Birthday

A birthday is the day when a person was born. In many places, on a person's birthday, he or she celebrates with friends and family at a party, where they eat cake or other foods, and get gifts.

mixed fruit birthday cake with 72th anniversary sign

Western birthdays

Not everyone celebrates birthdays, including Jehovah's Witnesses.

In many English-speaking countries, people sing the song "Happy Birthday to You" to the person celebrating her or his birthday. There are similar songs in other languages.

A birthday cake is usually decorated and covered with candles. Most of the time, the number of candles is the same as the age of the birthday person.

Coming of age

Children usually reach their age of majority on a birthday.

• In the United States of America and Czech republic, a person can buy tobacco, vote, and become a legal adult at age 18.
• In Judaism, boys have a bar mitzvah around the time they become 13. Girls sometimes have a bat mitzvah around their 12th or 13th birthday.
• In Latin America, a quinceañera party marks a girl's 15th birthday.

Astrology

A person's astrological sign is based on his or her birthday.

Symbolism

Birthstones

A birthstone symbolizes the month of birth. In 1912, the Jewelers of America agreed on a list of birthstones:

Month	Modern Birthstone	Alternate	Traditional Birthstone
January	Garnet	Rose Quartz	Garnet
February	Amethyst	Onyx	Amethyst
March	Aquamarine	Red Jasper (Bloodstone)	Bloodstone, Jasper
April	Diamond	Rock Crystal (Quartz)	Diamond, Sapphire
May	Emerald	Chrysoprase	Emerald, Agate
June	Pearl (the only non-mineral), Moonstone	Alexandrite	Alexandrite, Emerald
July	Ruby	Jade or Carnelian	Ruby, Onyx
August	Peridot	Aventurine, Sardonyx, or Sapphire	Sardonyx, Carnelian
September	Sapphire	Lapis lazuli	Sapphire, Peridot
October	Opal	Pink Tourmaline	Tourmaline, Aquamarine
November	Yellow Topaz	Citrine or Turquoise	Citrine, Topaz
December	Turquoise, Blue Topaz	Lapis Lazuli or Tanzanite	Zircon, Ruby