Blowing the candles off a birthday cake is the main event of any birthday occasion. Everybody is thrilled by it, and the birthday celebrant just can't wait to say a wish and blow the candles off in hopes of making the wish come true. How did the birthday cake long-time tradition begin? Why not put cathedral windows jell-o instead? Such a trivial thing perhaps, but there are truths surrounding the birthday cake that is worth mentioning.
First let us identify what are considered as birthday cakes. Generally, these are any sort of sponge cake that may come in various sizes, flavours, and exterior icings. As long as at least some candles can be placed on top of it, the birthday cake would automatically be recognisable among visitors.
According to research, the offering of birthday cakes started when the Greeks presented Artemis, the Goddess of Moon, round-shaped cakes made of special flour and grains, which symbolised the shape of the moon.
Later on, during the Middle Ages in Germany, birthday cakes began to be more commonplace and became symbolic of commemoration of the birth of a person, and of a child in particular.
Among Americans and Europeans, the birthday cake candles indicate a person's age, thus, there are stick candles for kids and the number candles for the older ones. Candles are kids' favourites because they anxiously count the years added up to their age, and with that, have a sense of growing more into maturity and freedom. Pushing towards teenage years, birthday candles no longer take the literal meaning of birthday years, but serve more as embellishment and a way to make a young person's hopes come true. The candle light symbolizes wisdom and direction in the present and future years ahead.
On the other hand, chroniclers point us to the possible idea that candles blown off a birthday cake cause the smoke to be blown in the wind and to reach the skies and arrive at the gods, taking all our silent wishes and prayers along with it .
The next time you blow your birthday cake candle, you now possess the wisdom that will make you understand the ritual better.
First let us identify what are considered as birthday cakes. Generally, these are any sort of sponge cake that may come in various sizes, flavours, and exterior icings. As long as at least some candles can be placed on top of it, the birthday cake would automatically be recognisable among visitors.
According to research, the offering of birthday cakes started when the Greeks presented Artemis, the Goddess of Moon, round-shaped cakes made of special flour and grains, which symbolised the shape of the moon.
Later on, during the Middle Ages in Germany, birthday cakes began to be more commonplace and became symbolic of commemoration of the birth of a person, and of a child in particular.
Among Americans and Europeans, the birthday cake candles indicate a person's age, thus, there are stick candles for kids and the number candles for the older ones. Candles are kids' favourites because they anxiously count the years added up to their age, and with that, have a sense of growing more into maturity and freedom. Pushing towards teenage years, birthday candles no longer take the literal meaning of birthday years, but serve more as embellishment and a way to make a young person's hopes come true. The candle light symbolizes wisdom and direction in the present and future years ahead.
On the other hand, chroniclers point us to the possible idea that candles blown off a birthday cake cause the smoke to be blown in the wind and to reach the skies and arrive at the gods, taking all our silent wishes and prayers along with it .
The next time you blow your birthday cake candle, you now possess the wisdom that will make you understand the ritual better.
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Throwing a birthday party? Call us now for your catering and dessert needs. Free reprint avaialable from: Why Do We Blow The Candles Off A Birthday Cake? The Important Place Of Birthday Cakes In A Birthday Celebration For Both Children And Older Ones.
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