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Celebrating Birthdays
by Alfer Gebutstag
http://www.birthdayaide.com
The practice of celebrating birthdays is not new; in fact
it has its roots way back in the history. It dates back
even before the birth of Jesus, which is the most
recognized testimony of birthday celebrations. The Pagan
cultures also testify the presence of such celebrations.
The Pagans believed that on one's birthday, he is likely to
be captured by evil spirits, which tend to surround him on
this day. So, the friends and relatives of the person used
to gather around him and party, in order to keep such
unholy spirits away. The birthday person was presented with
gifts and goodies, which were considered as a holy omen.
The practical interpretation of birthday celebrations is
simple. They could keep track of time. As they began to
observe definite patterns in nature, such as moon cycles
and seasons, they designed calendars to keep a track of
passage of time. Birthdays and other important dates were
remembered and associated with merriment and celebration.
Gradually, celebrating birthdays became a custom and is
followed all around the world.
However, each country has its own peculiar way of
celebrating birthdays. In most countries, some religious
rites and rituals take precedence over feastings and
festivities. It is interesting to note that the custom of
lighting candles originates from the belief that the
mortals on earth are sending messages to the gods in the
sky. The custom of blowing out the candle and making a wish
also represent the same belief. Culture aside, birthday
celebrations vary because of other factors such as economic
status, family tradition and language. Nonetheless, the
spiritual beliefs and the place of birth and residence play
an important part in birthday celebrations.
In African countries the birthday is not consider an
important date. They initiate into the community when they
reach a certain age and this celebration is done in
groups, not individually. In Ghana each year, it is
celebrated the krada, which means the soul day. This is
done on the day they were born and not on the date, they
clean themselves in order to purify their soul and dressed
in white clothes. In Latin America when a girl reaches
the age of 15 she is considered to go into adulthood.
One of the traditions in this celebration is that the girl
changes her flat shoes for high-heeled ones. Another
customs is to light candles naming parents, grandparents
and close friends.
In Saudi Arabia birthdays are not celebrated at all because
it goes against their religious beliefs. The custom of
birthday bounces comes from Israel, where the birthday
child is made to sit on a chair decorated with flowers, and
the friends bounce the chair and the child for as many
times as is his age on that day. They add an extra bounce
for good luck. In North America, friends get to know the
age of the child by the number of candles on the cake. It
is believed that if the child blows out all the candles
with one breath his wish will come true.
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