The time of this month holds significant meaning for me as this is my birthday month. I consider myself fortunate to have celebrated numerous birthdays throughout the years, recognizing that not everyone has had the same opportunity. The concept of a birthday revolves around commemorating, acknowledging, and appreciating the life of an individual who has been born. It is a time to celebrate the existence of someone dear to us, transcending the mere act of exchanging gifts or organizing gatherings for family and friends. Indeed, it serves as a tribute to the person's life.
Interestingly, the tradition of celebrating birthdays is not as ancient as one might think. The earliest references to birthdays can be traced back to Ancient Egypt, where grand festivities were held in honour of the Pharaoh. These celebrations were symbolic of the Pharaoh's birth as a 'god' and were considered coronation dates. The first recorded instance of such a celebration can be found in the Hebrew Bible, describing a similar event for an Egyptian Pharaoh.
In the early history of the Christian church, birthdays were regarded as Pagan and were not permitted. However, around the fourth century, the birth of Jesus began to be celebrated, leading to a shift in the church's perspective. It is believed that the church embraced birthday celebrations with the intention of converting those who observed the Roman holiday of Saturnalia.
Ancient Rome is credited as the first society to celebrate birthdays for non-religious figures, albeit exclusively for men. It wasn't until the 12th century that women began to have birthday celebrations.
The modern-day customs associated with birthday parties can be traced back to Germany in the late 18th century. By this time, birthday celebrations had gained widespread acceptance worldwide. For instance, in China, a child's first birthday held special significance and was commemorated as a distinct event. In Germany, the precursor to contemporary birthday parties, known as Kinderfeste, emerged. These celebrations involved a birthday cake adorned with candles representing the child's age, with an additional candle symbolizing the year ahead. Blowing out the candles and making a wish also originated from this tradition.
Different cultures and religions attribute varying levels of importance to specific birthdays. For example, Japan celebrates Coming of Age Day on the second Monday of January, honouring those who turned 20 in the past year as they enter adulthood. Jewish boys and girls have their bar and bat mitzvahs, respectively, on their 12th or 13th birthdays, depending on their religious affiliation. Many Hispanic countries, along with Brazil, celebrate Quinceañeras, which mark a girl's transition from childhood to young adulthood on her 15th birthday. In Canada and the USA, the age at which one is considered an adult varies between 19 and 21, depending on the laws of the state or province.
In an earlier post, I posted about the fact that we have big celebrations for special milestone birthdays and when we were younger we celebrated coming of age at 18 19 or 21 (depending on the laws of the land) then every 10-year milestone such as 30, 40, 50, 60. At age 60 the milestones became shorter so we celebrate our 65th, 70th 75th, 80th, 85th, 90th, etc. I am between milestone birthdays but I hope to be here to celebrate the next milestone.
