Birthday

31 Jan 2011 - It's my Birthday today - not my favorite day of the year. I wondered what Wikipedia has to say about the concept of "birthdays". It is explained that many cultures have one or more coming of age birthdays. Jewish boys become bar mitzvah on their 13th birthday and Jewish girls become bat mitzvah on their 12th birthday. In North America, families often mark a girl's 16th birthday with a Sweet sixteen celebration, and in Hispanic-American countries the quinceallera celebration traditionally marks a girl's 15th birthday.In Indian Hindu culture the 12th or 13th birthday is replaced with a grand "thread ceremony". The child takes a blessed thread and wears it, symbolizing his coming of age. However, some Asian countries that follow the Zodiac calendar have a tradition of celebrating the 60th birthday. The birthdays of historically significant people, like national heroes or founders, are often commemorated by an official holiday. Some saints are remembered by a liturgical feast (sometimes on a presumed birthday). By analogy, the Latin term Dies natalis is applied to the anniversary of an institution (such as a university). A person's Golden or Grand Birthday, also referred to as their "Lucky Birthday", "Champagne Birthday" or "Star Birthday", occurs when they turn the age of their birth day (e.g., when someone born on the 26th of the month turns 26). Too bad a month does not have 49 days.