Fun Stuff > Legends And Oddities > Birthdays Legends And Oddities

BIRTHDAY LEGENDS AND ODDITIES

Birthdays
Y'all have 'em each and every year and considering the other alternative, having a birthday is a pretty darn good thing. So, whether it's your birthday, family or friends or someone you know, enjoy it and celebrate it. Life's too short to have it any other way!

White House Birthday Information
The White House will send your newborn a birthday card. Just send the following information: Baby's name, addresses, and date of birth to: White House Greetings Office, Room 39, Washington , DC 20500

More Birthday Information
"At least fifteen million people are having a birthday today."

Click "Old Woman" Cartoon to view Funny Birthday Cards!

To find other paper Birthday Cards click on the following links:

• Belated Birthday Cards
• Western Birthday Cards
• Texas Birthday Cards
• Funny Birthday Cards
• Family Birthday Cards
• Red Hat Divas Birthday Cards
• Special Year Birthday Cards
• Kids Birthday Cards
• Golf Birthday Cards
• Fishing Birthday Cards
• Cats Birthday Cards
• Dogs Birthday Cards
• Armadillos Birthday Cards
• Critters Birthday Cards
• Farm Animals Birthday Cards
• Wild Animals Birthday Cards

Lots of different choices, huh! - Says, Caddylak Maxy!

Western Birthday Traditions
In most English-speaking countries it is traditional to sing the song "Happy Birthday" to the honored person celebrating their birthday. This happens traditionally at a birthday party while someone brings a birthday cake into the room, which is often darkened. The birthday cake is traditionally a highly decorated cake, and is typically covered with lit candles when presented; the number of candles equals the age of the person. The person whose birthday it is will make a silent wish and then blow out the candles. If done in one breath, the wish is supposed to come true. Another superstition associated with birthday wishes is that if you reveal your wish, it won't come true. It is also very common for the "birthday boy" or "birthday girl" to cut the initial piece of the cake, except for young children.

The singing of the song also often happens at a restaurant when one gets taken out for their birthday. The server or servers in the restaurant may lead the singing of the song while dessert is delivered to the table (which may or may not be a piece of cake, and may or may not be complimentary). The dessert may feature a sparkler instead of a candle. Other customers at the restaurant usually join in for the singing of the song. At some restaurants the servers may perform special, untraditional birthday songs and dances.

For special birthdays and for when the number of candles might be considered a fire hazard, special candles might be substituted for the many individual candles. These candles are in the shape of a numeral; for example on one's 5th birthday there may be only one candle on the cake in the shape of the numeral 5, and on one's 50th birthday there may be only one candle on the cake in the shape of the numeral 50.

A birthday is considered a special day for the person, and so the person will often get special treatment from friends and family. This is specially true for children who cannot wait for their own special day. In contrast, many adults loathe the reminder that they are continually getting older. In addition to parties, people often get (and give!) gifts on their birthday. Often, the honored person gets a "birthday hug" from friends and family.

Birthday parties for children often include fun games, like Pin the Tail on the Donkey, Musical Chairs and hitting piñatas. For adults, the parties tend to be more formal, such as a nice dinner at a restaurant. Despite the age, these parties have the intent of making the honored person very happy. In jest, the birthday is sometimes referred to as the "Best day of the year" and the day after the birthday is the "worst day of the year" since one must wait a whole year for their next birthday!

There are also traditions of surprise parties. This sometimes causes people to feel ignored because it appears their birthday has been forgotten, when actually it has not been mentioned because a surprise party has been planned. Conversely, some people do not mention that nothing is planned for their birthday, because they expect a surprise party.

Astrological Information
The modern Astrological sign that one is born under depends on one's birthday, and the specific time of birth is used to calculate the person's natal chart. However, astrology is not limited to Western astrology alone, though Western astrology by itself has dozens of branches and various offshoots. In modern India Vedic astrology (or Jyotish) is commonly used to this very day, and in China Chinese astrology has been around for thousands of years and continues to flourish. The ancient Greeks formed Hellenistic astrology while the Mayans of South America also formed their own brand of astrology with the help of their super-precise, world-famous observatories. The ancient Egyptians also had their own system of astrology while a unique system of astrology eventually emerged in Tibet as well. Other cultures and civilizations around the World also developed their own astrological systems, though they are far too numerous to list here.

Click "Two Fat Cooks" Cartoon to view Funny Birthday Cards!

Birthstones By Month
Jewelry makes a great gift for Birthdays, Anniversaries, Christmas, Valentine's Day or any event. Now you must give them a paper greeting, too! Here are the birthstones by the Month to help you select the right and proper gift for that special someone:

• January - Garnet - Constancy
• February - Amethyst - Sincerity
• March - Aquamarine or Bloodstone - Courage
• April - Diamond or White Sapphire - Innocence
• May - Emerald Love - Success
• June - Pearl, Moonstone or Alexandrite - Health and Longevity
• July - Ruby - Contentment
• August - Peridot or Sardonyx - Married Happiness
• September - Sapphire - Clear Thinking
• October - Opal, Tourmaline or Pink Sapphire - Hope
• November - Topaz or Citrine - Fidelity
• December - Turquoise or Zircon - Prosperity

Flower Of The Month
If you want to give someone you care about flowers with a comical paper Birthday Card You can select the flower of the month so you won't purchase the wrong flowers.

• January: Carnation or Snowdrop
• February: Violet or Primrose
• March: Daffodils or Jonquils
• April: Daisys or Sweet Peas
• May: Lily of the Valley or Hawthorns
• June: Roses or Honeysuckle
• July: Larkspurs or Water Lily's
• August: Gladiolas or Poppy's
• September: Asters or Morning Glory's
• October: Calendulas or Cosmos
• November: Chrysanthemums
• December: Narcissus or Holly's

Famous People's Birthdays

Click "Birthday Boy" Cartoon to view Funny Birthday Cards!

Notable Birthdays Can Include

• When the most significant digit changes, for example one's 1st, 10th, 20th, 50th, or 100th birthdays.
• In most legal systems, one becomes a legal adult on a particular birthday, and at different ages gain different rights and responsibilities -- voting, certain drug use (e.g. alcohol, tobacco), eligibility for military draft, etc.
• Most cultures have one or more coming of age birthdays:
• Jewish boys have a bar mitzvah on their 13th birthday. In Reform and Conservative Judaism, Jewish girls observe a bat mitzvah on their 12th or 13th birthday.
• In Latin America the quinceañera celebration traditionally marks a girl's 15th birthday.
• Many girls in the USA have "sweet sixteen" birthday parties.
• In countries with significant drinking ages, it is often typical to become intoxicated with one's friends as soon as legal; some bars facilitate this through drink specials or the like. In countries where age restrictions on alcohol are loosely enforced, this phenomenon may be less common.
• The birthdays of historically significant people, like Jesus, Muhammad, or Martin Luther King, Jr., are often turned into holidays.

Official/Alternative Birthdays
Some notables, particularly monarchs such as Queen Elizabeth of England have "official birthdays" which do not match their actual birthday, but on which celebrations are held. In cases where an historical figure's actual birthday is unknown, e.g. Jesus, it is common for a particular date to be substituted.

Children who are born on the 29th of February, which only falls on Leap years, often celebrate their birthday annually on the 28th, or the 1st of March.

In Roman Catholic countries such as France , it is common also to have a 'name day'/'Saint's day'. This is celebrated in much the same way as a birthday, but is held on the official day of the saint that the person is named after.

History Of Celebration Of Birthdays In The West
It is thought that the large scale celebration of birthdays in Europe was due to Mithraism in the Roman Empire , and that prior to this it was not so common. Mithraism had a large influence throughout the empire, due to being taken up by many Roman soldiers, until it was supplanted by Christianity. Even today, the celebration of birthdays is not universal in the West, for example, the Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays, considering them to be a pagan festival, along with Christmas and Easter.

Click "Birthday Card" Cartoon to view Funny Birthday cards!

When your late with your Birthday Card wishes, a Caddylak Graffix Belated Birthday Card will come to the rescue with its Funny Belated Birthday Cards!

Be sure to visit our "Fan Mail" by viewing our Testimonials Page!

Birthdays Legends And Oddities is constantly being updated.
Check back often for updated Birthdays Legends And Oddities!
Last Update: Saturday May 31, 2008 1:12 P.M.

Visit Funny Birthday Cards!