What is your Birthday tradition?
By caribe
@caribe (2465)
United States
December 8, 2006 11:12am CST
How do you celebrate birthdays?
In Nicaragua where I live, many times the person is awakened by a band hired to serenade them. They sing songs and play guitar, marimba, or other instruments. They come very early in the morning depending on the time arranged, but sometimes as early as 4 a.m. Refreshments are served to the people serenading and they sing for 30 minutes to an hour. Then someone sets off fireworks in the street.
Some people have parties and those are usually held in the late afternoon or evening. The guests bring a little gift but the gift isn’t opened while the guests are there. Usually a dish called Vigeron is served which consists of fried pork rinds and a cabbage salad similar to cole slaw. Sometimes cake is served. Sometimes a band is hired. Most of these things depends on whether the family has money to do these things. If they don’t, then the person whose birthday it is, might get a little gift of an article of clothing.
1 person likes this
22 responses
@ossie16d (11821)
• Australia
9 Dec 06
This certainly sounds interesting caribe, but we have nothing like that at all. For birthdays people do different things here in Australia. In my family, we always have breakfast and the evening meal together. Presents are given in the morning and that night we might go out with friends or sometimes we will just stay home and have a special meal. For significant birthdays (18th, 21st etc), we will generally stay home but invite friends to share the day with us.
This year my husband will turn 60, but as it is on Christmas Day we will have a small party with friends. I will make him a special birthday cake plus he will get both birthday and Christmas presents on the same day - which happens every year anyway. :)
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@rmuxagirl (7548)
• United States
8 Dec 06
Here in the U.S it really depends on the person. For me I go out with my friends. This year we just hung out at a bar and talked until 1:30 in the morning. For my best friend's birthday we're going to a club, for her b/f's we had a party. It various each year and with our moods.
@wmg2006 (5381)
• United States
8 Dec 06
That sounds interesting, but I may not like the part where they come so early. I would enjoy being serenaded though. Being from Mississippi we do the old fashion, cake, ice cream, gifts. We are having a Birthday party here at work for a co-worker today. The problem with this is as our company grows there are more and more Birthday parties which makes my waist line grow too!
@caribe (2465)
• United States
11 Dec 06
I don't particularly like the serenading so early in the morning but it is still nice. I would prefer it in the evening but there could be problems that the honored person might not be home. This way, there's a strong possibility that they are home. LOL. Birthday parties at work are nice. I always enjoyed doing that.
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@lulylove (1560)
• Brazil
18 Dec 06
I love waking up late in the day of my anniversary therefore I prefer that all is arisen for I later receiving the Congratulations! lolol I love gaining gifts of my friends who come to visit me of morning and later that I know that all already are in my house, there yes I I raise of the bed.
@janegosford (196)
• United States
8 Dec 06
Wow. That sounds really cool. In the US it varies. Some people get crazy & go partying with their friends & get really drunk. Others will just go out to dinner with friends &/or family, open up gifts, & usually eat their birthday cake. That's pretty much it.
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@gaurav_chaitanya (83)
• India
9 Dec 06
i also make party with my friends
we just go outside to a hill station and enjoy with drinks and dinner
its amazing fun
but whenever i m thr at home i follow my tradition
@maryannemax (12156)
• Sweden
9 Dec 06
i don't celebrate my birthday much. i just let it pass like any ordinary days in my life. i am glad if people remember me on my birthday and greet me. but i don't spend money jsut for my birthday. i don't belong to a rich family. so, i need to save money as much as i can.
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@deebomb (15304)
• United States
15 Dec 06
In my family we usually give gifts then go out to supper. We don't do the birthday cake any more because we don't care for cake that much. We used to do ice cream cake until my son got married. now every thing has changed for holidays. The Grandkids have had birthday parties as well as the family supper. and no more ice cream cakes. and no more meals out together
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@slcsindia (116)
• Chennai, India
9 Dec 06
In India, where i live have started celebrating the birthday in a luxurious manner. But in our home, we will celebrate in a different way. Till 12'o' clock , we will wait and greet the birthday baby(who ever is} with cake. Then early morning we will do the prayer and then we will give presents to him or her. Then we all will prepare the specials, liked by the concerned person. Then in the evening, chidren will celebrate with thier friends by eating and playing, and small gifts also there for the winners. Everything we will do in the home only.
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@vinney_143 (662)
• India
9 Dec 06
we won't celebrate our birthdays, because in our society there are hell a lot of people without any food. Instead it's good to help them.
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@Myfamousfairy (17)
• Philippines
9 Dec 06
Celebrating birthdays depends on one's budget regardless of the place of origin. Well, i celebrate my birthday more importantly by going to church attend holy mass or if not possible light a candle and offer a prayer of thanks for a blessed year. Prepare a food to eat with the family and some closest friends.
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@ChewySpree (1832)
• United States
9 Dec 06
In my family we always have a simple family dinner with everyone. It's never fancy, we just all get together and enjoy each other's company.
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@jricbt (1454)
• Brazil
9 Dec 06
Well, I do not follow my country traditions, but I take three days off to celebrate my birthday (I was born april/3rd), so I take a mini-vacation of three days from april/2 to april/4.
And I buy something special to me, and no parties. (Last year I bought myself a new car).
@ghanshyamnwd (46)
• India
9 Dec 06
yum yum, i like my birthday's very much, they are for knowing , which people really care for you , and a day of getting gifts, i like to go to temple on morning and getting blessing of elders, and they rock party with friends, that's all from me.
@arseniajoaquin (1732)
• Philippines
18 Dec 06
I'm happy to know your custom on birthday celebration
But I think, wherever the birthday celebrant be, the celebration depends upon the availability of funds and the way we look at it.
When I was a child, we have some sort of preparation for people to eat. But as grew older, money became scarce that we could no longer afford offer food. When I was baptized into Christ and learned that the Lord has never celebrated His birthday, I forget all about celebrating birthdays.
Now that it's December, many celebrate Christmas as the birthday of our Lord. There's nothing in the Holy Bible which shows when was the day the Lord was born and so December 25 has no Biblical basis.
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