The world’s oldest birthday card dates back to 1415—it was made for the King of England and is now preserved in the British Library. In ancient Rome, only men were allowed to celebrate birthdays; it wasn’t until the 12th century that women joined the party. The tradition of blowing out candles comes from the ancient Greeks, who lit candles on cakes to honor Artemis, the goddess of the moon.

Your half-birthday is exactly six months from your actual birthday, and some people celebrate it with just as much cake and joy. July is the most common birth month in the U.S., while December has the fewest birthdays. The Beatles’ “Birthday” song was recorded in just one day—September 18, 1968.

In Vietnam, everyone celebrates their birthday on the same day: Lunar New Year. It’s more about age than the exact birth date. In Switzerland, it’s traditional for parents to hire a scary clown to “kidnap” the birthday child and prank them all day. The song “Happy Birthday to You” is one of the most recognized songs in the English language.

A child born on February 29 only gets to celebrate their real birthday every four years—that makes them a “leapling.” The most common birthday in the world is September 9, believed to be due to holiday-season conceptions. Walt Disney World gets over 1,500 birthday celebration requests every day.

Some people believe eating long noodles on your birthday in China symbolizes a long life—so don’t cut them! In Denmark, a birthday flag is placed outside the home to signal that someone inside is celebrating. Before 1954, the UK didn't allow birthday cards to be sent with pictures of royalty—only words were permitted.

The world record for most birthday candles on a cake is over 70,000, achieved in India in honor of a spiritual leader. In Korea, the first birthday, called "Doljanchi," is celebrated with a traditional ceremony where babies pick an object that predicts their future. Some cultures don’t mark birthdays at all; in Ethiopia, people celebrate age milestones like becoming a teen or an elder.

Birthday cakes started as a German tradition called “Kinderfest” in the Middle Ages, combining sweets, candles, and wishes. In Brazil, it’s common to pull the ear of the birthday person—once for each year of age. A Swedish birthday party isn’t complete without a flag, singing, and an open-faced sandwich cake.

Queen Elizabeth II has two birthdays: her real one in April and an official public celebration in June. Birthday bumps are popular in India and Pakistan—friends lift you and bump you down as many times as your age. In the Netherlands, people don’t just celebrate the person—it’s a custom to congratulate everyone close to them.

Ancient Egyptians celebrated the pharaoh's "birth" as a god on their coronation day, not their actual birthday. In Russia, it’s bad luck to celebrate your birthday early—never open your gifts ahead of time. The Japanese celebrate turning 20 with a national holiday called “Coming of Age Day.”

The happy birthday song was originally a classroom greeting song called “Good Morning to All.” In Ghana, children receive special mashed yam dishes on their birthday mornings. Birthdays in Saudi Arabia used to be frowned upon for religious reasons, but that’s slowly changing with modernization.

Some birthday parties in Germany feature chairs being turned upside down to mark the end of childhood. In Hungary, you don’t say “Happy Birthday,” but “Isten éltessen”—which means “May God bless you.” A popular Nigerian birthday dish is jollof rice with fried plantains and spicy chicken.

When you turn 100 in Japan, the government sends you a silver cup and a congratulatory letter from the Prime Minister. Birthday piñatas in Mexico are traditionally shaped like stars and filled with fruit, candy, and sometimes coins. In Canada, it’s common to grease the birthday kid’s nose with butter to “slip away” from bad luck.

In Nepal, a birthday includes smearing your forehead with yogurt and rice as a blessing. In some Caribbean cultures, friends throw flour on you as a birthday prank—especially if you’re not paying attention. Hobbits in Tolkien's stories gave gifts on their birthdays instead of receiving them.

In Jamaica, a birthday person might get covered in a mix of flour, water, and eggs as a joke. Children in Peru often wear colorful paper crowns and have puppet shows during birthday celebrations. In Poland, namedays are sometimes celebrated with more enthusiasm than birthdays.

According to folklore, your birthday wish won’t come true if you tell anyone what it is. In the Philippines, pancit (stir-fried noodles) is a birthday staple, symbolizing long life and good fortune. Ancient Persians threw large feasts for their birthdays, making them among the first cultures to do so.

A woman in India once gave birth on her own birthday—three times in a row. All her children now share her birthday! In Mongolia, the “White Month” festival is more important than birthdays, celebrating family, livestock, and the lunar new year. “Happy Birthday” was the first song sung in space by astronauts in 1969.

A Guinness World Record was set by a man who attended 150 different birthday parties in one year. In Iceland, parents bake a large pancake-like cake called “pönnukaka” filled with whipped cream and jam. Some Native American tribes don’t count birthdays at all—they measure age by life experiences.

In Italy, the birthday person treats everyone else—don’t expect people to buy you drinks. A custom in Germany has single men sweep the steps of city halls on their 30th birthday until they get a kiss. In Thailand, birthdays are a time for giving—people donate food to monks and charity.

The record for most birthday cards received belongs to a British man who got over 350 million on his 100th birthday. In Czechia, people pour beer over your head as a birthday prank among close friends. Many cultures believe that making a wish as you blow out all your candles in one go ensures it comes true.

The word “birthday” appears in the Bible only once—in the Book of Genesis, referring to Pharaoh’s celebration. Some people keep every birthday card they’ve ever received as a memory archive. In South Korea, the birthday breakfast often includes seaweed soup called “miyeokguk,” believed to promote health.