American birthday habits

In most English-speaking countries, people sing "Happy Birthday to You" at birthday parties to bless those who celebrate their birthdays. Usually at a birthday Party, when someone holds out a birthday cake with birthday candles lit, everyone sings in unison (usually turn off the lights and keep the room dark). Birthday cake is usually a beautifully decorated cake, and candles as old as the birthday girl should be inserted on it when it is served. The birthday girl should make a wish silently, and then blow out the candle. This is because in ancient times, Europeans believed that smoke could go to heaven. Blowing out the candle after making a wish means that the wish can reach the sky with the smoke. And if all the candles are blown out in one breath, then the wish may come true. There is a superstition that if you express your wishes, it will not work. The birthday girl usually has to cut the cake first, unless she is too young, her parents can do it for her.

If the birthday party is held in a restaurant, it will also sing a birthday song. The waiter in the restaurant may lead the singer and then bring dessert (which may or may not be cake, which may or may not be free). This dessert may use something shiny instead of candles. Other customers in the restaurant usually join in to bless and sing. In some restaurants, there will be special non-traditional birthday songs and dance performances.

For some special birthdays or because there is a risk of fire caused by the number of candles, special candles may replace the actual number of small candles. These candles are made into numbers. For example, you may light a candle like the number 5 on the cake with your birthday, and a candle like the number 5 on your 5th birthday.

Birthday is a very special day for everyone, so people who celebrate their birthdays will be treated specially by friends and family. Therefore, children are very much looking forward to their birthdays, and even hope to come early, but adults are more disgusted, because someone has come to congratulate themselves on being one year older. In addition to parties, there will be gifts for people who have celebrated their birthdays. Generally speaking, they will get a lot of gifts from friends and family.

Children's birthday parties are generally interesting, and there are many interesting games, such as the eagle catching the chicken Pin the Tail on the Donkey, the seat grab game, hitting pi? Atas and so on. Adults' birthday parties are more formal, usually having a big dinner in a restaurant. No matter what age, the purpose of these parties is to make birthday people feel very happy. There is a joke that a birthday is sometimes called the best day in a year, and the day after it is the worst day in a year, because there is still one year until the next birthday!

There is also a tradition called surprise parties. Sometimes people deliberately seem to forget someone's birthday, making people who want to celebrate their birthday feel neglected, but in fact everyone is secretly preparing for a surprise party. On the contrary, many people keep their mouths shut about this party, because everyone is looking forward to it.