Dear Lawrence,

            Happy Birthday, I hope your mother got you a new kitty to fill the feeling of loneliness you have deep in your soul. I’m clearly not going out to buy you gift, so here are some fun birthday facts you may not know about;

1.    The “Happy Birthday to You” Song

The song has the same melody of a song call “Good Morning to All” written by two sisters, Patty and Mildred Hill, in 1893.

2.    Birthdays are Pagan

Pagans believed on days of big changes, like your birthday, that evil spirits were near. The Ancient Greeks believe that a spirit would be with you on this day also.

3.     Birthday Candles

The use of birthday candles can be traced back to the Ancient Greeks, which were placed onto sweet treats. This practice is associated with Artemis, the goddess of the Hunt.

Germans also placed candles on sweets. This is where we see the common practice of one candle for each year of a person’s life. It was believe to ward off evil spirit and bring good luck.

4.    Birthday Cakes

Once again, the Ancient Greeks and the Germans were the creators of this beloved tradition. Ancient Greeks would bake round shaped sweets to representation the moon, which is a symbol associated with Artemis. They really had a thing for this lady.

What we know as a Birthday cake today is thanks to the Germans, being in the 1700s. They were not as sweet thought. This didn’t start into the Industrial Revolution in the United States, when sweet cakes were cheaper and quicker to make.

Bonus: It is believed that in Ancient Roman only man were allowed to celebrate their birthdays.     

5.    Pharaoh's Birthday

In Ancient Egypt only the Pharaoh had a birthday. The Egyptians believe that when one became Pharaoh, one would become a god and that’s the day they celebrate. 

6.    Golden Birthdays

So no one can have a Golden Birthday after they turn 31. How? A Golden Birthday is when you turn the number of the day you were born. For example, if your birthday is on the 28^th than your Golden Birthday would be when you turn 28.

7.    Some children are a year old at birth

In China, Japan, and Korea a child is considered to be a year old at the time of birth. Which can be quite confusing when they travel abroad, for they can be a year or two older in their countries. Example: if a person is 22 in their country and travels to the United States, were the legal drinking age is 21, they wouldn’t be able to drink for we see them as being 20.

8.    World's most expensive Birthday Party

This honor belongs to the Sultan of Brunei. It took place in 1996, to celebrate his 50^th Birthday. The event took place for two weeks in Brunei, there were about 3,000 guests who attended, they were treat to three concerts all featuring Michael Jackson, at the cost of $16,000,000. A polo match and concert held in a stadium built just for the event. Endless supply of caviar and champagne, and a gold medal for a party favor.

Have a great birthday, Lawrence. Please, don’t pet the kitty to hard.

Thank you,

Periódico Gnomo Rodriguez