Wednesday, October 31, 2007 Y
Birthday is the name given to the day that some people in many cultures celebrate the anniversary of the day they were born.
It is often marked by a birthday party with family and/or friends when gifts are given to the person celebrating the birthday.
It is also customary to treat people specially on their birthday, either generally acceding to their wishes, or subjecting them to a rite of transition.
The birthday cake is traditionally highly decorated, and typically covered with lit candles when presented, the number of candles signifying the age of the celebrant. The person whose birthday it is makes a silent wish and then blows out the candles.
If done in one breath, the wish is supposed to come true but only if the person keeps the wish to himself or herself. It is also common for the "birthday boy" or "birthday girl" to cut the initial piece of the cake as a newlywed couple might with a wedding cake.
If the knife touches the bottom, or when withdrawn from the cake comes out with pieces of cake adhering to it, the birthday boy or girl may have to kiss the nearest boy or girl of the opposite sex.
Typical birthday party decorations include balloons, streamers and confetti.
For special birthdays and for when the number of candles might be considered impractical or a fire hazard, special candles are substituted for the many individual candles in the shape of a numeral.
For example, on the fifth birthday there may be one candle on the cake in the shape of the numeral 5, and on the fiftieth birthday there may be two candles on the cake, one in the shape of the numeral 5 followed by the other in the shape of the numeral 0.
A birthday is considered a special day for the person, and so the person will often get special treatment from friends and family. This is especially true for children who cannot wait for their own special day. In addition to parties, people often receive gifts on their birthday.
Birthday parties for children often include fun games which are relevant to the local culture, or the visit of a magician to entertain.
There are also traditions of surprise parties.
Not all traditions are equally generous. In certain circles the birthday boy or girl is expected to treat their party guests; this varies depending on the local culture and may involve party gifts or other nice gesture.
In some cultures the birthday at which the youngster reaches the legal age for alcohol consumption may be celebrated with a party at which free or abundant alcoholic drinks are available.
One's golden birthday, also called a champagne birthday, is the day when the age someone turns is the same as the day in the month he or she was born. For example, someone turning 26 on December 26 celebrates his or her golden birthday on that day.
In most legal systems, one becomes a legal adult on a particular birthday (often 18th or 21st), and at different ages gains different rights and responsibilities — voting, certain drug use (for example, alcohol, purchasing tobacco), eligibility for military draft or voluntary enlistment, purchasing lottery tickets, vehicle driving licences, etc.
Birthday makes the end of an age and move on to another age older.. if birthday isnt important.. den which day is?
10:26 PM -
hearts
hearts