Birthdays Around the World

Children around the world have different kinds of celebrations on their birthday parties. What do they do?

In Argentina, the family and friends will pull the ear of the celebrant according to their ages. If you are ten years old, then they will pull your ear ten times.

In China, the family and friends of the celebrants will eat noodles together and they wish the celebrant a long life. Noodles are long so they mean long life.

In Denmark, the cake of the celebrant is decorated with the Danish flag.

In England, the mother of the celebrant bakes a cake with coins in it. If the celebrant finds a coin in her piece of cake, then she will grow up to be rich.

In India, the birthday celebrant wears a colorful dress. Also, her bestfriend gives out chocolates to the celebrant's friends.

In Israel, at the birthday party, the grown ups lift the celebrant up into the air and put her back down again. (I wonder what happens to chubby kids.)

In Korea, at the birthday party, the mother of the celebrant serves seaweed soup and rice cakes. Then the family and friends all eat together. (Seaweed soup must be eaten by a mom who has just delivered a baby. I think it's the reason why they also serve seaweed soup on birthdays. Rice cake to make you strong so it also means long life.)

In Mexico, at the birthday party, the celebrant wears a blindfold and hit a piñata until it breaks open. (A piñata is a container often made of papier-mâché, pottery, or cloth; it is decorated, and filled with small toys or candy, or both, and then broken as part of a celebration.) Then everybody shares all the candies inside.

In the Philippines, before the birthday party, the celebrant goes to church to pray. Either alone, with friends or family.

In the United States, the celebrant makes a wish and blow out the candles on his/her birthday cake. If the candles blown out once, then the celebrant's wish will come true.