Birthday Celebrations

Birthday celebrations are such an occasion that has the power to bring the world together. In United States of America the birthdays of famous personalities like Martin Luther King, Jr., Abraham Lincoln and George Washington are celebrated largely. These particular days of the year are also declared as national holidays in USA.

In some parts of the central and southern America there is a tradition to celebrate birthday parties with a pinata. A pinata is made of paper mache and is shaped into various type of animal, the body of which is stuffed with candy and small toys for the kids. The pinata is usually hung up high from a pole or a tree, so that it's difficult to for them to reach and they have to try hard to break it in order to fetch the candies and toys. Kids are given a stick to break open the pinata and get the goodies out of the paper mache animal bodies. This process is often made interesting by blind folding the children.

Unless it's a milestone birthday like 16, 21, 40, 50 or more, birthdays in USA are a more common celebration among children. Birthday decoration thus becomes a very important part of birthday celebrations. Balloons and streamers along with gorgeous banners are the most important elements of birthday decor.

Birthday celebrations are made special with friends and close ones presence. For the kids presents, cakes and ice creams simply add fun and joy to the celebration. Special cake topped with fruits or candies are every kid's favorite. Candles equaling their age is lit and placed on the top of the cake. Children find it very amusing to blow out the candles one by one before they cut the cake and everyone present clap and sing the birthday song aloud. The Americans have a common belief that if one can blow out the birthday candles one by one successfully one of their secret wishes will come true.

There is also a common practice in USA to make a birthday celebration more fun. The children are asked to make a wish before they cut the cake. Once they have decided what they want they are made to blow out the candles in one breath. If they succeed it is believed that their wish will come true. There is also a weird superstition in some parts of USA to give the birthday boy or girl birthday spankings. This is now followed in all parts of the world and is regarded as birthday prank or joke. Earlier it was believed that spanking brought good luck to the child so they were spanked as many times as their age would be then. The elderly people of the house would also spank the child for their success.

A very popular birthday celebration in the United States is the sweet sixteen party. These parties are only celebrated for girls reaching the age of sixteen. Since its sweet sixteen the symbol of the party is sugar.

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