It’s impossible to imagine a birthday without blowing out the candles on your cake. But have you ever wondered why? We’ll tell you everything about this tradition!
It is generally a highly anticipated and particularly friendly moment! When you celebrate your birthday, it is customary to blow out the candles on your cake (a moment always followed by a round of hearty applause!). Here is everything you need to know about this tradition.
When did this ritual date from?
This tradition of candles is very old since it dates back to ancient Greece. At that time, when one celebrated one’s birthday, it was customary to pay homage to Artemis, the goddess of the moon, hunting and fertility. On this occasion, the Greeks prepared a honey cake in the shape of the moon and went to the temples. They placed the cake on the altar, placed a candle on it and surrounded it with candles, to imitate the glow and brilliance of the stars. Then, they knelt before the altar, and after praying and making their wishes, they blew out the candles. The smoke from the candles was supposed to reach the gods in order to grant their prayers.
A custom banned… then brought back into fashion!
However, as early as the 4th century, this ritual was banned by Christianity, which considered it pagan and recalled original sin. This explains why the first Christians did not celebrate their birthday but that of the Patron Saint whose name they bore…
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