Unique Birthday Traditions Around the World
Understanding Birthday Traditions Worldwide
Although birthday traditions are quite similar in some countries today, not everyone celebrates in the same way. There are numerous traditions surrounding birthdays, some of which are described below. Family history, culture, language, and economic status are all details that affect the way a person observes the anniversary of their birth. Two of the most significant factors throughout history, however, have been geographic location and spiritual belief.
Celebrating Birthdays in Different Countries
Africa
In many African cultures, the day a child is born is not observed as a special day. Instead, when African children reach a certain age, they are initiated into the community. This is when they learn the laws, beliefs, customs, songs, and dances of their tribes. These initiation ceremonies are celebrated for groups of children instead of individual children.
Asia
Chinese Birthday Traditions: When a Chinese child turns one year old, it is a very important event. The parents might tell the baby’s fortune by placing the baby in the center of a group of objects (such as coins, a doll, a book, etc.) and they wait to see which object the baby picks up. If the baby picks up a coin, he/she may be rich; if the baby reaches for a book, he/she may become a teacher; if the baby reaches for the doll, he/she may have many children, etc. The sixth birthday is also a special birthday for the Chinese. For the party itself, friends and relatives are invited for lunch, and extra-long noodles are served to wish the birthday child a long life. In China, it is considered unlucky to give someone a clock for a birthday present (in Mandarin, the word for “clock” is similar to death). On the other hand, people believe that tigers protect children, so family members might bring newborns special gifts decorated with tigers.
South America
- Argentinian Birthday Traditions: In Argentina, the birthday child receives a pull on the earlobe for each year they have been alive.
- Brazilian Birthday Traditions: In Brazil, children usually eat candies shaped like fruits and vegetables. The houses are decorated for the occasion with festive banners and brightly colored paper flowers.
- Ecuadorian Birthday Traditions: In Ecuador, when a girl turns 15, there is a great celebration, and the girl wears a pink dress. The father puts on the birthday girl’s first pair of high heels and dances the waltz with her while 14 other girls and 14 other boys also dance the waltz.
Europe
Dutch Birthday Traditions: In Holland, special year birthdays such as 5, 10, 15, 20, and 21 are called “crown” years. The birthday child usually 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, paper streamers, paper flowers, and balloons. Children will eat pancakes sprinkled with powdered sugar and taarties (tarts made with different kinds of fillings), which are served with lemonade or hot chocolate.