“Happy birthday to you…” – Who doesn’t love to hear this song? It’s the day you were born, everyone loves to feel special on this very day. But, in this world filled with diversity, there are so many different traditions around the world even on birthdays. There are some really interesting ones and there are some weird ones but what can we say? Traditions are traditions!
Covered in flour in the Caribbean
In the land of the sea and sand, Birthdays are celebrated a little differently! In the regions of the Caribbean and most commonly in Jamaica, people get covered in flour on their Birthdays! Your friends, family even strangers participate in this process! Awkward alert!!! But, Happy Birthday 🙂
Chinese Birthday Tradition
In China, people celebrate their Birthday as per the Lunar Calendar. At birth, every child is considered to be a year old and turns two on the Chinese New Year. So, unfortunately, if a child is born at the end of a year, he or she will be considered two years old when he or she is only two days old! Ouch!
Quinceanera in Mexico
On a young woman’s fifteenth birthday, in Mexico, there is a huge celebration observed which is equivalent to a wedding. It is a tradition to mark the girl’s movement into womanhood. A formal gown, a huge party, a tiered cake…it doesn’t get better now, does it?
Barbecues and Fairy Breads in Australia
Birthday celebrations in Australia are a little different but it goes well with their outdoorsy nature. A typical Birthday party in Australia is usually an outdoor barbecue party. Children eat a special dish called Fairy Bread which is slathered with butter and covered with sugar candy sprinkles. That’s how they celebrate Happy Birthday in down under!
Ear-pulling in Argentina
Argentina has an interesting tradition during Birthdays! Kids get their ears pulled depending on their age. A pull for each year they have lived for. Hmm, birthdays could seem like a punishment, who would have thought?
Irish Birthday Bumps
The Irish have an unusual way of celebrating birthdays. On their birthday an adult turns the child upside down and bumps their head on the floor quite gently. The number of bumps is equal to his or her age. After turning 21, he or she is given the key to the house which signifies their adulthood and they can come and go whenever they please. Can you feel the headache already?
Norwegian Birthday Song & Dance
The Birthday song as we know is a little different in Norway! They have their own version which also includes a special dance. Kids are expected to pick a partner at school to do the dance with them! Not a proud moment for an introvert I guess!
Germany makes you sweep the stairs on your Birthday
An unfortunate turn of events during your Birthday! The single men over 30 in Germany are required to go and sweep the stairs of the City Hall or the local church while his friends throw garbage at him! Single and miserable, it’s supposed to be his birthday dude!!!
Get your Nose greased in Canada
On their birthday a young girl or boy is pinned to the floor while their nose gets greased with butter. It is done to prevent them from any bad luck or negativity in the next year. It’s better when it’s slippery!
Evil Clown in Switzerland
Weird? Yes indeed. Parents in Switzerland hire a clown on their child’s birthday to stalk them all day and put a pie on their face. Well, that’s the tradition! Not very Coulrophobic friendly I suppose.
Floral Crowns and a Throne in Israel
Children in Israel are given crowns made from leaves and flowers to wear on their Birthday. They’re also asked to sit in a special chair that’s especially decorated for them and their friends and family dance around it. Isn’t that pretty wonderful?
North Korean Birthday
If your North Korean and your birthday falls on 8th of July or 17th of December then you cannot exactly celebrate it because the dates are reserved for lamenting Kim II-sung and Kim Jong-il respectively. Hard-luck on your B-day huh! Therefor over 100,000 Koreans celebrate ghost birthdays each year.
It is a very special day for someone and choosing the perfect gift can be a daunting task but the best suggestion would be to go for something with a bit of personal touch to it. Personalized gifts add more value to the day. Well, there you have it; a glossary of interesting Birthday Traditions around the World.
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