The Wishing Project
Wishing Traditions Around the World
Birthday Cake and Candle Blowing
The birthday cake has been an integral part of birthday celebrations in Western cultures since the middle of the 19th century. The Western tradition of adding lit candles to the top of a birthday cake originates in 18th century Germany. However, the intertwining of cakes and birthday celebrations stretch back to the Ancient Romans. In contemporary Western cultures, two rituals are prominent: the singing of the traditional birthday song and the blowing out of candles decorating the cake by the birthday person.
The birthday cake is often decorated with taper candles that are secured with special candleholders. In North America, the number of candles is equal to the age of the individual whose birthday it is. Traditionally the birthday person makes a private wish, which will be realized if all the candles are extinguished in a single breath.
Though the exact origin and significance of the candle blowing ritual is unknown, the history of placing candles on top of the cake is well documented. This tradition can be traced to Kinderfest (an 18th century German birthday celebration for children. A letter written in 1799 by Goethe recounts: "...when it was time for dessert, the prince's entire livery carried a generous-size torte with colorful flaming candles - amounting to some fifty candles - that began to melt and threatened to burn down.”
The tradition at the time was to place candles for each year of the individual's life with some added candles indicating upcoming years. The origin of birthday cake candles can be further traced back to the 16th century German tradition of placing tapers on Christmas trees. German immigrants brought this tradition to North America. By 1927, the Sears Roebuck catalogue offered birthday candles and holders for sale.
In medieval England, tokens, such as coins and thimbles, were baked inside the birthday cake, a tradition that persists today with the Christmas pudding. Receiving a coin in one's slice predicted future wealth while it was believed that those receiving a thimble would never wed.
Please help us document the custom of birthday cake and candle blowing by e-mailing a photo or video of you a friend or family member blowing out candles while making a wish. Your submission may be selected for one or more aspects of this research. Click here for submission form
