How to Celebrate a BirthdayHow to Celebrate a Birthday
A birthday is a special time to reflect on one’s journey and dream of the future. It is also a time to share love and gratitude with those close to you. A heartfelt message delivered in a card, email, text, or social media post can convey many different emotions: love, appreciation, joy, and even humor. Grammarly can help you write a error-free message that will express your intentions perfectly.
The first recorded birthday celebrations arose from the ancient Egyptians’ belief that the coronation day of pharaohs was a moment of divine significance, marking the beginning of a new cycle of life and rebirth. As civilizations spread and evolved, these customs took on new forms, with each culture infusing the basic premise with its own unique rituals and beliefs. In the Western world, a cake and candles became synonymous with the idea of birthday parties as we know them today, while the practice of blowing out the candles while making a wish bridges the gap between the tangible and the mystical, inviting the celebrant to think of his or her hopes for the future.
Whether or not someone celebrates his or her birthday on the exact date of their birth, it is widely agreed that the celebration should take place near that date. For example, in the United States, the most common birthday celebration is on the closest weekend to the actual date of one’s birth. Similarly, the Vietnamese lunar new year holiday, known as Tet, is often celebrated as a family and community gathering, with each person being considered to be a year older on that particular date.
For those who do celebrate their birthday on the exact date of their birth, a birthday song or phrase is commonly used to mark the occasion. The most widespread of these is the classic happy birthday, a simple, yet powerful, unifying tradition that reminds the celebrant of their place within their community and circle of loved ones.
In addition, a birthday song is often used to express love and gratitude for the person being honored. This is especially true for milestone birthdays, such as an 18th or 60th birthday.
The birthday of a famous person may be marked by an official public holiday, or, as in the case of Mahatma Gandhi, a birthday is observed on a date that falls during non-leap years to commemorate the fact that the man was born in a year when February didn’t have 28 days.
In China, a birthday is traditionally celebrated with a special rice wine called Osmanthus and longevity noodles. Hongbaos, red envelopes stuffed with cash, are another common feature of Chinese birthday traditions. In contrast, American-style cakes are becoming more popular in Vietnam, as the country embraces globalization.