Why do we cut cakes and blow candles on birthdays?

 Every year we cut a cake, blow candles and sing the "happy birthday" song. But have you ever sat back and wondered, why we follow this ritual year after year? It's not even a part of our country's culture and yet somehow from the poor to rich, through all religions, we follow this exact ritual. Where did it originate from? Why do we follow it? Is this somehow related to colonization?

 All of your questions will be answered in this blog. So, grab a cup of chai, get comfy and keep scrolling.

Tradition of cutting cakes

According to legends, in the Roman culture, cakes were served to guests during special occasions like weddings. Initially, these cakes were made in flat circular shapes with ingredients like flour, honey and nuts.

 In ancient Greece,  people would offer round or moon-shaped cakes to the goddess Artemis, the moon goddess, as a form of tribute. The lit candles on the cake represented the glowing moon.

During the 15th century AD, the German bakeries introduced single-layered cakes for birthday celebrations in the market. This banished the myth that a cake can only be cut at weddings and led to the creation of the tradition of cutting a cake on birthdays.There was a tradition known as 'Kinderfest' , where a candle-lit cake was used to celebrate the birthday of a child. The number of candles on the cake symbolized the age of the individual.

Lighting candles

In Christian tradition, the custom of lighting candles on cakes is thought to have been inspired by the ritual of lighting candles on religious altars. The cake, with its candles, is meant to symbolize the "light of life" or the passage of time.

Candles were also believed to have a protective and symbolic significance. Blowing out the candles was thought to carry one's wishes and prayers to the gods, and it was believed that if all the candles were blown out in one breath, the wish would come true.

Over time, the practice of lighting candles on a cake became more of a celebratory gesture, and the act of blowing out the candles evolved into a tradition where the birthday person makes a wish before blowing out the candles.

Theories on lighting and blowing candles

There are multiple ancient theories explaining why we light and blow candles  on our birthdays, one of them comes from the Pagans ( a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main or recognized religions.), who said that birthday candles held a symbolic power. It was widely believed that bad spirits visited people on their birthdays, and in order to protect the birthday person, all their family members and friends surrounded them while they lit the candle and blew it. This was done to ward away these evil spirits and keep them at bay.

The happy birthday song

The happy birthday song that we all sing today, first originated in English speaking countries, soon it became so popular that it was translated into more than 18 languages and was sung around the world, with the same classic tone. 

India

Now you might be wondering, all that's okay but it was never part of our Indian culture, so how did that happen? Well the obvious answer is, ding ding ding, you guessed it, Western influence.

Due to modernization and globalization, we too joined in the tradition of cakes and candles. Many such Western customs got adopted into our own local traditions.

 Another reason might be that since birthdays are such joyous and happy events, the entire community, our friends and family join in to celebrate with us. Due to this sharing cake is a communal activity that brings people together. The act of cutting the cake symbolizes sharing happiness and joy with our loved ones.

References: 

• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/food-news/why-do-we-cut-cake-and-blow-candles-on-birthdays/photostory/86936402.cms?picid=86936417
• https://kannada.oneindia.com/lifestyle/cake-birthday-why-do-we-cut-cake-and-blow-candles-on-birthdays-324807.html
• Chatgpt
• Google images and search
• Pinterest