Birthday

A birthday is the date on which a person was born. It is customary in many cultures to celebrate the anniversary of one's birthday in some way, for example by having a birthday party with friends in which gifts are given. It is also customary to treat someone especially well and generally accede to their wishes on their birthday.

History of celebration of birthdays in the West

It is thought that the large scale celebration of birthdays in Europe was due to Mithraism in the Roman Empire, and that prior to this it was not so common. Mithraism had a large influence throughout the empire, due to being taken up by many Roman soldiers, until it was supplanted by Christianity. Birthday celebrations were much rarer during the Middle Ages, but saw a resurgence with the advent of the Reformation, when they were seen as a good way to transfer customs from the saint's days to other dates not linked to the newly repudiated veneration of saints.

Related Topics:
Mithraism - Roman Empire - Christianity - Middle Ages - Reformation - Saint's day - Veneration of saints

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Even today, the celebration of birthdays is not universal in the West; in addition to those people preferring name day celebrations, the Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate either, considering them to be pagan festivals, along with Christmas and Easter.

Related Topics:
Jehovah's Witnesses - Pagan - Christmas - Easter

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