A birthday , as the term implies, is the anniversary of the particular day on which a person was born. Though by no means universal, such occasions are celebrated in numerous cultures, often with a party or, in some instances, a rite of passage.
Though major religious traditions such as the Buddhist or the Christian celebrate the birth of their founders, the most obvious example of which is Christmas, principled opposition to the very idea of celebrating birthdays is to be found among certain religious groups.
Cultural and legal conventions
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 conscription or voluntary enlistment, purchasing lottery tickets, vehicle driving licenses, etc.
Many cultures have one or more coming of age birthdays:
- Jewish boys have a bar mitzvah on or around their 13th birthday. Jewish girls have a bat mitzvah on or around their 12th birthday, or sometimes on or around their 13th birthday in Reform and Conservative Judaism.
- In some Christian traditions, generally Catholic and Anglican, Confirmation is the ritual by which a young person receives a Sacrament thought to bestow certain gifts of the Holy Spirit. The timing of the reception of this Sacrament serves, on a sociological level, as a sort of "rite of passage" into adulthood.
- In Hispanic countries the quinceañera celebration traditionally marks a girl's 15th birthday.
- Some girls and a few boys in the United States have "sweet sixteen" birthday parties.
- In India, the 12th or 13th birthday is replaced with a grand "thread ceremony." The child takes a blessed thread and wears it, symbolizing his coming of age. This ceremony is more common amongst boys in the Hindu brambhins culture.
The birthdays of historically significant people, like national heroes or founders, are often commemorated by an official holiday. Some saints are remembered by a liturgical feast (sometimes on a presumed birthday). By analogy, the Latin term Dies natalis is applied to the anniversary of an institution (such as a university).
A person's Golden or Grand Birthday, more commonly referred to as their "Lucky Birthday", "Champagne Birthday" or "Star Birthday", occurs when they turn the age of their birth day (e.g., when someone born on the 25th of the month turns 25).
Name days
In some Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox countries such as France, Poland, Russia, Bulgaria, Hungary, or Greece, it is common to have a 'name day'/'Saint's day'. This is celebrated in much the same way as a birthday, but is held on the official day of a saint with the same Christian name as the birthday person; the difference being that one may look up a person's name day in a calendar, or easily remember common name days (for example, John or Mary ); however in pious traditions, the two were often made to concur by giving a newborn the name of a saint celebrated on its birthday, or even the name of a feast, for example, Noel or Pascal (French for Christmas and "of Easter").
Alternative birthdays
People born on February 29, which occurs only during leap years, often celebrate their birthday in other years on February 28, or March 1 (the first day they have, measured in whole years, a new age). .
In school, a half-birthday or other unbirthday is sometimes celebrated for those whose birthdays do not fall on a school day (especially for birthdays falling during holiday and vacation periods).
Official birthdays
Some notables, particularly monarchs, have an official birthday on a fixed day of the year, which may not necessarily match their actual birthday, but on which celebrations are held. Examples are:
- Jesus of Nazareth's traditional birthday is celebrated as Christmas Day around the world: 25 December. As some Eastern churches use the Julian calendar, 25 December falls on 7 January in the Gregorian calendar every year until 2100.
- The King's or Queen's Official Birthday in Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom; in Canada this day is known as Victoria Day.
- The Grand Duke's Official Birthday in Luxembourg: 23 June.
- Koningsdag or Koninginnedag in the Kingdom of the Netherlands is fixed on 30 April (Queen's Day; celebration of the reigning Queen's accession). Queen Beatrix fixed it at the birthday of her mother, the previous Queen, to avoid the winter weather associated with her own birthday in January.
While it is uncommon to have an official holiday for a republican head of state's birthday, this can become a permanent posthumous honour, for example George Washington's and Abraham Lincoln's birthdays are celebrated together as Presidents' Day.
Frequency
According to public record births database Anybirthday.com, birthdays are evenly distributed throughout the year, except for the months of October and September, which follow the holiday season by nine months. The most frequent birthday is cited as October 5, with an average of 12,576 people born each year, while the least frequent birthday is cited as May 22 with an average of 10,259 persons born annually.
Celebrations
Main article: Birthday customs and celebrationsThe 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 may make a silent wish and then blow out the candles. After that, the person can open their presents. It is also common for the person celebrating their birthday to cut the initial piece of the cake as a newlywed couple might with a wedding cake.
Each item was associated with a prediction. For example, a person finding a gold coin in a birthday cake would supposedly become wealthy; a person discovering a thimble would never marry.
Sometimes special candles are substituted for the many individual candles in the shape of a numeral. For example, on the first birthday, there may be one candle on the cake in the shape of the numeral one, and on the tenth birthday there may be two candles on the cake, one in the shape of the numeral one followed by the other in the shape of the number zero.
In addition to parties, it is common for people to receive gifts on their birthdays or surprise parties. The popular gifts include toys, books, jewellery, clothes, flowers, technical devices, etc. However, sometimes it is expected of the person celebrating their birthday to treat their party guests instead; this varies depending on the local culture and may involve party gifts or other gestures, for example inviting to the restaurant or bar (some of them offer special birthday programs), arranging party at home, or at work.
In most English-speaking countries it is traditional to sing the song Happy Birthday to You to the honored person celebrating a birthday. Happy Birthday songs are common worldwide. Similar songs exist in other languages such as "Zhu ni sheng ri kuai le" in Mandarin Chinese, "Lang zal hij/zij leven" in Dutch, "Õnne soovime Sul" in Estonian, "Zum Geburtstag Viel Glück" in German, "Nα ζήσεις και χρόνια πολλά " in Greek, "Hayom Yom HUledet" in Hebrew, "Que los cumplas feliz" or "Feliz cumpleaños a ti" in Spanish, "Parabéns a você" in Portuguese, "Maligayang Bati" in Filipino, "Sto lat" in Polish, "Lá Breithe Shona Duit" in Irish, "multi ani traiasca" in Romanian, "Ja må du leva" or "Med en enkel tulipan" in Swedish, "Joyeux Anniversaire" or "Bonne Fête" in French, "Tanti Auguri a te" in Italian and "Iyi ki dogdun, Mutlu Yillar Sana" in Turkish.This song is a common greeting used on birthdays, along with greeting cards and verbal greetings with messages such as "I wish you a Happy Birthday" or "Happy Birthday."
Timezones and birthdays
A person's birthday is usually recorded according to the time zone of the place of birth. Thus people born in Samoa at 11:30 pm will record their birthdate as one day before Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and those born in the Line Islands will record their birthdate one day after UTC. They will apparently be born two days apart, while some of the apparently older ones may be younger in hours. Those who live in different time zones from their birth often exclusively celebrate their birthdays at the local time zone. In addition, the intervention of Daylight Saving Time can result in a case where a baby born second being recorded as having been born up to an hour before their predecessor.
Religious opposition
Judaism
In Judaism, the perspective on birthday celebrations is disputed by various rabbi
Miscellaneous Party - Adult Party Ideas
Adult Party Ideas - Miscellaneous Party - Party planning ideas for adult parties and ideas for a Miscellaneous party.
Party Ideas | Adult Party - Party Ideas & Tips - PartyOz
PartyOz topic page on Party Ideas | Adult Party Party Ideas & Tips, Party Ideas | Adult Party - Party Ideas & Tips - .
Adults Birthday Party Guide & Ideas - PartyOz
PartyOz Adults Birthday Party Guide & Ideas ... Good planning will ensure success so use the checklist below to plan your adult party.
Adult Party Theme Ideas, Party Goods from Party Delights
Adult Party Theme Ideas, Party Goods - Party goods delivered direct to your door.
Adult Birthday Invitations, Birthday Party Ideas
Adult Birthday Invitations, Birthday Party Ideas – Whether you are celbrating your 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, or even 65th birthday, you want to have a special celebration with our ...
Adult Party Ideas - Party planning ideas for adult parties and ...
Adult Party Ideas - The greatest collection of adult theme party planning ideas of adult parties.
Coolest Adult Party Ideas | Adult Birthday Party Ideas
Here are the web's coolest adult party ideas for you to learn from. Lots of amazing adult birthday party ideas, invitation designs and party decorations, games and lots more!
Adult Halloween party ideas
Are you planning an adult Halloween party? Here are ideas for games, goodies, costumes and decorating and more, everything you need to have a great time.
Halloween Party Ideas for Adults: Planning Your Party
Planning an adult Halloween party this year? From Halloween themes and recipes to Halloween games, find all the adult Halloween party ideas you need right here.
Adult Halloween party decoration ideas
Adult Halloween party ideas & decorations to outdo the neighbors, look here first for the ultimate in spooky Halloween decorations and party ideas.