Birthdays

A birthday is the anniversary of a person’s birth. In many cultures it is celebrated annually as a social event that marks the passing of another year of life.

Common practices include gatherings, gift giving, and the cutting of a cake decorated with candles. Candles are often lit and blown out while the celebrant makes a wish. Birthday songs, greetings, and small parties are typical features in many places, especially for children, but celebrations vary widely in form and scale.

Cultural variations exist. Some cultures emphasize name days instead of birth anniversaries; others place less emphasis on celebration or observe the date in a different calendar system. In East Asia, some traditions use a different method of counting age, where a person is considered one year old at birth and gains a year at a fixed annual point, rather than on the anniversary of birth. Commercial and secular influences have also shaped modern birthday celebrations, with parties, media attention, and a market for related goods.

History and origins of birthdays are diverse. Some ancient civilizations marked the birthdays of rulers or gods, while private or family observances appeared in different regions. The modern, cake-and-candles birthday party developed in Europe over centuries, and the widely known birthday song in the English-speaking world grew in prominence during the 20th century.

Leap day birthdays pose a special case for those born on February 29, sometimes celebrated on Feb 28 or Mar 1 in non-leap years. Legal age for rights and responsibilities is typically tied to the birth date, influencing graduation, voting, and other milestones. See also name day and age.