What Is A Birthday?

[Rev. Rocky Thomas]

On December 29th is my birthday. This year I've been telling everyone I am 57 year old so now that means I am 67. Time sure does go by fast! What am I going to do when I'm 77????

Birthdays are celebrated all over the world but just what is a birthday? Birthdays are the day most people in many cultures celebrate the anniversary of their birth.

Most people mark this special day with a party and gifts are given. These gifts are sometimes known as a rite of passage during special milestone birthdays.

During birthday parties one of the most popular traditions is the birthday cake. Typically ornately decorated and lit with candles that the birthday person gets to make a silent wish on then blow out.

The number of candles on the cake coincides with the age of the person blowing the candles out. Sometimes when the number of candles is too great, people use special number candles readily available.

Also it is a common tradition for the birthday person to cut and receive the first piece of cake.

On someone’s birthday, they are supposed to receive special treatment from family and friends. This includes, gift giving, special meals or dining out.

Children’s birthdays usually include games and sometimes special entertainment like a clown or magician. Parties can include balloons, streamers and party favors for guests.

Special gifts for birthdays sometimes include the giving of a birthstone. This is a precious stone that goes with the month of birth.

Birthstones seem to originate from biblical times. There is also a list of birth flowers. Like the stones, this lists flowers that match the month of birth. It is considered to be very good luck to receive your birth flower on your birthday with the number of blooms matching your age.