Differences between Chinese and Westerners' birthdays

1. Tradition

Celebrating the birthdays of the elderly is usually a birthday noodle and birthday bag made for them by their children; for children's birthdays, their parents will seal red envelopes to their sons and daughters as a gesture. Eggs are boiled and eaten on the birthdays of both children and the elderly.

In most English-speaking countries, people sing the song "Happy Birthday to You" at birthday parties to wish the birthday person well. It is usually sung in unison when someone holds out a birthday cake with birthday candles lit at a birthday party.

2, time

The Chinese new year begins on the first day of the Lunar New Year, which means that after New Year's Eve, everyone will be a year older. So the new year "out with the old and in with the new" means that there is a certain meaning of the number of years. In general, it is still customary to use the lunar calendar for birthdays. So since the Republic of China, everyone can have two birthdays, one on the lunar calendar and one on the Gregorian calendar.

Westerners' birthdays are relatively simple. The date is the Gregorian calendar date of the day of birth. If the birthday happens to be February 29th, the birthday is only celebrated every leap year.

1. Customs Around the World

National customs vary around the world, and so do the ways of celebrating birthdays.

1. In China, when a child turns one year old, things such as books, pins and coins are placed around the child. Each of these things has a specific meaning, and what the toddler touches will foreshadow the future of his or her life. This is known to most families as the "week of catching".

2. Chinese middle-aged and elderly people often eat long noodles on their birthdays to indicate longevity.

3, Brazilian birthday food is candy.

4, Icelanders eat pancakes with candied fruit on their birthdays.

5. The British celebrate birthdays throughout the day. In schools, children on their birthdays are often grabbed by the arms and necks of their feet and held up, once a year, as a sign of growing taller.

6, Dutch children celebrate their birthdays by not only getting gifts, but also distributing them to others.

7. In Mexico, congratulations are offered as early as possible on birthdays for good luck. Birthday celebrants are often woken up in the middle of the night by friends who wish them well.

8, Indians have religious colors on birthdays. Prayers and blessings must be said before dawn.

9, Thai people in the night before the birthday to light two long candles, one with the birthday person as tall, in order to live a long life. If they go out too early, it is an ominous sign.

Second, the birthday traceability

Thousands of years, the Chinese method of recording birthdays with the West is simply very different. A new Chinese year begins on the first day of the Lunar New Year, which means that after New Year's Eve, everyone grows a year older. Therefore, the New Year's greeting also means that there is a certain meaning of the number of years in it. And the general birthday or customary use of the lunar calendar.

So everyone can have two birthdays, one on the lunar calendar and one on the Gregorian calendar. Because the Chinese Lunar Calendar is a modified lunar calendar, which is related to the moon's rotation cycle, each year's Lunar Calendar birthday corresponds to a different date in the Gregorian calendar.

The custom of birthday parties originated in Europe long ago. It was believed that on the day of one's birthday, the devil would come sniffing around. In order to keep the person celebrating his birthday safe from harm, friends and family would come to his house to spend the crisis with him*** and bring feelings of concern and good wishes. Giving gifts can make the atmosphere more pleasant thus keeping the devil away.

This is where birthday parties came from. At first only the king was considered big enough to get the right to hold a birthday party. Gradually, children were also able to have birthday parties on their own birthdays. The first birthday parties for children appeared in Germany and were known as Kinderfests.

Baidu Wikipedia - Having a Birthday

Baidu Wikipedia - Birthday

Baidu Wikipedia - Birthday