Pies

A common tradition associated with celebrating a birthday? Even a child will immediately answer that on this holiday, the celebrant is served a birthday cake, decorated with beautiful, lit candles in an amount equal to the birthday of the birthday person. Next, a person must make a wish and blow out all the candles on the first try, while the wish is kept in strict confidence; it is believed that if all these rules are followed, the wish will definitely come true.

All this interesting action takes place accompanied by songs, hand clapping, chocolate fountains, the launching of Chinese lanterns and the joy of those gathered to congratulate the person celebrating his birthday. For an adult audience, when the cake simply cannot accommodate the required number of candles, you can offer another option: arrange the required number of candles in a circle, and inside this circle perform a belly dance with candles. Believe me, there will be even more delight than in childhood! The tradition of lighting candles on a birthday cake exists in many countries, both in Europe and in Australia and America. But where did this tradition come from, what is it connected with? There are several versions of the origin of the tradition of placing and lighting candles on a birthday cake.

Lighting candles on a birthday cake is a long-standing tradition that exists in many countries and is the most common. A cake with lit candles according to the number of years of the birthday person is, as a rule, the culminating part of the holiday, which completes a series of congratulations and wishes from family and friends. And now it’s hard to imagine a birthday without the song “Happy Birthday to you!”, making a wish and blowing out the candles. But hardly any of us know where this tradition came from and why candles on the cake are lit on a birthday. There are many versions and legends, but there is no documentary evidence.

Another legend tells that the custom of decorating a cake with burning candles came from Ancient Persia. In those distant times, the inhabitants of the East had a custom of presenting a freshly baked flatbread with a burning candle as a gift to honored guests, thus expressing sincerity and warmth of feelings.

According to the third version, the tradition first appeared in medieval England. Various “secret” objects were hidden in the birthday cake, usually coins or small jewelry. At the festive table, the pie was ceremoniously cut and food was distributed to all the guests present. Everyone present anxiously expected that the treasured ring or coin would end up in their piece of the pie, because... it promised wealth and prosperity.

The fourth says that the tradition of lighting and blowing out candles on a cake, while making a cherished wish, appeared in Germany. It was believed that the smoke from extinguished candles carried the wish directly to the sky and contributed to its speedy fulfillment. In Germany, back in the Middle Ages, they knew how to make beautiful candles from wax. On birthdays, candles were placed in the center of the cake, symbolizing the light of life. It was believed that when the birthday person blows them out, his breath carries the desire straight to heaven. In the 13th century, a cake with candles was an indispensable attribute of children's birthdays in the villages of Germany.

They woke up the birthday boy at dawn with songs and brought him a cake with burning candles. However, he was not allowed to blow out the candles and start eating the confectionery product. The pie had to remain in this form until dinner: candles that burned out were replaced with new ones. And only at dinner the birthday boy got the right to blow out the candles and make a wish. As now, the wish had to be kept secret in order for it to come true, and the candles had to be blown out at once. But they lit not as many candles as the child was turning, but one more. IN

In Germany, there was even a special folklore character, the “birthday gnome,” who brought presents for birthdays, just as Santa Claus brings them for New Year. Nowadays, such gnomes no longer exist, but the tradition of blowing out candles remains.

The fifth legend tells about the origin of the tradition in Rus', back at a time when the main religion was paganism. It was believed that on the birthday the birthday person should be surrounded exclusively by friends and relatives. The candle on the cake was supposed to protect the birthday boy from the thoughts and actions of enemies and ill-wishers.

Like sacrificial fires, burning candles have long had mystical significance, and it was believed that a candle lit on a birthday was a guarantee of a wish coming true. However, the desire (which must remain secret) will only come true if the candles are blown out. Candles lose their magical power if the desire is spoken out loud. "

It was believed that on a name day, a person’s guardian angel was always next to him (after all, it was his holiday). If you make a wish and blow out the candles, it means that your message has been received by the angel, and it will definitely be fulfilled. One important feature of this ritual is that the wish made by the birthday boy will certainly come true if he manages to extinguish all the candles on the cake with one exhalation.

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In our everyday life, we try to adhere to the traditions that were developed by our ancestors. For example, we try to get rid of cracked dishes, wear amulets and amulets, and on our birthday we blow out the candles inserted into the birthday cake. At the same time, the birthday person makes a wish, which, according to existing belief, will definitely come true. I think you will be interested to know about the history of such an original tradition.

The ancient Greeks were the first to celebrate birthdays. On the festive table they served honey cakes and pies that were shaped like the Moon. According to existing belief, it was precisely such treats that pleased the Moon Goddess Artemis, whom the Greeks worshiped. The pies were decorated with wax candles, the light of which was incredibly similar to the moon. Man celebrated his birthday once a year, while the birthdays of the Gods were celebrated monthly. Well, the Germans were the first to blow out the candles. They believed that the smoke generated during this process delivered their innermost desires to the Gods.

This custom among the Germans is directly related to the birth of Jesus. Unlike the ancient Greeks, whose cakes were shaped like a moon disk, the Germans baked cakes in the shape of folded baby diapers. A candle was placed in the center of such a culinary product, which the birthday boy blew out, making a secret wish, and the resulting smoke, according to legend, was supposed to convey his request to the Gods.

Over time, the custom has changed somewhat. Other candles began to be added to the candle standing in the center of the cake, the number of which corresponded to the age of the birthday person. It was believed that this would make the next year of his life happy and carefree. Lighted on the cake, they were supposed to burn until the evening. If the need arose, they were replaced with new ones, not allowing the flame to go out. At the last stage of the holiday, the traitor blew out the candles, making a wish. The resulting smoke carried away his innermost request to the Gods. The hero of the day could only wait for its fulfillment.

At all times, people associated a birthday cake with candles lit on it with goodness, vitality, and the fulfillment of innermost desires. This interesting tradition has survived to this day, almost unchanged. Today, on a traitor’s birthday, they are also served a birthday cake with candles burning on it in an amount equal to the number of his years. By blowing them out, the hero of the day makes a secret wish, which, along with the smoke, is carried away to heaven to the Gods.

Children really like this tradition. By blowing out the candles, each of them can make one single, innermost wish, which will certainly come true, albeit not without the help of adults. In addition, this is a rather bright and memorable sight, which is combined with the opportunity to taste one of the most favorite delicacies.

But in England, a festive pie is served on the table, which is filled with various items. And if a person comes across a piece with a coin, then this is a sign that good luck and prosperity will accompany him for a whole year.

All holiday traditions have developed historically and are associated with some ritual from the past. In the modern world, blowing out candles on a cake has also been customary for a very long time and in many countries around the world.

In Germany, since the 18th century, candles were placed in the cake for every child's birthday, one more than the age of the birthday boy. An extra candle symbolized another year that the child would successfully live.

The candles burned all day and were changed, and the child made a wish and blew them out before going to bed. It was believed that the smoke that rose from the candles went straight to God, who would grant the child's wish. In those days, no one thought about whether it was possible to blow out candles on a cake, and what harm it could do.

Why you can't actually blow out candles

However, not so long ago, scientists conducted the following experiment:

Covered a piece of foam plastic with chocolate icing.
They installed a number of candles on it.
They offered to blow out the candles for those participating in the experiment.

As a result of the study, it turned out that when a person blows out candles, he draws a lot of air into his lungs, and then forcefully exhales it along with his bacteria onto the entire surface of the treat.

Then the icing was examined for the presence of bacteria, and it was found that the number of microorganisms on the cake model was almost 15 times greater than before blowing. In one case, pathogenic microbes increased their numbers by 121,000%. This result was obtained due to the fact that one of the participants in the experiment suffered from a viral infection.

You can't blow out candles if the birthday person is sick.

We all know very well what happens at an ordinary holiday. After the traditional blowing out of the candles, the cake is cut into pieces and distributed to the guests, who happily eat the contaminated delicacy. So it turns out that blowing out candles is not a safe tradition at all.

Therefore, keep in mind whether you can blow out the candles on the cake or not, of course, it’s up to you to decide. However, if you have small children whose immune systems have not yet strengthened, then it’s definitely not worth risking their health, especially when the birthday boy has obvious signs of illness and blows out the candles.

People have always believed that fire contains supernatural powers. The sun was revered as the supreme deity by a variety of peoples. At the same time, in ancient times no one believed that the gods could give such a priceless gift as fire to people completely free of charge. Therefore, numerous legends appeared about how a piece of divine light was stolen from the gods by deception.

Bonfires were not only a source of heat for people. All the most important rites and rituals of the ancient tribes took place around them.

Over time, people learned to spread the element of fire to other media, using torches and later wax candles. Candles can still be found in every home, but the meaning of fire as a means of delivering our prayers and requests “to the address” has been forgotten by many. But a candle is a direct connection with the other world...

Why do they blow out candles on a cake?

In nine out of ten cases, a person who crosses the threshold of the temple approaches a candle box. Introduction to rituals begins with a small wax candle. The candle is present at many church services, it is held in the hands of newly baptized people and those who are united in the sacrament of marriage. Among many burning candles, a funeral service is performed; with candles, pilgrims go to the procession of the Cross.

On the main Christian holidays - Christmas, Epiphany, Easter and the Nativity of the Virgin Mary - it is customary to light red rather than white candles. They have special powers, which is why many people buy hundreds of them and take them home to use after the holidays.

Along with incense, a red church candle is great for cleansing the home. And it is believed that with such a candle the prayer will more quickly reach the One for whom it is intended.

Many traditions in our lives are associated with candles. For example, birthday cake. Today it has become just a table decoration and a fun activity for blowing out candles. But actually, this ceremony has its own special meaning.

Our ancestors believed that if you stick candles into a cake baked for a birthday, then this cake will become a very powerful means of making wishes come true. This is because on a person’s birthday, his guardian angel is always next to him (after all, it is also his holiday). If you made a wish and blew out all the candles, it means that your angel helped you blow them out, which means that your mental message, your wish was received by the angel and he will deliver it up the chain of command.

It’s not only on birthdays that heaven is so favorable to our requests. The same thing happens on New Year's holidays and subsequent holidays. This is a time of miracles, magical gifts and predictions of the future, and the harshest church turns a blind eye to two weeks of continuous fortune-telling.

Making a wish “on a candle” becomes akin to praying at home; it is a completely harmless way to send your message to heaven. When you buy candles in a store, pay attention to their color. For each purpose, a special type of candle is used. After all, you can use candles whose color suits your desire.

White color means the beginning of action, the beginning of some business.

Red is the color of love, sexual relationships, fertility and the color of bold decisions and actions.

Orange – health. When you are sick, always light orange candles.

Yellow color – finances, career, creative plans. Light a yellow candle if you want to attract money into your home.

Green – family, children, pets, plants. Light a green candle before planting your vegetable garden or garden for a better harvest. Or a houseplant you want to grow.

Blue - successful passing of exams, success in studies, it is good to light such a candle before a long journey.

Pink – if you need to calm down, sleep peacefully, light a pink candle.

Brown - do you want to change your place of residence, solve some financial problems? Light a brown candle.

Golden – big action, close-ups, power. Do you want to become president? Gold candles in your home should be a no-brainer.

Black is human shortcomings and the cessation of some action or process. If you want to stop something, light a black candle.

Now, using this information, you can more accurately formulate your requests.

In the Nordic countries they believe that money loves warmth. And they often perform such a ritual. They light a candle and place a circle of coins around it. A candle warms money and increases it. Judging by how wealthy people live in Sweden and Finland, the ritual works.

They say that before the New Year you need to collect all debts so that for the next 12 months money goes into the house, and not out of the house.

To those who do not believe in this or believe, but there is no end to it, such advice can be given. Just whenever possible, light candles bought from church in your apartment. Or even in a store. And do not allow anyone else to touch them with your hands before this, because wax, stearin and paraffin have the ability to absorb energy.

And further. The stronger your desire, the more time it takes to fulfill it, the thicker the candle should be. And “crying” candles should generally be avoided - they lead to tears.

Like this. Believe it or not, they say it's true.

Good luck and stay healthy!

Why did cake become a symbol of birthday celebrations? Why do they put candles in the cake? And why do the candles on the cake need to be blown out? This question is now difficult to answer. Cakes appeared in our culture relatively recently. Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers most likely have not heard anything about cakes. They baked loaves and pies for the holidays.

Translated from Italian and Latin, torta means round bread. But the bread was most likely originally round, since a circle is a simpler form for baking. If you knead the dough and just put it in the oven, it will bake in the form of a circle. Rectangular shapes appeared to save energy when baking and for ease of storage and transportation. This most likely happened when cities began to grow. Space saving and ease of transportation and storage were required. So from the name it is not clear where the cake came from.

A loaf is also a round bread. Traditional Slavic bread, which was baked for weddings. It is made from butter dough and skillfully decorated with elements from the same dough. Perhaps he is the progenitor of the cake. They began to decorate it with fruits. In winter, fruits were replaced with multi-colored cream. In the desire to surprise and make the loaf more delicious, they began to decorate it with multi-colored cream and add it inside. Perhaps that was the case.

Candles on the cake

Now about the candles on the cake. Fire has always played a special role in human life. In ancient times, it was used to attract the attention of the gods. The fire heated the home and cooked food on it. Candles, as the cradle of fire, appeared soon after it was tamed by man. And in one form or another they have survived to this day.

The burning candles on the cake symbolize the energy of the universe; warmth and comfort; communication with higher worlds. While the candles are burning, you make a wish. This is considered the most opportune moment for your request to be recorded in the universe. The probability of fulfillment of a desire depends on the strength of intention. You need to think about your desire with positive emotions, blow out the candles and leave the fulfillment of your desire to the will of fate.

The number of candles, which increases with age, symbolizes the difficulty of achieving desires with age. The reason for this may be clogging of consciousness and weakness of intention.

Several classic theories of the origin of birthday candles

It was customary to celebrate a birthday with a big delicious cake back in ancient times. So, the Romans, getting together for a holiday, treated themselves to baked goods prepared for this special occasion. But have you ever wondered who was the first person who thought of lighting a fire on a cake?

Some believe that the tradition of lighting birthday candles originated in Ancient Greece, when people brought cakes decorated with lit candles to the Temple of Artemis. The flickering of a candle was associated by the Greeks with the light of the Moon, a symbol of the goddess of the hunt.

It was also a popular belief in many ancient cultures that smoke lifted prayers to the sky. The modern tradition of making a wish before blowing out candles may be related to similar beliefs.

Others believe that the custom of placing candles on a birthday cake is a ritual of more recent origin and was founded by the Germans. So, in 1746, Count Ludwig von Zisindorf celebrated his birthday by throwing an extravagant festival. Of course, at the celebration there was a cake, so huge that it would not fit in any oven, and candles - according to the number of years of the birthday person.

It is also worth saying that in the 18th century, the Germans also used candles in children's parties. On a child's birthday, a single candle was placed in the center of the cake, representing the light of life.