Why do we celebrate birthdays?
Asked by
nayeight (
3353
)
December 9th, 2008
Today is my birthday and I was just wondering why people celebrate their birthdays? (Besides keeping track of how old you are) Why are there parties? What’s up with birthday cake? And why suprise people with a party on their birthday? They know its their birthday so it can’t be all that suprising. Whats the real meaing of celebrating your birthday?
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14 Answers
Realizing that you’re 1 year closer to death? :-)...nah too depressing
I celebrate birthdays because I’m glad to be here! I celebrate other people’s birthdays for the same reason. No one can ignore their birthday around me. :)
I’m guessing it comes from a time when if you reached another year it was actually an achievement.
Um. I am always looking for excuses to eat cake. IMO, Once I get so old that I don’t want cake on my birthday, it’s time to call it quits w/ life :P.
Happy Birthday!!!! now where’s my piece of cake?
I agree with Enzo. Usually we celebrate accomplishments (July 4, Thanksgiving, Easter), and b-days just don’t seem like much of an accomplishment worthy of celebration these days. Which means that back in the day it must have been a pretty important accomplishment.
Yep.. it wasn’t until the 20th century that mortality rates significantly dropped, thanks to the advent of antibiotics and modern medicine. Lots of things that are considered minor now were often fatal. So, every year you lived was something to be thankful for and celebrated.
Winter was the hardest time.. way back when, they wouldn’t mark the date, but they would count how many summers you had, meaning how many winters you’d lived through.
Everyone loves to feel special, and what better day to feel special than the day that you came into existence!
Happy bday!
I guess it’s because you can actually measure your accomplishments, isn’t that worth of a celebration???!!!
Well I’m 22 and happy to have made it here healthy and happy…haha. Thanks for the birthday wishes!
Oh, yeah, wow, I’m an idiot… Happy birthday!
I agree with dynamicduo. Everyone should have their own special day. I hope yours is nayeight. Happy Birthday!
because hallmark needs more money.
but from a less cynical view, because it’s nice to have a day all about you. and if jesus got a holiday all to himself just for being born, i guess everyone else jumped on that bandwagon from there aha
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