Birthday story - mitzvah

Most cultures have one or more coming of age birthdays:

Jewish boys have a bar mitzvah on or around their 13th birthday. In Reform and Conservative Judaism, Jewish girls observe a bat mitzvah on or around their 12th or 13th birthday while in Orthodox Judaism, girls observe it on or around their 12th birthday.

In some Christian traditions, generally Catholic and Anglican, Confirmation is the ritual by which a young person becomes an official member of the Church. This sometimes includes the bestowal of a 'Confirmation name,' generally the name of a saint, which is often worn as a second middle name. Confirmation also bestows the Holy Spirit upon the confirmand, and in some churches is received concurrent with baptism or first communion.

In Latin America the quinceañera celebration traditionally marks a girl's 15th birthday.
Some girls in the United States have "sweet sixteen" birthday parties.

Glad You Were Born Today birthday song

Special birthdays - GYWBT

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Notable birthdays can include

When the most significant digit changes, for example one's 1st, 10th, 30th, 50th, or 100th birthdays. One's golden birthday, also called a champagne birthday, is the day when the age one turns and the date of birth coincide (e.g. someone turning 20 on September 20th celebrates his golden birthday). In most legal systems, one becomes a legal adult on a particular birthday, and at different ages gain different rights and responsibilities — voting, certain drug use (e.g. alcohol, tobacco), eligibility for military draft or voluntary enlistment, driving etc.

Another tradition enjoyed by girls that was popularized in the 1950s and 60s: receiving a special corsage (or several) that was decorated with candy or another inexpensive item that corresponded to age. The items were priced within reach of the peer group, and all were light enough so they could fasten easily to curly ribbons and be worn throughout the school day without problem.

History of celebration of birthdays in the West

It is thought that the large-scale celebration of birthdays in Europe began with the cult of Mithras, which originated in Persia but was spread by soldiers throughout the Roman Empire. Before this, such celebrations were not common; and, hence, practices from other contexts such as the Saturnalia were adapted for birthdays. Because many Roman soldiers took up Mithraism, it had a wide distribution and influence throughout the empire until it was supplanted by Christianity.

Birthday celebrations were rare during the Middle Ages but saw a resurgence with the advent of the Reformation. During this period, 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.

Even today, the celebration of birthdays is not universal in the West; in addition to those people preferring name day celebrations, Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate either, considering them to be pagan festivals along with Christmas and Easter. Many adults loathe celebrating it as it remindes them that they are continually getting older.

Birthday definition

A birthday is the date on which a person is born, marking the day a life outside the womb begins. It is customary in many cultures to celebrate the anniversary of one's birthday, for example by having a birthday party with family and/or friends. Gifts are often given to the person celebrating the birthday. It is also customary to treat people specially on their birthday, either generally acceding to their wishes, or subjecting them to a rite of transition.