The celebration of one's birthday has been going on for centuries. Each country and/or religion celebrates birthdays in varied ways, with certain years (milestones) given more significance.
In the United States and Canada, girls are given a "sweet sixteen" party.
In some Hispanic countries, the quinceanera is the celebration of a girl's 15th birthday.
In Nepal and India, on a first birthday, the child's head is shaved. Getting rid of hair is believed to cleanse the child of evils in past lives and symbolizes a renewal of the soul.
Japan has a "Coming of Age Day" for those who turn 18.
If you are lucky enough to live in a British Commonwealth country and attain the age of 100, plan on getting a card from the royal family.
In the U.S., sometimes a baby's first birthday is celebrated with two cakes--one for the guests and one for the baby to smash. Instead of smashing her cake, our daughter daintily pick off the icing with her thumb and index finger then tasted.
My mother-in-law made a "doll" cake for the baby, using an angelfood cake pan for the cake with a plastic doll stuck into the middle, and the icing made to look like a gown. My mom made each of us an orange chiffon cake, which is still one of my favorites.
For several years, I used Wilton cake pans to decorate novelty cakes for my kids (an astronaut, Raggedy Ann, Sesame Street's the Count, etc.)
Today, we are fortunate to reach certain ages. My grandparents died in their 60s. Medicine has advanced so much that today they'd be celebrating with me. My mother-in-law and her sister traveled internationally in their 90s. Both lived to be over 100. My mom died much younger from complications of Alzheimer's.
When the aches and pains associated with arthritis and other maladies get me down, I'm think about how lucky I am that my mind is still working. That I can still play with my grandchildren. That I can still write those stories stored in my mind.
If you have a birthday coming up, I'm happy to share in the celebration.
