O habit to celebrate the birth day arose in ancient Rome. Prior to that, there were already offerings, like the cake, but there was no festival as such. The origin was linked to the idea that, on the birthday date, evil angels came to steal the spirit of the birthday person and measures had to be taken to prevent this. Because it is linked to superstitions, the tradition was initially considered pay by the Catholic Church and was only adopted in the 5th century, when the institution began to celebrate the birth Of Jesus. Even so, the practice of celebrating birthdays only became common in the West in the 19th century, when a collective commemorative festival was organized in Germany.
And the party will roll
Event is a mix of new customs and old traditions
HUMAN CAKE
Throwing eggs and flour at the birthday person became a popular custom in Brazil in the 1980s. It is believed to be a variation of ear pulling or “who is it with?” sung in congratulations. The idea was to make a cake on the birthday boy’s head, hence the ingredients for the game.
PIECE OF GOOD PATH
The most anticipated item of the party appeared in ancient Greece, when a round cake, representing the full moon, was taken to the temple of Artemis, the goddess of the moon, as an offering. At that time, the lunar phases served as a calendar for man and worshiping the goddess was a way of asking for protection. The Greek recipe was a mixture of honey and bread
LIGHT-YEARS
Just like the cake, birthday candles also have a Greek origin. Alluding to the brightness and light of the moon, one of them was placed on the cake offered to Artemis. Some people believed that light scared away evil spirits and that smoke carried prayers to heaven.
CLOSED BODY
In ancient Rome, on the birthday night, gifts and protective objects were spread around the birthday boy to keep him away from evil – they were a form of amulet. Family members and friends gathered and handed the objects to the children. The tradition has evolved into the current custom of giving someone something they like as a gift.
LONG REMEMBRANCE
The English were the pioneers in sending cards, in the beginning of the 20th century. The idea was not only to wish good wishes but also to apologize for not attending the person’s birthday. That’s because missing the party without giving explanations was (and still is) considered an extreme lack of education by the British.
IT’S A BURST!
Invented from experiments with gases in the 19th century, balloons were incorporated into birthdays as they were considered fun for children. By the way, it is believed that balloons made from animal guts were the first toys invented. The act of making noise was also an ancient custom to scare away evil spirits.
BALAD DA VIRADA
“Parabéns a Você” is an adaptation of the melody “Bom Dia a Todos”, created by two teaching sisters at a school in Louisville, USA, at the end of the 19th century. , nowadays, is sung in more than 30 languages. The Brazilian version was composed by the poet Bertha Celeste Homem de Mello in 1942
PARTY RICE
The sweets offered at the party vary according to the local culture. In Brazil, the brigadier got its name thanks to Brigadier Eduardo Gomes, a politician who ran for president in 1945. Voters and fans created the sweet that bore his name to win votes. In the US, cupcakes are served, and in the UK, scones with jam.
SOURCES Gisela Tomanik Berland, author of the book Party dayand Maria Cecilia Barreto Amorim Pilla, professor of modern history and coordinator of the Degree in History at PUC-PR