Birthday Celebrations

Some of the earliest birthday celebrations date back to the ancient Egypt and the 'Royals', believed to be an important day to receive 'blessings from the Gods'. The Greeks and Romans also celebrated the birthdays of gods and emperors. In Rome, birthday celebrations were often held for public figures and wealthy citizens. They would have banquets, feasts, and give gifts. The birthday celebrations for ordinary people were less common but not unheard of.

In early Christian traditions, birthdays weren't celebrated. Christians believed only the birthday of Jesus Christ was important.

In 19th Century and onward, during the Industrial Revolution, birthdays became a bigger part of people's lives. The emergence of consumer goods also aided in the gift giving and party supplies to celebrate birthdays. The birthday cake with candles has German roots. The Germans began the tradition of placing candles on cakes to symbolize the "light of life." They also believed that blowing out the candles and making a wish, could bring good fortune.

The rise of consumer culture, has lead the way to elaborate birthday parties, trips and sentiment.

Cultures also play a big part in how people celebrate. For example, the latin community sometimes holds a huge 'quinces' party when a girl turns 15, Indians have a religious celebration and Jewish people have a Bar Mitzvah.

Certain ages also have a 'big deal' celebratory effect such as 18, 21 and 50.

While there was a point in time, birthdays and celebrations in general were very extravagant in current times, with financial uncertainties and struggles we are celebrating birthdays and even weddings in simpler ways. We are in an era of smaller and more personal celebrations, opting for a more casual gathering or even just a quiet day of reflection and a small meal with loved ones.

Gifts, once a very big part of birthdays and celebrations, is now lessened. It's thought to be more important to physically be present, share a meal or make a homemade gift. Smaller sentiments show heartwarming thoughts over how expensive a gift is. Gift cards and virtual gifts are a popular way to gift as well as designate a charity in lieu of gifts and even 'chipping in' for the trip, the meal, or the experience; this way everyone benefits from the occasion.

Birthday parties are now often held outdoors, at parks, or at home, and may involve simpler activities like picnics or potlucks. These types of gatherings are less formal and often don't require renting a venue, hiring entertainers, or purchasing elaborate party decorations. The tradition of having a cake with candles is still central to many birthday celebrations, but over time, the extravagant multi-layer cakes with intricate designs have been replaced with simpler, smaller cakes or even cupcakes. I know the 'Walmart Cake' is very popular today. Homemade cakes are always a good idea but you can opt for ice cream, donuts, pies or cookies instead.

Parties can be 5 people or as many as 100. This number isn't as important anymore as long as you have people to gather with and have a nice time.

The evolution of how we celebrate life events, reflects broader social changes, including a greater emphasis on relationships, simplicity, and authenticity. In today’s world, the essence of celebrating a birthday remains the same; it’s about honoring the individual and marking the passage of time with loved ones, whether that happens with a quiet dinner, a small party, or even a virtual celebration.

Do you or anyone you know celebrate in big ways today? Do you celebrate in a big way and if so, how? I personally have always loved a small intimate gathering with or without gifts is irrelevant to me. I do like the new tradition of having people venmo or cashapp the birthday person a few bucks for a coffee or lunch. I think that's so much nicer than a physical gift and anyone can do a few dollars.

It happens to be my birthday week so feel free to join in on the tradition of buying the birthday person a coffee :) Cashapp: $saltysunshinepodcast

Happy Celebrating!

Salty Sunshine Podcast

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