In most cultures of our multinational world, the date of birth of a child is considered to be something sacred, symbolic (both for the newest person and for his entire family). Many of us on this date voluntarily or involuntarily expect at least a small, but still a miracle, anticipating numerous congratulations on social networks, warm calls and SMS, nice gifts, hugs of loved ones, and, finally, special treats.
By the way, does anyone know that they started celebrating birthdays in ancient Egypt for the first time? True, of course, far from all - this privilege was reserved only for the pharaohs and their family members (and only for boys). The first woman to celebrate the day of her birth was the legendary Queen Cleopatra (in the 2nd century BC).
In Russia, birthdays are celebrated only from the 17th century (and also at first they were celebrated only by kings, boyars and other noble persons, while the majority of the population had no idea about the exact dates when their children were born). And in general, in pre-revolutionary Russia until the end of the 19th century it was more often celebrated not birthday, but name days (that is, “name day”), and, of course, these two dates did not always coincide.
Well, the tradition of celebrating “birthday” the way we do it now - with many guests, gifts, a feast with a mandatory cake and blowing out candles - appeared already in the middle of the 20th century. But it turns out that this wonderful day is far from celebrated everywhere in much the same way as we do - in some countries there are “rebirth” customs and traditions that can be very, very surprising. Let's find out the most unusual, funny and weird ones.
10. Denmark
The Danes are the most “stubborn” patriots in Scandinavia (and, perhaps, in the rest of Europe). Therefore, in each more or less suitable case, they hang the Danish flag on the house (and also very willingly use the same small red flags with a white cross everywhere and everywhere).
Children's birthday is no exception. When a Danish baby becomes a year older, all his neighbors will know about it by proudly flying in the window of the house flag - "Dannebrog." In addition, small "dunnebrogs" are stuck in the holiday cake. By the way, parents lay out gifts for the little birthday boy around his bed early in the morning, while the child is still sleeping, so that he sees and unpacks them as soon as he opens his eyes.
9. The Netherlands
In the Netherlands, instead of the usual “Happy Birthday!” they say "Gefeliciteerd!", it simply means "Congratulations!" Moreover, these same congratulations are accepted not only by the birthday man, but also by his parents, brothers and sisters, husband or wife, and even very distant relatives who were nearby - that is, everyone who was ever at least “involved” in something to the birth or the main events of the life of the honored person.
At school, a child who “has a birthday” has a teacher giving a colored cardboard hat, and classmates decorate his chair with bright ribbons, flowers and balloons. In response, the birthday boy is “gifted” with sweets. The most important birthdays in the Netherlands are the 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th and 21st (the last is the day of full coming of age) - the so-called "crown" dates. On these dates, Dutch boys and girls receive the most expensive (in every sense) gifts.
8. Germany
In Germany, birthdays (especially for children - Kinderfest) have been celebrated since the 13th century. At that time, the first traditions of celebrating this remarkable date were born: in the early morning, one of the parents (or another family member) lights holiday candles throughout the house, as well as on the “birthday” cake (moreover, there should be as many of them on the cake for how many years “ knocked "birthday boy, plus one candle" for good luck "). These candles must always burn all day (burnt completely replace immediately). And only late in the evening, after a congratulatory dinner, the birthday man can blow them out, making a wish at the same time.
After that, he is finally allowed to open gifts. By the way, the Germans have another interesting custom for celebrating a birthday: it concerns men who have never married before the age of 30. Such bachelor birthday men have to pick up a broom and revenge on the main city streets. In the meantime, the “newborn” is sweating, his friends are doing his best to complicate the task: they add all kinds of rubbish - pebbles, grass, leaves, torn and wrinkled paper, etc. Amnesty comes only when any unmarried girl kisses the poor man. After that, he has the right to finally begin to properly celebrate.
7. Ireland
Ireland has always been famous for its crowded and noisy celebrations, as well as very, sometimes, unusual traditions. One of them concerns just a children's birthday. On this day, mom and dad take their child by the feet and carefully beat his head with his head on the floor (as many times as he turns his age, and one more - “for good luck”). Yeah ... Here's the happiness - to get a mild concussion on your own birthday ...
True, now the Irish more often still do not knock the kids with their heads, but simply throw them up in their arms (again, according to the number of years). Hmm ... And what if the "baby" kilogram of 80-100 live weight? It’s impossible to turn it over or throw it that way — you can tear yourself up.
6. Vietnam
East, as they say, is a delicate matter. For example, the Vietnamese do not "worry" about their birthday. Moreover, they don’t even always remember a specific date. What for? They have a nationwide Tet holiday - the Vietnamese New Year, in which all the inhabitants of the country simply add another year to their age. And only on the very first anniversary, relatives give the little Vietnamese a scarlet envelope with “happy” money. Then - it’s “not supposed to”.
The closest neighbors - Japanese and Koreans - have a very similar attitude to their birthday. In Japan, a holiday in honor of this date is arranged for kids at 3, 5 and 7 years old. It is called City-Go-San and is celebrated on the same day for many children at once (and as a result, only some of them have a real birthday). They put on new beautiful outfits for the children and lead them to the temple, where they congratulate not themselves, but their parents (yeah, for giving birth).
By the way, gifts in Japan are given only for 60, 70, 79, 88 and 99 years. In South Korea, too, they do not really celebrate the day of their birth. As in Vietnam, in this country, everyone officially becomes a year older in the so-called "Lunar New Year." But there are also nuances: in the Korean tradition it is believed that when a child is born, then he is already a year old. If the Lunar New Year comes only, for example, a month after that, then (you already guess?) - oops! - the child is two years old.
Officially, the Korean’s birthday is celebrated only two times in his life: on the first Lunar New Year (moreover, on this day, relatives make the kid a kind of “choice that determines the future”: they put a pencil, ruler, thread and coin in front of him, which the child will reach for, such will be his fate — he, accordingly, will become a diligent student, an excellent worker, a long-liver, or “rich Pinocchio”) and at 60. Of course, modern Korean and Japanese youth no longer strictly adhere to old traditions: boys and girls celebrate birthdays on the “same date” as Europeans, and there is often a cake with candles on the festive table.
5. China
Globalization is ubiquitous (the Anglo-Saxon traditions disperse especially quickly around the world - thanks to Hollywood, TV and many world media), so now candles with cake, funny paper caps and striped birthday fools can often be seen in China. But still, the most important dish on the table that day is the Chinese have long, long noodles. And the longer it is, the better, because it is a symbol of longevity.
The birthday man should eat this noodle (or rather, “pull” it into his mouth) without damaging it: without chopping it, without biting it, etc. It is believed that the better he succeeds, the more he will provide himself with a longer life. And the birthday person must be given money on this day, regardless of his age, and he must politely refuse the gift several times - this is also a tribute to tradition (you can not seem greedy). By the way, besides, actually, the birthday, the Chinese celebrate the 100th day from the day the child was born, the day he first sat down on his own, and the day he first went.
4. Canada
And in Canada (more precisely, in its eastern part - in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundend, etc.) birthdays are celebrated with an oily nose. It is believed that if the parents smear the child’s nose with oil or margarine while he is sleeping (well, or just sneaking up on him in white day from an ambush), then all the troubles, troubles, troubles and the like will not be able to “cling” to the birthday boy this year, but they will slide off him. And after that, mom or dad gently push the baby in the chest as many times as he is old (and again “for good luck”).
3. Jamaica
In Jamaica, on their birthday, people, like in many other countries, are happy to have fun, dance and sing (of course, the most popular music here is reggae). But there is in this country a not so beloved by many “day-birth” custom - sprinkling the birthday man with flour (which, as it were, is “dust of centuries”, settling on it because of the next lived year).
So imagine - in the courtyard of heat (it's Jamaica!), You are covered in perspiration, and suddenly your dear friends suddenly jump out from around the corner and throw a packet of flour on your head. There was a man, - a huge sticky “dumpling” became. Now you need to urgently wash, and the clothes will have to be washed. (Especially harmful friends sometimes add raw eggs to flour, which, of course, greatly aggravates the situation). Well, at least for young children for such “inconveniences” sweets (or money) are put as compensation.
2. Mexico
It’s a birthday party in Mexico - no one bangs your head on the floor, no one sprinkles flour or oil your nose: here the main attribute of the holiday is piñata - a large figure made of papier-mâché or thick paper in the form of some kind of animal or cartoon character. Pinyatu (inside of which there are small gifts or sweets) is hung on a rope from a tree, and a little birthday man is given a bat or just a stick, they are blindfolded and untwisted in place.
Now he must not only get on the pinata, but also break it so that the "filling" falls out and it can be divided into all. (Oh, how many innocent guests do not turn up at the right time! But you can’t stop the fun.) Well, more adult birthday people (especially teenagers) in Mexico often dunk their faces in a cream cake.
1. Brazil
And in Brazil there is a tradition that is very familiar to us, too — the birthday person needs to be pulled by the earlobes as many times as he turned years old — so you want him to grow big. Another Brazilian “birthday” custom - the first piece of the cake goes not to the birthday man, but to the person closest to him. (Hmm ... That's the choice! Give the cake to mom - the father will take offense, and vice versa ... Or maybe give it to my grandmother? ..)
Another beautiful local tradition concerns girls who are 15 years old: on this day they (of course, in the most beautiful dresses and shining tiaras) dance their first waltz, first with their father, and then with 14 young boys (then there are 15 partners in total - according to the number of years lived).
15-year-old girls in Argentina and Ecuador arrange the same holiday (by the way, in Ecuador, the dress must be pink, and for the first time girls are allowed to wear high-heeled shoes). But in Bolivia this event takes place a year later - at the age of 16 (and here the dress can only be snow-white). Thus, a symbolic transition from a teenager to an adult young lady occurs.