Taking A Look At Birthday Candles And Its Tradition
Birthday candles are a great way to liven up any birthday celebration. They are used in a sort of candle lighting ceremony to celebrate each year a person has lived. The tradition is passed down from parents to children, much in the same way that lighting Christmas candles at Christmas and using candles as part of a wedding or graduation ceremony is passed down. It is an important tradition that many people hold dear to them, yet at one time there was a deeper meaning to lighting candles on a birthday or as part of a traditional ceremony.
A long time ago, even before the birth of Christ, there were the Greeks who paid homage to their gods and goddesses. One goddess in particular was honored by the lighting of candles. A cake with birthday candles was lit as a way to pay honor to Artemis, the Moon goddess. The roundness of the cake was said to mimic the moon and the candles to mimic the moonlight that came from above.
The birthday candle on top of the cake was said to be lit as an offering and it was also thought to ward off evil spirits. Some cultures believed that candle lighting times were joyous occasions to offer homage to the gods and goddesses of their belief system. But at this time, should you have been alive, it was not customary to expect gifts. If you did receive a gift on your birth day, then you were very lucky indeed.
In today’s world, scented candles, beeswax candles and even Christmas candles are lit for different reasons than to pay homage or bring good luck from the gods. With so many manufacturers producing candles, it has lost some of its traditional aspect. But you always have that one time of year when you can count on candles being lit in your honor. Your birthday is a time of celebration for you and your family. The custom has been passed down throughout the years, as you will do the same for your children.
Birthday candles are a way to remember all of the years that have gone by. Each one is a testament to living a full life and enjoying the prosperity of the years. Passing that tradition down to our children is a way for each of us to reflect back to our own childhood, and remember how happy we were to see those lit candles adorning a festively decorated cake. The Moon goddess may no longer be worshipped but that does not mean that the tradition has been lost.