Being from different cultures, I figured that the German Birthday may be celebrated a little differently from here in America. I celebrated my birthday this past weekend by machining parts for a car and drinking a Shamrock Shake from McDonalds. May be a different way to spend a birthday, but it made me think how people may from half a world away.
Finding an article on about.com about German birthday celebrations it states right off may customs are not too different. Cake, presents, the whole nine yards... but some different traditions caught my eye. The first was never to wish a German happy birthday before their actual birthday... its bad luck. So with that, I would be the most unlucky person being wished happy birthday by everyone almost a day early...
The second more interesting was about turning 16. Apparently there is a random custom to be chased with flour to be poured on your head. When you turn 18 you receive a drenching in eggs over your head. Both of these had no explanation with them, but they seem an interesting custom.
The next 2 were if your not married in Germany for your 25th and 30th birthdays. When you are 25, you are greeted with a stringing of socks filled with beer to drink as a guy and cigarettes to smoke as a girl. Basically an embarrassing task to accomplish as a loner on your birthday. Turning 30 is even more bizarre in having to polish door knobs as a girl and sweeping streets as a guy until freed from your task by a kiss from the opposite gender. I guess these are just clever ways to let the world know you are old... and alone...
The nicer of the comments I saw were if a German asks you out for your birthday, don't even think about paying. They are paying for the party themselves. That sounded like me trying to buy pizza for my friends on my birthday when they refused and bought it themselves. Of course, I didn't fight too hard just from a different custom being recognized.
Either way, a birthday is a great time to enjoy either way you spend it. If you would like to read more, the link I found is posted here. And happy birthday to everyone!!! (But only if its today)
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