Where did the tradition of lighting candles on birthdays begin?

The custom according originated in Greece.

In ancient Greece, people believed in Artemis, the goddess of the moon. On her annual birthday celebration, people would always put honey cakes and many lighted candles on the altar to create a sacred atmosphere to show their special reverence for the moon goddess. Later, with the passage of time, because of the love of children, the ancient Greeks in the celebration of their children's birthdays, but also always love to set the table with pastries and other things, and in the above, and put a lot of lighted small candles, and add a new activity - blowing out these lighted candles. They believe that the lighted candles have mysterious power, and if the birthday child makes a wish in his heart and then blows out all the candles in one breath, then the child's wish will surely come true. So blowing out the candles became a small program with auspicious significance in the birthday banquet, and later gradually developed to whether in the children or adults or even the elderly birthday party or banquet have blowing out the candles of this interesting activities.

Europeans in the Middle Ages believed that birthdays were the most vulnerable days for the soul to be invaded by demons, so on birthdays, family and friends would gather around to give their blessings and send cakes to bring good luck and expel demons.

By then, celebrating birthdays with a cake became a tradition all over the world, for young and old, rich and poor. Although the birthday cake customs are similar in some countries today, everyone celebrates their birthdays differently with a cake. People everywhere have their own rituals for using cakes on birthdays according to their religious beliefs and ancient cultural traditions. Our country also used "noodles" to celebrate the birthday, on behalf of the "long life" meaning.