Birthday Party Crasherz

The birthstone

The birthstone seems to originate from Biblical times. The Breastplate of Aaron, referred to in Exodus 39:10-14:

19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

Aries (March 21 - April 20) Diamond
Taurus (April 20 - May 20) Emerald
Gemini (May 21 - June 20) Spinel
Cancer (June 21 - July 22)
Pearl Leo (July 23 - August 23) Ruby
Virgo (August 24 - September 22) Sapphire
Libra (September 23 - October 23) Peridot
Scorpio (October 24 - November 21) Aquamarine
Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21) Topaz
Capricorn (December 22 - January 21) Garnet
Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) Amethyst and moonstone
Pisces (February 19 - March 20) Diamond

Special birthdays

When the most significant digit changes, for example one's 1st, 10th, 30th, 50th, or 100th birthdays. One's golden birthday, also called a champagne birthday, is the day when the age one turns and the date of birth coincide (e.g. someone turning 20 on September 20th celebrates his golden birthday). In most legal systems, one becomes a legal adult on a particular birthday, and at different ages gain different rights and responsibilities — voting, certain drug use (e.g. alcohol, tobacco), eligibility for military draft or voluntary enlistment, driving etc. Most cultures have one or more coming of age birthdays: Jewish boys have a bar mitzvah on or around their 13th birthday. In Reform and Conservative Judaism, Jewish girls observe a bat mitzvah on or around their 12th or 13th birthday while in Orthodox Judaism, girls observe it on or around their 12th birthday. In some Christian traditions, generally Catholic and Anglican, Confirmation is the ritual by which a young person becomes an official member of the Church. This sometimes includes the bestowal of a 'Confirmation name,' generally the name of a saint, which is often worn as a second middle name. Confirmation also bestows the Holy Spirit upon the confirmand, and in some churches is received concurrent with baptism or first communion. In Latin America the quinceañera celebration traditionally marks a girl's 15th birthday. Some girls in the United States have "sweet sixteen" birthday parties. The birthdays of historically significant people, like Jesus Christ, the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, or the father of the fatherland, are often commemorated by an official holiday, some saints are remembered by a liturgical feast (sometimes on a presumed birthday). By analogy, the Latin term Dies natalis 'birthday' is applied to the anniversary of an institution (such as a university)

Glad You Were Born Today

Since every year of age can be seen as a minor transition, this can be accompanied by some traditional initiation rite such as a birthday spanking, after which the honoree may in some traditions receive a "pinch to grow an inch."

It is also traditional in schools in some areas of Britain to 'bump' people on their birthday. This involves them being hoisted face up by arms and legs and allowed to fall; pulling on the limbs restrains the fall so that the victim does not quite hit the ground. This is repeated for the number of times equal to their birthday age. On one last hoist the celebrant is often allowed to fall to the ground with a bump. A less painful way is to be lifted in the air while sitting on a chair. Then the last lift is usually made higher than the others.

A similar tradition in schools are 'birthday beats' or 'birthday bashings' in which the birthday child receives a number of punches on their arm that equals their age (e.g. 14 punches on the arm for a 14-year-old). Usually it is followed with a 'one for luck' punch which tends to be harder than the rest. Birthday beats are not often malicious but sometimes can be considered bullying and may ruin a child's special day.

Typical birthday party decorations include balloons, streamers and confetti.

For special birthdays and for when the number of candles might be considered impractical or a fire hazard, special candles might be substituted for the many individual candles. These candles are in the shape of a numeral; for example, on the fifth birthday there may be one candle on the cake in the shape of the numeral 5, and on the fiftieth birthday there may be two candles on the cake, one in the shape of the numeral 5 followed by the other in the shape of the numeral 0.

Glad You Were Born Today has more : www.gywbt.com

Birthday Party History

In most English-speaking countries it is traditional to sing the song Happy Birthday to You to the honored person celebrating his birthday. Similar songs exist in other languages such as "Lang zal hij/zij leven" in Dutch, "Zum Geburtstag Viel Glück" in German, "Cumpleaños Feliz" in Spanish, or "Sto lat" in Polish. This happens traditionally at a birthday party while someone brings a birthday cake into the (often darkened) room.