There
is also a practice of treating friends and that is not always
compensated by gifts. Another custom which was commonly practiced
by the girls in 1950’s and 60’s in their school
days was receiving of a bouquet of flower, ornamented with
inexpensive gifts such as candies, lollipops, bubble gums,
sugar cubes, lemon drops and many more on their Birthday
depending on their age.
Birthday bumps are also eminent; here the Birthday boy/ girl
is lifted on air by his/ her friends and family and then placed
on the ground lightly so that they don’t get hurt. The
number of bumps equals the age that the honored person reaches
on his Birthday. ‘Birthday beats’ and
‘Birthday bashes’ are also practiced on this day
which is similar to the Birthday bumps, that is the Birthday
person gets a number of friendly thumps on his arm or back corresponding
to the age he has reached.
Birthdays are celebrated specially on notable ages such as 1st,
10th, 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th, and so on. One’s golden Birthday
is also called as one’s Champagne Birthday, this happens
when one’s age coincides with his date of birth, for e.
g, if the age of the Birthday guy turns 30 on his date of birth,
supposedly 30th of may then it is celebrated as his golden Birthday.
Many girls in the United States have sweet sixteen birthday parties.
In Latin America, the 15th Birthday of a girl is a marked one
and is traditionally celebrated.
The Birthdays of historically significant people such as Jesus
Christ or Prophet Muhammad are usually commemorated as official
holidays followed by celebrations in religious places and at
people’s home. Some notables, particularly Monarchs, on
a fixed day of the year celebrate his Birthday which does not
match their actual date of birth yet celebrations are held on
that day. Examples such as King or Queen’s Birthday in
U.K under British crown; Commonwealth Day, originally called
Empire’s Day is on the Queen Empress Victoria’s Birthday
held on May 24; in Luxemburg the national holiday is on June.
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