How are birthdays celebrated in your country?
@deepasubramani (1074)
India
March 13, 2010 7:54am CST
Hi Friends,
In India children wear new clothes on their birthday. A child may rise at daybreak and get dressed in new clothes. The child kneels and touches the feet of their parents as a sign of respect. They then all visit a shrine, where they pray and the child is blessed.
In the afternoon there might be a meal that includes a spicy vegetable stew called curry and chutney which is a spicy fruit relish. The dessert is a treat known as dudh pakh, which is a rice like pudding. They might also stir in pistachios, almonds, raisins, and a spice called cardamom.
To receive a birthday present wrapped in black and white is considered bad luck.
At school the birthday child wears a colored dress and passes out chocolates to the entire class, with the help of a trusted friend.
How are birthdays celebrated in your country??
3 people like this
18 responses
@myramae19 (667)
• Philippines
13 Mar 10
hi deep
In our country we usually celebrate birthdays with birthday cakes,chinese vermicelli, cos there's a belief that chinese vermicelli will give the celebrant a long life..and many other especial menu. If it is children birthdays of course balloons are present, children also wear new clothes, then blow the candles on the cake..parents, relatives, and friends would give money or a present to the celebrant
But some also couldn't afford to buy all of those, but I'm sure there's always chinese vermicelli on their birthdays.
But some also couldn't afford to buy all of those, but I'm sure there's always chinese vermicelli on their birthdays.1 person likes this
@deepasubramani (1074)
• India
14 Mar 10
Hi myramae,
Thanks for your response,
From Which country are you from, In India too people celebrate birthdays with cutting the birth cakes. But here too they prepare sweet dishes in vermicelli but this its not compulsory.
Have a great day
@madteaparty (2748)
• Japan
14 Mar 10
Oh, birthdays in India sound interesting. Here in Japan there's no special tradition to it. Usually parents bake or buy a cake for the kid, and give him or her presents. Some kids will celebrate it with his or her friends too, apart than the celebration with the family.
@deepasubramani (1074)
• India
16 Mar 10
Hi Madteaparty,
Thanks for your response,
Here also the parents give him or her the gifts and children would celebrate it with their friends and also with the family members. Thanks for for sharing how birthdays are celebrated in your country.
Have a great day
@deepasubramani (1074)
• India
14 Mar 10
Hi ifa225,
Thanks for your response,
Balloons, Singing Birthday songs, birthday cakes are all the common things i agree with you dont wrap anythings with black and white and it has a bad significances on the birthdays.
Have a great day
@Biomechanoid (2923)
• Estonia
13 Mar 10
Nice to hear about the birthday celebration traditions of your country! Here, in Estonia we don't have such developed traditions. I think that every family celebrates the birthdays in their own way, but I am sure there are some things in common:
The day begins with parents handing over the present to the child. When child arrives at school, he/she may start handing out the candies or sweets to the classmates. Most of children host also the birthday parties in the evening, where they invite their best friends.
@deepasubramani (1074)
• India
14 Mar 10
Hi Biomechanoid,
Thanks for your response,
Of course you are rite each one celebrate their birthdays differently but there are few things in common as you said liking getting the parents blessings, gifts from them and the children's handing over the chocolates to the classmates and inviting few few friends for the party.
Have a great day
@besthope44 (12123)
• India
13 Mar 10
Well, me too..my kids does gets blessing from our parents. We generally go for home made cakes, chocos and sweet drinks. We have habit of cutting cakes at evening calling our friends and relatives to share the happiness. We will usually have a piano music by my kid, a little concert like and it will be a great day!!
@deepasubramani (1074)
• India
14 Mar 10
Hi besthope,
Thanks for response,
Its good to get blessings from our parents on birthdays and in all the things other things what we are doing. We will be having fun cutting the birthday cakes, enjoying with friends and relatives. Once we use to cut the cakes on birthdays we use to put cakes on each and each ones face and enjoy the party and we use to have fun. The worst part is to get the birth bumps.
Have a great day.
@bestylish (922)
• Philippines
14 Mar 10
In our country, other families buy a cake and just stay at home and celebrate. Others invite guests. When it comes to children, parents usually put up games.
@deepasubramani (1074)
• India
14 Mar 10
Hi Bestylish,
Thanks for your response,
Good that guests buy the cakes and celebrate it at home. Here if its a childerns birthday party's then parents celebrate it having some some funny games with the light music at the back ground.
have a great day
@Buchi_bulla (8298)
• India
7 Jun 10
I am from India. As you said, here children wear new dress on their birthday. Usually school allows them to wear coloured dress on that day and the children with beaming smile, go to classes and give chocolates to the other children of the school and also to the staff of the school. They go to temple/church in the evening to offer prayers. Then they host a party to their friends. Their family prepares sweets at home.
@grecychunny26 (9483)
• Philippines
15 Mar 10
We do not have a special like that during our birthdays. some of the people here in my country, their birthdays are just like normal days especially on poor level. They greet those who have birthdays but they don't have some rituals. When I was young I always go to church and pray and have my blessing whenever it is my birthday. I also have new clothes, but as I grow older, i just go to church and the differences compare to normal days is I am greeted by those people who know my birthday. If we are lucky and have budget for foods we have simple celebration.
@Baluyadav (3643)
• India
14 Mar 10
hi deepa,unortunatly,when i was in childhood,there was no such practices prevailed [what now we doing for our children,mostly as you mentioned],but only head bath,some home made indeginous sweets and praying god..then as usual activities.
But days are becoming like that celebration of birth day also becoming status symbol or its occassion for few peole who want to exhibit their financial strengths,by celebrating in STAR HOTELS,fUNCTION HALLS ETC,WHICH IS A BAD SIGN.
Have a nice time,friend.
@MrKennedy (1978)
•
14 Mar 10
In the UK, birthdays are all about gorging yourself, getting drunk (if you are over 18), massive cakes, heaps of cards bulging with cash and surprises wrapped in glossy paper
Birthday celebrations alternate from person to person depending on how they want to celebrate, we don't have any traditions as such.
Birthday celebrations alternate from person to person depending on how they want to celebrate, we don't have any traditions as such.
@kar295rocks (2116)
• India
13 Mar 10
I am proud to be an Indian! Ha ha! But, I have not tasted the dudh pakh! In my household, some sweets are made but they essentially contain Kheer [payasam in south India] as one on the menu! And the rest is all true! But, I have never really given chocolates to my classmates as my birthday comes in vacation time - 29th May!
@deepasubramani (1074)
• India
14 Mar 10
Hi Kar295rocks,
Thanks for your response,
Dudh Pakh is again a kind of kheer which is prepared using milk and almonds which can be easily prepared at home. In most of the south Indian houses a kheer will be done using vermicelli or almonds of sagoo etc. People who are born in april and may will not have the chance to distribute sweets to class mates.
Have a great day
@phoenix8606 (4942)
•
13 Mar 10
hell0! here in my country Bulgaria, everybody celebrates its birthday in a different way, but the birthdays of the children are something different. they invite all their friends and celebrate it at home or in some restaurant with the parents. they also wear some new clothes, of course if they have some, but it is not necessary. there are many gifts, sometimes the kids buy one mutual gift. the elderly celebrate it only with the family, which is also great- on the big table, with music or some funny broadcast on the TV, a lot of meals and a lot to drink!
@deepasubramani (1074)
• India
14 Mar 10
Hi Phoenix,
Thanks for your response,
Each individual celebrates in a different way, I agree with you the children's day is something which is different they distribute chocolates to the classmates at schools and invite for a party to their friends and they all enjoy.
Have a great day
@Professor2010 (20162)
• India
20 Jul 10
Hello we too celebrate the birthday of children same way, for my and my wife's birthday we go to all the temples in my city, pray our hindu gods/goddesses, have a puja and hawan in home in noon, followed by a 'prashad-sevan' by all guests and relatives..
Thanks for sharing.
Welcome always.
Cheers.
Professor
Cheers.
Professor
@sukumar794 (5040)
• Thiruvananthapuram, India
14 Mar 10
A morning visit to the place of God"s worship. later a get together with family members and friends a delicious feast of sumptuous food items......all these make a joyous occasion of birthdays.
@cupkitties (7421)
• United States
14 Mar 10
Sometimes we might have big parties some of which are themed like for instance my nieces and my daughters had a ballerina princes party. You may have family and friends or family only or make it just the immediate house hold members. There are games and of course eating cake and ice cream or maybe have an ice cream cake.
@mitchelle29sc (92)
• Philippines
14 Mar 10
Here in the Philippines there is a mixture of East and West. Earlier in the day the family goes together to hear mass and thank God. Birthdays in the Philippines are celebrated with colored, blinking lights adorned outside the birthday person's home. Birthday cakes are baked in various sizes and shapes. The celebration includes noodles representing long life, balloon decorations and pinatas.
@monkeylong (3139)
• Guangzhou, China
14 Mar 10
As far as I am concerned, I think I am very glad to see that how you celebrate the birthday in your country. In my country, we will gather our close friends together .And then, we will choose a place ,where we can enjoy a very big meal,which may be delicous to everyone. Then the most important part is give a best wish to the god of longevity.
