Birthday Traditions
Birthday traditions are different from country
to country. The way you celebrate your birthday may be completely
different to someone celebrating their birthday on the same
day half way across the world.
"Celebrate With
Tradition"
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Find out how people from other nationalities
celebrate their birthdays.
African Birthday Traditions -
Initiation Ceremonies. In various African nations
they hold initiation ceremonies for groups of children
instead of birthdays. When children reach a certain
designated age, they learn the laws, beliefs, customs,
songs and dances of their tribes.
Argentinan Birthday Traditions
- Dance the waltz at 15. When girls turn 15 they have
a huge party and dance the waltz with their father
and other boys.
Bolivian Birthday Traditions
- Dance the waltz and wear white. At the age of 16
the birthday girl wears a white dress and dances the
waltz with her father and other boys.
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Brazilian Birthday Traditions - Pulls
on the earlobe. The birthday child receives a pull on the
earlobe for each year they have been alive. The birthday
person also gives the first slice of cake to his/her most
special friend or relative, usually mom or dad.
Canadian Birthday Traditions - Greasing
the nose with butter or margarine. In Atlantic Canada (Nova
Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick and Newfoundland)
the birthday child is ambushed and their nose is greased
for good luck. The greased nose makes the child too slippery
for bad luck to catch them. This tradition is reputed to
be of Scottish decent. Birthday punches. In Quebec the birthday
person receives a punch for each year they are alive and
then one for good luck.
China - Noodles for Lunch. The birthday
child pays respect to his/her parents and receives a gift
of money. Friends and relatives are invited to lunch and
noodles are served to wish the birthday child a long life.
Cuban Birthday Traditions - Food, music,
piñatas and lots of people. The celebrations are
very similar to the United States; food, decorations, gifts,
piñatas, cake, candles, "happy birthday"
song and games. But a lot of people are invited including
neighbours, friends, co-workers and family even if they
don't have kids around the birthday child's age.
Denmark - Flying Flags. A flag is flown
outside a window to designate that someone who lives in
that house is having a birthday. Presents are placed around
the child's bed while they are sleeping so they will see
them immediately upon awakening.
Ecuador - Pink Dress. When a girl turns
15 there is a great celebration and the girl wears a pink
dress. The father puts on the birthday girls first pair
of high heels and dances the waltz with her while 14 maids
and 14 boys also dance the waltz.
English Birthday Traditions - Fortune
Telling Cakes and Bumps. Certain symbolic objects are mixed
into the birthday cake as it being prepared. If your piece
of cake has a coin in it, then you will be rich. Also, when
its your birthday your friends give you the "bumps"
they lift you in the air by your hands and feet and raise
you up and down to the floor, one for each year then one
for luck, two for luck and three for the old man's coconut!
German Birthday Traditions - Candles
left burning for the day. A member of the birthday person’s
family wakes up at sunrise and lights the candles on the
birthday cake. There are as many candles as the years of
age of the birthday person plus one for good luck. The candles
are left burning all day long. After dinner that night then
everyone sings the birthday song and the birthday person
blows out the candles. If all of the candles are blown out
in one try then the wish of the birthday person will come
true. Presents are then opened and the party starts.
German Birthday Traditions - Sweeping
the stairs of city hall. When men reach the age of 30 and
they still don't have a girlfriend that they have to sweep
the stairs of the city hall. All there friends will throw
rubble on the stairs and when you're finished they’ll
throw some more rubble there. This way every girl can see
that this man reached the age of 30 and still doesn't have
a girlfriend (and that he can clean a house very well!).
Ghana - Special foods. The foods eaten
are watche (brown rice and beans), sheto (black pepper),
mecko (red pepper), red rice with corn beef and fufu (pounded
yam and cassava).
Guyana - Special dishes. Chicken, duck
or lamb curry with rice are the main dishes at the birthday
celebration. A family member usually bakes a fruit, black
or sponge for the birthday boy/girl to cut. The person celebrating
their birthday will wear something fancy.
Holland Birthday Traditions - Crown
Years. Special year birthdays such as 5, 10, 15, 20, 21
are called "crown" years. The birthday child receives
an especially large gift on a crown year birthday. The family
also decorates the birthday child's chair at the dining
room table with seasonal flowers or paper streamers, paper
flowers and balloons. At school the birthday child can give
their classmates something to eat and the teacher makes
the child a birthday hat, often made of paper streamers
or paper flowers.
Hungary - Candy to school. The birthday
child brings candy to school to give to their classmates.
Indian Birthday Traditions - Coloured
dress and chocolates. At school the birthday child wears
a coloured dress and passes out chocolates to the entire
class, with the help of a trusted friend.
Ireland - Birthday Bumps. The birthday
child is lifted upside down and "bumped" on the
floor for good luck. The number of bumps given is the age
of the child plus one for extra good luck.
Israel - Chair Raising. A small child
sits in a chair while grown-ups raise and lower it a number
of times corresponding to the child's age, plus one for
good luck.
Italian Birthday Traditions - Pulling
ears. The child's ears are pulled as many times as how old
they are turning.
Japan - New Clothes. The birthday child
wears entirely new clothes to mark the occasion. Certain
birthdays are more important than others and these are celebrated
with a visit to the local shrine.
Lithuania - Garlands and lifting the
chair. A garland is hung around the entire door of the home
of the birthday person. The birthday person sits in a decorated
chair and family members lift them up to three times.
Mexican Birthday Traditions - Piñatas.
The piñata, usually made out of paper mache and in
the form of an animal, is filled with goodies and hung from
the ceiling. The birthday child is blindfolded and hits
the piñata until it is cracked open. All the children
share the goodies. The song Las Mananitas is sung. Also,
when a daughter is 15, the birthday is celebrated with a
special mass in her honour. A party is then given to introduce
her to everyone as a young woman. The father dances a waltz
with her.
Nepal - Mark on the forehead. A certain
mixture of rice yoghurt and colour is placed on the birthday
child's forehead for good luck.
New Zealand Birthday Traditions - Birthday
claps. After the birthday cake is lit, the happy birthday
song is sung loudly and often out of tune and then the person
birthday person receives a clap for each year they have
been alive and then one for good luck.
Norway - Birthday day. The birthday
child stands out in front of their class and chooses a friend
to share a little dance while the rest of the class sings
a happy birthday song.
Panama - Piñatas and large parties.
The piñata is the most important item. They are usually
made to resemble a character to correspond with a theme.
It is filled with candy and confetti and is either hit with
a stick or there are ribbons on it to pull. When the cake
is served, the happy birthday song is often performed in
two languages, Spanish and English. The cake is served with
ice cream. The extended family is invited and sometimes
up to 100 children are invited.
Philippines - Mixture of East and West.
Birthday cakes are baked in various sizes and shapes. The
celebration includes noodles representing long life, balloon
decorations and piñatas. Earlier in the day the family
goes to hear Mass and to thank God.
Puerto Rico - Taps on the arm. The
child gets tapped on the arm for each birth year. A big
party which includes a formal dinner is held.
Russia - Birthday Pies. Instead of
a birthday cake, many Russian children receive a birthday
pie with a birthday greeting carved into the crust.
Scotland - A pound note and a soft
smack. A pound note is given for every year old the child
is plus an additional pound for good luck. A soft smack
on the bottom is also given for each year.
South Africa - Presentation of a key
at age twenty-one. On the twenty-first birthday a key made
of anything from paper to aluminium foil to silver to gold
is presented by the parents as a sign that the child is
ready to unlock the door to their future.
United States - Cake, candles and song.
A cake is made, and candles are put on top based on how
old the person is. Then everyone sings the "happy birthday"
song, and at the end of the song, the birthday child blows
out the candles. If they blow them all out with one blow,
their birthday wishes will come true.
Uruguay - A waltz at age 15 for a girl.
The principal ritual of a birthday is the cake with candles
and lights out, with the eternal song "Happy Birthday
to you..." At the end of the song, the birthday person
blows out the candles and all guests applaud or cheer; some
make jokes, whistle loudly, and touch the birthday person's
shoulder or head. When a girl reaches the age of 15, she
puts on a formal dress and dances a waltz with possible
suitors.
Vietnam - Everyone’s birthday
is celebrated on New Year’s Day. Not only is it the
beginning of a New Year, it is also everyone's birthday.
The Vietnamese do not know or acknowledge the exact day
they were born. A baby turns one no matter when he/she was
born that year. Children say they were born in the year
of the symbol of the lunar calendar for that year. On the
first morning adults congratulate children on becoming a
year older by presenting them with red envelopes that contain
"Lucky Money," or li xi. These envelopes are given
to the children by parents, siblings, relatives and close
friends.
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for Birthday Traditions
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