Ireland, birthdays are a bit upside down. Literally! On your birthday someone flips you upside down and lightly bumps the top of your head for each year, plus one for good luck. This birthday celebration is called “bump to grow an inch.” If you make it through 21 years of head bumps, you get a set of keys on your 21st birthday to symbolize unlocking the door to your future.
Vietnam
In traditional Vietnamese culture, everyone celebrates their birthday on the same day. The day, known as Tet, is the first day of the year. Infants turn one on Tet, no matter how close to the day of Tet the child was born.
In modern Vietnam, many people celebrate on their true birth date while also celebrating on Tet. What’s not to love about two birthday celebrations?
Mexico
Pinatas are a popular Mexican birthday celebration. Children gather around to whack the pinatas in an attempt to obtain the candies and treats inside.
Some Mexican families also attempt to push the birthday person’s face in their own cake! As friends and family chant “mordida” the birthday person attempts to sneak a bite of cake without getting their face pushed by others.
How do you like to celebrate birthdays??
I'm not just talking other people's birthdays, I'm talking about YOU... do you have special rituals you like to do each year? Special places you like to go, or food you like to eat?
That said, you don’t actually need a birthday to celebrate yourself 😊 You are worth the celebration anytime of the year!! ♥
If you wish, click the links below to check out some of our Energy Workshops and find your own way to celebrate the wonder that is you!!
Celebrating you,
Debbi
The Breath Connection Gals' Birth Days...
🎊 Marnie... May 18thwant
🎊 Liesl... wants to remain mysterious
🎊 Debbi... May 24th
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