It is estimated that a person shares his or her birthday with eighteen million people around the world. Have you ever wondered how all those people are celebrating their birthdays?
Everyone loves birthdays and the celebration that comes with them. Getting a year older is exactly not a reason to celebrate (especially when you are in your late 20s or 30s), but birthdays have a charm that makes us all childlike and anticipate it every year. People in the west usually celebrate their birthdays with cake and candles and the traditions seems to have caught up with the majority of the world, but still, there are some fascinating traditional birthday celebrations that take place in different parts of the world. Let us know more about them.
China
In China, you start your day by eating a plate of long noodles, which symbolizes a long life. You must slurp them as far as you can before cutting them by bite. Before our medical system was improved, the first month of the baby birth was very crucial, so people usually celebrated one month birthday. The tradition continues till today, and it is at this party that the name of the baby is announced.
Canada
In Canada, your birthdays are an excuse for people to rub butter on your noses. Birthday boys and girls are usually ambushed by family and friends, and butter are rubbed liberally on your nose to disperse bad luck. Interestingly, people remember this butter rubbing tradition with terror than fondness as it was quite hilarious to walk around with greased nose.
Jamaica
Jamaicans sure know how to make your birthday not only fun for you but themselves too. The birthday girl or boy is “coated with flour” like those pranks we did in our school days. This flour covering can happen suddenly in the form of an ambush or at a party with many people witnessing your humiliation.
Germany
This tradition is by far our favourite; in Germany, when single men turn 30 years old, they made to sweep the steps of their city hall. Their friend does not make this job any easier as they keep on tossing rubbish at them. The torture continues till the birthday boy meets a passing young woman on the streets. This tradition is meant for eligible bachelors, and the sole purpose of the whole exercise is to show that they are eligible for marriage.
So, what is the popular birthday traditions in your country?
