Latin America - In several Latino cultures, a girl's 15th birthday, called a quinceanera, marks her passage into adulthood. This celebration often includes a religious ceremony at church, in which the young lady recognizes her heritage and her spiritual journey. Many quinceaneras include a candle-lighting ceremony, where a young woman illuminates her parents' candles using the flame of her own candle. In turn, her parents light the candles of their parents, and so on. In some Latin American countries, a young woman changes her shoes from flats to heels during the ceremony.
Mexico - Piñatas. The piñata, usually made out of paper mache and in the form of an animal, is filled with goodies and hung from the ceiling. The birthday child is blindfolded and hits the piñata until it is cracked open. All the children share the goodies. The song Las Mananitas is sung. Also, when a daugher is 15, the birthday is celebrated with a special mass in her honor. A party is then given to introduce her to everyone as a young woman. The father dances a waltz with her. People believe that the child who breaks open the piñata will have good luck.
Nepal -Mark on the forehead. A certain mixture of rice yogurt and color is placed on the birthday child's forehead for good luck.
New Zealand - Birthday claps. After the birthday cake is lit, the happy birthday song is sung loudly and often out of tune and then the person birthday person receives a clap for each year they have been alive and then one for good luck.
Panama - Piñatas and large parties. The piñata is the most important item. They are usually made to resemble a character to correspond with a theme. It is filled with candy and confetti and is either hit with a stick or there are ribbons on it to pull. When the cake is served, the happy birthday song is often performed in two languages, Spanish and English. The cake is served with ice cream. The extended family is invited and sometimes up to 100 children are invited.
Russia - Birthday Pies. Instead of a birthday cake, many Russian child receive a birthday pie with a birthday greeting carved into the crust.
South Africa - Presentation of a key at age twenty-one. On the twenty-first birthday a key made of anything from paper to aluminum foil to silver to gold is presented by the parents as a sign that the child is ready to unlock the door to their future.
Spain (Spanish / Latin) The Quinceañera is the Latina coming-of-age celebration on a girl's 15th birthday. The word "quinceañera" is derived from the Spanish words "quince" for 15 and "años" for years. The Quinceañera is one of the few universal Latin American occasions, celebrated from Mexico to Argentina. In the United States the tradition thrives, particularly among second and third generation Hispanic girls. The Quinceañera has its origins many centuries ago when both boys and girls participated in rites of passage. To prepare for "womanhood," girls were separated from other children at the age of 15 so the elder women could teach them about their future roles as members of family and community. During the official rites of passage, the community would thank the gods for the future wives and mothers, and the young women would vow to serve the community. Later, missionaries turned the event into a personal affirmation of faith by the young women and a pledge to become good Christian wives and mothers. A church celebration became an important part of the occasion. Today, the Quinceañera celebration often is a lavish party that includes a mariachi band, a feast and many guests – much like a wedding. The young woman wears an elaborate dress in pink, white, light blue or lavender. Traditions include receiving a church blessing, having 14 attendants and escorts to represent the previous 14 years of life, presenting a porcelain doll to a younger sister to symbolize leaving childhood behind, changing from flats into high-heeled shoes to represent becoming a young woman, and dancing the first dance with the young woman's father.
United States - (North America) Throughout history, Native American tribes have placed significance on milestones in a child's development rather than the day he or she was born. The day a child takes its first step is cause for just as much rejoicing as the day he or she accepts the responsibilities of an adult, gets married, becomes a parent, etc. The majority of American children, however, celebrate birthdays with a cake topped with lighted candles. Most families use the candles to represent how old a person is turning, i.e., one candle for a one-year-old, etc. When the cake is set before the guest of honor, he or she is supposed to make a wish, without telling anyone what it is. After making a wish, he or she tries to blow out the candles. If all the candles go out with one breath, it is believed that the wish will come true! Some children receive birthday "spankings", which are were originally based on superstition, but are now more of a birthday prank or a joke. Hundreds of years ago, spankings were given for each year of the birthday child's life. Beyond that number, a child received another spanking to grow on, one to live on, one to eat on, one to be happy on, and yet another spanking to get married on. At one time, it was considered back luck if the birthday celebrant was not spanked because it was believed to "soften up the body for the tomb." Historians are unsure if the practice of swatting the birthday girl or boy was treated as a joke, as people view it today. Singing "Happy Birthday to You" has also been a long-standing tradition on birthdays as well. It was written by two American sisters in 1893, and has been translated into several languages around the world. Cake, candles and song.
