The Fascinating World of Birthdays

Birthdays are celebrated worldwide, with customs varying by culture. The tradition of celebrating the anniversary of one's birth is rooted in astrology and marking personal milestones.

The ancient Greeks offered moon-shaped cakes to Artemis as a form of tribute to the lunar goddess, which is considered a precursor to birthday cakes.

The addition of candles on cakes started with the Germans. They believed the light symbolized the 'light of life,' and smoke carried prayers to the heavens.

The 'Happy Birthday' song was composed by the Hill sisters in 1893. Making wishes before blowing out candles is a practice intended to send messages to the gods.

In many East Asian cultures, a child's first birthday, or 'Doljanchi' in Korea, is a significant event with rituals and predictions for the child's future.

Statistically, birthdays are not evenly distributed throughout the year, with September being the most common birth month due to holiday conception rates.

In a curious twist, four U.S. Presidents were born on July 4th, making it the date with the highest concentration of presidential birthdays.

Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her birthday twice a year, in April and June, due to unpredictable British weather.