The History and Fun Facts of Birthdays

Friday, January 30, 2026

Birthdays. We all have them. Some of us celebrate them loudly with cake, banners, and a suspicious amount of prosecco. Others would quite happily pretend the whole thing isn’t happening and just eat a biscuit in peace.

But have you ever stopped mid–slice of Victoria sponge and wondered why we celebrate birthdays at all? Who decided that adding fire to cake was a sensible idea? And at what point did singing Happy Birthday become a globally accepted act of mild social torture?

Pull up a chair (preferably near the cake), because birthdays have a surprisingly long, weird, and occasionally unhinged history. From ancient gods and evil spirits to medieval peasants who absolutely did not get a party, here’s the story of birthdays—plus plenty of fun facts you can casually drop at your next celebration.

Birthdays: Older Than You Think (and Much Stranger)

Let’s start at the beginning—Ancient Egypt, because that’s where everything interesting seems to begin.

Ancient Egypt: Not Your Birthday, Darling

The earliest recorded “birthdays” weren’t actually about being born at all. Egyptians celebrated the coronation day of pharaohs, which marked their “birth” as gods on Earth.

So technically, the first birthdays were:

• Not for normal people
• Not about actual birth
• And very much about divine ego

Relatable? Not especially. But impressive.

Ancient Greece: Cake, Candles, and a Side of Superstition

The Greeks were the first to introduce something recognisably birthday-ish. They baked round honey cakes to honour Artemis, goddess of the moon, and added candles to make them glow like—well—the moon.

Sound familiar? That’s because:

• Cake ✔️
• Candles ✔️
• Making a wish ✔️

Yes, we have the Greeks to thank for your yearly fire hazard.

They believed the smoke carried wishes up to the gods, which is lovely in theory and mildly concerning in practice when you’re eight and leaning too close to the flames.

Romans: Finally, Regular People Get a Birthday

The Romans were the first civilisation to celebrate individual birthdays—but (plot twist) only for men.

Women had to wait until around the 12th century for official birthday recognition. Until then, they were presumably just… timeless.

Romans celebrated:

• Men turning 50 with special cakes
• Important citizens with public festivities
• Emperors with national holidays

Basically, if you were powerful, male, or rich, you got cake. Everyone else got on with it.

The Middle Ages: Birthdays? Absolutely Not.

If you were hoping medieval Europe was big on birthday joy, I regret to inform you that it was not a vibe.

During the Middle Ages:

• Birthdays were linked to astrology and superstition
• Celebrating them was considered pagan
• Most people didn’t even know their exact birth date

Instead, people celebrated name days—feast days of the saint they were named after. This was:

• Less about cake
• More about religion
• Considerably less fun

No balloons. No candles. No personalised banners. Tragic.

When Birthdays Became What We Know Today

The Germans Gave Us Children’s Birthday Parties

In 18th-century Germany, Kinderfeste were introduced—birthday celebrations specifically for children.

And this is where things get very familiar:

• A cake with candles (one per year, plus an extra for luck)
• Candles stayed lit all day
• Blowing them out at once was crucial

Fail to blow them out in one go? No wish for you. Pressure, honestly.

Victorian Britain: Making Birthdays Properly Polite

Victorians loved structure, rules, and pretending not to enjoy themselves too much. Naturally, they formalised birthdays into something respectable.

This era gave us:

• Birthday cards
• Carefully written invitations
• Structured parties with etiquette

Also, mass-produced sugar became affordable, which meant cake for everyone, not just the aristocracy. A genuinely iconic moment in history.

The Birthday Song: A Global Earworm

Let’s talk about Happy Birthday to You.

Originally written in 1893 as Good Morning to All by two American sisters, the tune slowly evolved into the song we know today.

Fun facts:

• It was once copyrighted (imagine being charged for singing it)
• It’s one of the most recognised songs in the world
• Everyone sings it slightly too fast and in the wrong key

And no one knows what to do with their hands while it’s happening.

Birthday Cakes: Why Not Pie? (A Missed Opportunity)

Birthday cakes became popular because cake:

• Was expensive (so it felt special)
• Could be decorated
• Held candles without immediately collapsing

Early cakes were more like bread with sugar and fruit—less buttercream fantasy, more “this will do”.

Modern birthday cakes, however, are:

• Taller
• Sweeter
• Structurally alarming

And yet, socially mandatory.

Why Candles Equal Your Age (and Why That’s Rude After 30)

Putting one candle per year made sense when life expectancy was lower and birthdays were fewer. Now? By the time you hit 40, it’s:

• A fire risk
• A wax disaster
• A personal attack

This is why many people switch to:

• Number candles
• One symbolic candle
• Or absolutely no candles whatsoever, thank you

Birthday Superstitions from Around the World

Because birthdays weren’t already weird enough.

China

• Long noodles are eaten for longevity
• Cutting noodles is bad luck
• Cake is optional, slurping is encouraged

Germany

• Celebrating before your birthday is bad luck
• No early wishes allowed
• No early presents

Germans do not mess about.

Brazil

• First slice of cake goes to the most important person
• Often not the birthday person
• Politics may ensue

Jamaica

• You might get thrown flour on your birthday
• Or eggs
• Or both

It’s celebratory. Allegedly.

Fun Birthday Facts You Can Casually Show Off With

Let’s get into the good stuff.

• The most common birthday in the world is 9 September
• The least common is 29 February (sorry, leaplings)
• “Birthday blues” are real and very common
• People tend to be happier on birthdays… unless expectations ruin it

Also:

• More candles = more bacteria (you’re welcome)
• Birthdays boost nostalgia
• Cake improves everything (scientifically, probably)

Why We Still Care So Much About Birthdays

In a world where time moves far too quickly, birthdays give us:

• A pause
• A milestone
• An excuse for cake at 10am

They mark survival. Growth. Another year of doing our best. Or at least turning up.

Birthdays aren’t really about age. They’re about:

• Being seen
• Being remembered
• Being allowed to celebrate yourself without guilt

And honestly? We could all use that more than once a year.

Modern Birthdays: Choose Your Own Adventure

Today, birthdays come in many flavours:

• Big parties
• Quiet dinners
• Entire weekends
• Or complete denial

Some people track them meticulously in digital calendars (hello 👋), others rely on Facebook and panic.

But whether you:

• Go all out
• Keep it low-key
• Or just want cake and silence

Your birthday is allowed to look exactly how you want it to.

Final Slice of Cake 🍰

From ancient gods to modern group chats asking “what time should we come?”, birthdays have evolved—but the heart of them hasn’t changed.

They’re about marking time, celebrating life, and eating something sweet while pretending we’re not getting older.

And if nothing else, birthdays are a reminder that:

• You exist
• You matter
• And you deserve cake

Preferably tracked in a beautiful digital calendar, of course.