Birthdays Around the Globe
Discuss this with your child how birthdays are celebrated around the world, and then compare and contrast with how you celebrate birthdays in your home.
When the tradition of the birthday party began, it was originally only held for royalty. As time passed, children were also included, with the first children’s birthday parties being held in Germany.
Today, birthday parties are very common and are held everyday, all across the globe! While some of the traditional ways of celebrating are similar throughout the countries, there are many differences as well. Following is a list of the different birthday traditions throughout the world.
Argentina – The child celebrating their birthday gets their earlobe pulled for each year they have been alive.
China – The child celebrating their birthday receives a gift of money from his/her parents. They then celebrate by having friends and family come over for a lunch of noodles.
Denmark – The child celebrating their birthday wakes up to presents surrounding their bed and a flag being flown outside a window to announce that someone who lives in the house is celebrating a birthday.
Ecuador – In Ecuador, a young girl’s fifteenth birthday is extra special. On that day, there is a huge celebration and the birthday girl wears a pink dress. Her father helps her to put on her first pair of high heels, and then dances the waltz with her, while 14 maids and 14 boys also dance the waltz with them.
England – Be careful eating birthday cake in England! Here, certain objects are mixed into the batter as it is being prepared. If you find a coin in your piece of cake, then the tradition says that you will “be rich.”
Holland – In Holland, even birthday years are extra special. The child celebrating their birthday gets an especially large gift, as well as a specially decorated chair at the table. These even year birthdays are called “Crown Years.”
India – The child celebrating their birthday wears a colored dress to school and hands out chocolates to the entire class!
Israel – For smaller children, the birthday child sits in a chair while adults raise and lower the chair a number of times that corresponds to the child’s age, plus an extra time for good luck!
Japan – The child celebrating their birthday wears an entirely new wardrobe for the day!
Mexico – The child celebrating their birthday is blindfolded and hits a piñata ( paper mache formed into an animal and stuffed with goodies!) until it opens. All the children at the party share the goodies. Also, in Mexico the 15th birthday is also extra special for young girls, where they celebrate with a special mass in their honor. They are then escorted to a special party being held, where she is introduced as a young woman. The father also dances the waltz with her.
Nepal – The child celebrating their birthday receives a mark on their forehead, which is a mixture of rice yogurt and color. This is said to bring good luck!
New Zealand – Everyone gathers around the child celebrating their birthday and after the candles are lit, party goers sing the birthday song VERY loudly and often out of tune!! After singing, the child gets a clap for each year they have been alive, and an extra one for good luck!
Philippines – The child celebrating their birthday receives cakes baked in various shapes and sizes. The birthday celebration includes noodles to represent long life, balloon decorations and piñatas!! The family also goes to church to give thanks to God.
Russia – The child celebrating their birthday receives a birthday pie, instead of a cake, with a greeting carved into the crust!
United States – Although every family is different, traditionally the child celebrating their birthday receives a birthday cake with candles corresponding to how old they are. Then the traditional “Happy Birthday” song is sung and the child is told to make a wish before blowing out the candles. If all the candles are blown out on the first blow, it is said that their wish will come true!
Discuss this with your child how birthdays are celebrated around the world, and then compare and contrast with how you celebrate birthdays in your home.
When the tradition of the birthday party began, it was originally only held for royalty. As time passed, children were also included, with the first children’s birthday parties being held in Germany.
Today, birthday parties are very common and are held everyday, all across the globe! While some of the traditional ways of celebrating are similar throughout the countries, there are many differences as well. Following is a list of the different birthday traditions throughout the world.
Argentina – The child celebrating their birthday gets their earlobe pulled for each year they have been alive.
China – The child celebrating their birthday receives a gift of money from his/her parents. They then celebrate by having friends and family come over for a lunch of noodles.
Denmark – The child celebrating their birthday wakes up to presents surrounding their bed and a flag being flown outside a window to announce that someone who lives in the house is celebrating a birthday.
Ecuador – In Ecuador, a young girl’s fifteenth birthday is extra special. On that day, there is a huge celebration and the birthday girl wears a pink dress. Her father helps her to put on her first pair of high heels, and then dances the waltz with her, while 14 maids and 14 boys also dance the waltz with them.
England – Be careful eating birthday cake in England! Here, certain objects are mixed into the batter as it is being prepared. If you find a coin in your piece of cake, then the tradition says that you will “be rich.”
Holland – In Holland, even birthday years are extra special. The child celebrating their birthday gets an especially large gift, as well as a specially decorated chair at the table. These even year birthdays are called “Crown Years.”
India – The child celebrating their birthday wears a colored dress to school and hands out chocolates to the entire class!
Israel – For smaller children, the birthday child sits in a chair while adults raise and lower the chair a number of times that corresponds to the child’s age, plus an extra time for good luck!
Japan – The child celebrating their birthday wears an entirely new wardrobe for the day!
Mexico – The child celebrating their birthday is blindfolded and hits a piñata ( paper mache formed into an animal and stuffed with goodies!) until it opens. All the children at the party share the goodies. Also, in Mexico the 15th birthday is also extra special for young girls, where they celebrate with a special mass in their honor. They are then escorted to a special party being held, where she is introduced as a young woman. The father also dances the waltz with her.
Nepal – The child celebrating their birthday receives a mark on their forehead, which is a mixture of rice yogurt and color. This is said to bring good luck!
New Zealand – Everyone gathers around the child celebrating their birthday and after the candles are lit, party goers sing the birthday song VERY loudly and often out of tune!! After singing, the child gets a clap for each year they have been alive, and an extra one for good luck!
Philippines – The child celebrating their birthday receives cakes baked in various shapes and sizes. The birthday celebration includes noodles to represent long life, balloon decorations and piñatas!! The family also goes to church to give thanks to God.
Russia – The child celebrating their birthday receives a birthday pie, instead of a cake, with a greeting carved into the crust!
United States – Although every family is different, traditionally the child celebrating their birthday receives a birthday cake with candles corresponding to how old they are. Then the traditional “Happy Birthday” song is sung and the child is told to make a wish before blowing out the candles. If all the candles are blown out on the first blow, it is said that their wish will come true!
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