When it comes to occasions like birthdays, we all celebrate with birthday cakes, balloons, chocolates, and other delicious treats. But things are not the same everywhere. Each country has its own way of celebrating birthdays. Let’s take a look at some of the less conventional but interesting ways to celebrate this personal milestone.
Africa – Initiation Ceremonies are held in various African nations for groups of children instead of birthdays. When children reach a certain age they are forced to learn the laws, beliefs, customs, songs and dances of their tribes.
Argentina – On their 15th birthday, the girls dance to the rhythm of the waltz with their father and other children.
Brazil – Earlobe sweaters. The birthday boy or girl gets an earlobe pull for every year they’ve been alive. The birthday person also gives the first slice of the birthday cake to their most special friend, usually mom or dad. At the age of 15, girls waltz with their father and grandfather. She dances with a total of 15 partners, each of which symbolizes a year of her life.
Canada – Spread the nose with butter. In Atlantic Canada, the birthday child’s nose is oiled for good luck. It is believed that the greased nose makes the birthday boy too slippery for bad luck to catch. This tradition is reputed to be of Scottish descent. In Quebec, the birthday person gets one punch for each year they are alive and then one for good luck.
Porcelain – In China, the birthday boy pays homage to his parents and receives a gift of money. Friends and family are invited to lunch and noodles are served to wish the birthday boy a long life.
Denmark – A flag is waved outside the window to indicate that someone in the house is having a birthday. The gifts are placed around the birthday person’s bed while they sleep so that they see them immediately upon waking.
Ecuador – When a girl turns 15, there is a big celebration and the girl wears a pink dress. Her father puts the first pair of heels on the birthday girl and waltzes with her while 14 maids and 14 children also dance with them.
England – In England, certain symbolic objects are mixed into the birthday cake as it is made. If your piece of cake has a coin, you will be rich. In addition to that, when it’s your birthday, your friends give you “pacifiers”, they lift you up in the air from your hands and feet and raise you up and down to the floor, one for each year and then one luckily, two for the luck and three for the old man’s coconut.
Germany – A family member of the birthday boy wakes up at dawn and lights candles on the birthday cake. The number of candles will be equal to the age of the birthday person, plus one for good luck. The candles are left burning all day. That night, after dinner, everyone sings the birthday song and the birthday person blows out the candles. Presents are then opened and the party begins.
Guiana – Duck, chicken or lamb curry with rice are the main dishes for the birthday celebration. A member of the family bakes a fruit, black or cake for the birthday person to cut. The birthday person will wear something elegant.
Holland – Birthdays of special years like 5, 10, 15, 20, 21 are called “crown” years. The birthday boy gets a big gift on a crown year birthday. The family decorates the dining room chair of the birthday child with flowers, streamers, and balloons. At school, the birthday boy can give his classmates chocolates or other things to eat and the teacher makes the birthday boy a special hat made out of paper streamers and flowers.
Vietnam – Everyone celebrates their birthday in New Year. Tet is not only the beginning of a new year, but also means everyone’s birthday. The Vietnamese do not recognize the exact day they were born. A baby turns one on Tet, regardless of when she was born that year. On the first morning of Tet, adults congratulate children on turning another year older and present them with red envelopes containing “Lucky Money” or li xi. These envelopes are given to children by their parents, relatives, close friends and siblings.