Birthday Traditions

The tradition of birthday parties started in Europe a while back. It was believed that evil spirits were attracted to people on their birthdays. As a result, all family and friends would ward the spirits off by extending good wishes and thoughts to the birthday person. Birthday gifts were an added boon as it would inevitably bring good cheer to the person.

Historically, the only recorded mention of birthday celebrations were restricted to kings and noblefolk alone. Perhaps it was due to the fact that only nobility could afford such lavish birthday festivities.

Eventually though, birthday traditions became established in most cultures around the world and included all peoples rich or poor. Differences in spiritual beliefs have led to the varied birthday traditions worldwide.

African Birthday Traditions

African tribes don't normally have birthday traditions as such. Their emphasis is more on the coming of age of a person. It is then that the child (usually as a group of children not just one) is initiated into the greater community and he/she learns the cultural laws and participates in ancient rituals.

Latin American Birthday Traditions

Everyone would be familiar with the Mexican pinata which is filled with small toys and candy. Every child attending a birthday party is blindfolded and then takes a turn at hitting the pinata with a stick. It is the common belief that the child who breaks the pinata gets good fortune.

A girl's 15th birthday (quinceanera) marks her passage into adulthood in some Latin American cultures. It has spiritual connotations centering around a church ceremony often with candle lighting as a feature.

Scandinavian Birthday Traditions

Denmark - the Danes fly their national flag outside the house as a symbol that someone in the household is celebrating their birthday. They sneak gifts around the child's bed so that it would be the first thing he/she sees when he/she awakes. Kind of like Christmas!

Norway - the Norwegians follow the Danes in the flag flying tradition. In addition, the birthday child has to dance in their class with a friend whilst the rest of the children sing happy birthday.

Sweden - the Swedes also do the flag flying ritual but add their own special touch by serving the child breakfast in bed - fit for a king!

Middle Eastern Birthday Traditions

When a child turns one in Egypt, there is great festivity with singing and dancing with abundant flower and fruit as decorations symbolising life and growth.

In Israel, the birthday child gets to sit on a special chair at the birthday party. The chair is decorated with fresh flowers and greens. Family and friends lift the chair up (with the child in it) once for every year of the child's life.

Asian Birthday Traditions

Japan - 3,5 and 7 year-olds are traditionally lucky times in a Japanese child's life. They take part in the Shichi-go-san Festival where they pay a visit to the temple shrine and prayers for good health and wellbeing are offered there. Then the child is taken home where there is another celebration and birthday gifts are given to the child.

China - Longevity noodles are a must for every birthday occasion for the Chinese. Gifts of money are often given to the birthday child and these are put in small bright red envelopes. Gifts of clothing or toys resembling tigers are given in some Chinese communities as a symbol of protection for the child.

European Birthday Traditions

Germany - Long thought of as the founder of birthday parties, Germans have a special 'kinderfeste' for the birthday child - a time for celebration and festivities.

Russia - Russian children don't get birthday cakes, they get birthday pies with special messages inscribed on them.

Ireland - Bumping the birthday child is a tradition amongst the Irish where they are gently bumped on the floor once for every year of their birthday.

England - Birthday greeting cards originated in England. Nowadays, it's a tradition that most people in the Western world have adopted. The English also have a tradition where a coin and a thimble is put in the batter for the birthday cake (the guests are forewarned of course) and it is believed that the person with the coin in his piece of cake is destined to be wealthy whilst the person getting the thimble will never marry.

North American Birthday Traditions

Native america - Native americans put more emphasis on the developmental stages of a child's life than his/her actual birthday. These special milestone days are special days of rejoicing.

Most Americans nowadays celebrate birthdays with a birthday cake and the number of candles on the cake represents a year in the life of the child. The child is to make a wish and if the candles are all blown out in one breath, the wish is believed to come true. All the while the other party guests are to sing the traditionally 'happy birthday to you' song (originally written by 2 American sisters in the late 1800s).