What is the origin of birthday celebration's?

Answer 1

To celebrate the year and day you were blessed to be in this earth

Answer 2

Someone said that the Germans "invented" birthdays. I remember reading in The Bible, way before the Germans, at least as we know Germany, an account of Herod's soon to be stepdaughter, Salome, doing a dance in Honor of his (Herod's) birthday. The Bible also refers to a birthday during the times of Joseph when in bondage to the Egyptians. Neither account condones such a practice, just gives the instance that pagans of the past celebrated them.

Answer 3

What the historians and experts have to say: The German periodical "Schwäbische Zeitung" of April 3/4, 1981 stated: "The various customs with which people today celebrate their birthdays have a long history. Their origins lie in the realm of magic and religion. The customs of offering congratulations, presenting gifts and celebrating - complete with lighted candles - in ancient times were meant to protect the birthday celebrant from the demons and to ensure his security for the coming year. . . . Down to the fourth century Christianity rejected the birthday celebration as a pagan custom." The book The Lore of Birthdays (New York, 1952) by Ralph and Adelin Linton, said: "The Greeks believed that everyone had a protective spirit or daemon who attended his birth and watched over him in life. This spirit had a mystic relation with the god on whose birthday the individual was born." This same book goes on to say: "The Romans also subscribed to this idea. . . . This notion was carried down in human belief and is reflected in the guardian angel, the fairy godmother and the patron saint. . . . The custom of lighted candles on the cakes started with the Greeks. . . . Honey cakes round as the moon and lit with tapers were placed on the temple altars of [Artemis]. . . . Birthday candles, in folk belief, are endowed with special magic for granting wishes. . . . Lighted tapers and sacrificial fires have had a special mystic significance ever since man first set up altars to his gods. The birthday candles are thus an honor and tribute to the birthday child and bring good fortune." Horst Fuhrmann, professor of medieval history at the University of Regensburg, stated: "The birthday celebration was in honor of one's guardian angel or god, whose altar was decorated with flowers and wreaths; sacrifices were offered to the god of festival, friends offered congratulations and brought gifts." So, birthday celebrations were rooted in pagan worship of the particular guardian spirit or the god of that person's sign that they were born under. It was meant to appease that god or spirit so that the celebrant would be given good fortune, health, or a long a prosperous life by that particular spirit.

Answer 4

To celebrate the year and day you were blessed to be in this earth