we started putting candles on birthday cakes in the 18th century.
we started putting candles on birthday cakes in the 18th century.
when did we start putting candles on birthday cakes?
18th century
in 18th century germany, the history of candles on cakes can be traced back to kinderfest, a birthday celebration for children. this tradition also makes use of candles and cakes. german children were taken to an auditorium-like space. there, they were free to celebrate another year in a place where germans believed that adults protected children from the evil spirits attempting to steal their souls. in those times there was no tradition of bringing gifts to a birthday; guests would merely bring good wishes for the birthday person. however, if a guest did bring gifts it was considered to be a good sign for the person whose birthday it was. later, flowers became quite popular as a birthday gift.
birthday cake
there is no standard for birthday cakes, though the "happy birthday" song is often sung while the cake is served in english-speaking countries, or an equivalent birthday song in the appropriate language of the country. the phrase "happy birthday" did not appear on birthday cakes until the song "happy birthday to you" was popularized in the early 1900s. variations of birthday songs and rituals exist in different parts of the world. in uruguay, party guests touch the person's shoulder or head following the singing of "happy birthday to you". in ecuador, the person whose birthday it is will take a large bite of the birthday cake before it is served. in peru, guests used to sing "happy birthday to you" first in english with the name of the individual whose birthday it is, then in spanish, later they sing any other song in spanish regarding cake or date, finally blowing candles and serving the name cake.
birthday cake