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Feliz Cumpleanos


Mexican | Pinatas | Quinceanera | Vocab | American



Birthdays are celebrated in many cultures around the world. Each culture has their own specific traditions and celebrations influenced by the peoples spiritual and religious beliefs, many stemming from the fear of evil spirits. It was often believed that birthdays were a time when evil spirits could harm you, so family and friends would gather to protect the birthday person and wish them happiness and goodness for the upcoming year. This is how birthday parties came about, but different cultures celebrate in different ways.



World-wide Traditions:
  • Children in Argentina receive pulls on the earlobe for their birthday. Traditionally, they get one pull for each year of their life
  • In Saudi Arabia, people do not observe birthdays due to spiritual beliefs.
  • "Birthday Bumps" are given to Irish children in honor of their birthday. While held upside down, the birthday celebrant is gently bumped on the floor one time for every year of their age - plus one extra for good luck!
  • In Atlantic Canada the birthday child is ambushed and their nose is greased with margarine or butter for good luck. The greased nose makes the child too slippery for bad luck to catch them.
  • The Vietnamese do not know or acknowledge the exact day they were born. Everyone's birthday is celebrated on new years day.

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