There are many and varied customs associated with the celebration of birthdays around the world.
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The 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.
In Western cultures, particularly in the United States and Australia, birthday parties are often accompanied by colorful decorations, such as balloons and streamers. A birthday cake is often served with candles that are to be blown out after a “birthday wish” has been made. The birthday boy/girl gets the first piece of cake. While the birthday cake is being brought to the table, the song Happy Birthday to You is sung by the guests. Wealthy people and celebrities may hire an event management agency or a party service to organize a birthday party.
A child’s birthday party may be held at his/her home or in a public place. Soft drinks are often had alongside water and both sweet and savory foods are typically served to the guests. In many cultures, a birthday cake is served. Birthday parties for children often feature entertainment, costumes, party games, and a theme. Adults’ birthday parties in Western countries are often held in bars or nightclubs. Though some are held at a restaurant or even at home. Usually a birthday party includes gifts for the person whose birthday it is. Most people who come to the birthday party are the ones who have the gifts.
In addition to parties, it is common for people to receive gifts on their birthday. Popular gifts include toys, books, jewellery, clothes, flowers, technical devices, gift cards, checks, paper money, 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 the guests to the restaurant or bar (some of them offer special birthday programs), arranging parties 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. 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."to roc bargain for
One widespread birthday custom takes many forms around the world, all rooted in the idea of delivering some form of physical torment to the person whose birthday it is, in order to drive away evil and to attract good luck. These torments range from beatings, through punches and earlobe-pulling, to "the Bumps".[1]
"The Bumps", a torment common in countries such as the U.K., Ireland, and the U.S.,[1][2] involves the friends and family of the person whose birthday it is taking him or her by the arms and legs, and "bumping" him/her up into the air and down onto the floor.[1][3] The number of "bumps" given equals the age of the person in years plus one "for luck".[1][3] Usually "the Bumps" are administered only to children, in part because as people grow up they become too heavy for the process.[1]
In Francophone Canada and the U.S. "birthday punches" are given in a similar fashion, where the person whose birthday it is punched a number of times equal to his/her age, plus one for luck.[1][2] In Brazil, Hungary, Argentina, Italy, and other countries, the person has his/her earlobes pulled.[1][2][4] The Hungarian tradition also involves at the same time as pulling the earlobes wishing the person a happy birthday or reciting a rhyme whose English translation is "God bless you, live so long so your ears reach your ankles.".[5]
Similar to birthday punches are birthday spankings. While they are usually administered to children, they are somewhat common. They, for the main part, don't hurt at all or if they do, it is a small sting. What happens is that the birthday recipient gets spanked on his or her buttocks how many years they have been around, plus one to grow on.
In India, a person on his birthday, is held up in the air by his hands and legs by his friends (the tradition is not usually followed in presence of family), and kicked or spanked on the buttocks. It is referred to as 'Birthday Bumps'. The number of bumps given equals the age of the person but usually ends up exceeding that number.
In Israel, part of the birthday celebration for a child in kindergarten is to lift the decorated chair that the child sits on into the air several times, once for each year of the child's age, plus "one for the next year".[1][6]
In Venezuela, a widespread custom is to attempt to push the person's face into the cake when they blow out the candles. This frequently destroys the cake.