Page 62 - Chocolate Cake Doctor

44 L U S C I O U S L A Y E R S

It’s My Party

t should come as no surprise to learn congregate with the honoree and bring
Ithat the wealthy were the first to only good thoughts and wishes to protect
celebrate their birthdays in ancient times. the child. Presents and happy foods
On their birthdays, the pharaohs fed their reinforced the cheerful mood and shielded
servants lavish meals. Cleopatra is said to the child from harm. Many people still
have given Antony such an extravagant believe that the candles on a birthday
birthday party that many guests arrived cake carry good wishes up to God.
penniless but left wealthy. Persian Different cultures have their own ways
nobility marked their birthdays by of celebrating a birthday—flying a flag
cooking an ox and serving small cakes. outside the birthday house in Denmark,
And in Rome, the emperor would host a blindfolding and cracking open a piñata in
party on his birthday, complete with Mexico, passing out chocolates to friends
food, parade, gladiators, and circus. The in India. Some cultures place special
usual stuff! importance on certain birthdays: the
The birthday party as Americans know thirteenth birthday of a Jewish child, the
it is said to have come from German fifteenth birthday of a Mexican girl, and
traditions, where the birthday child was the sixtieth birthday of a Chinese man or
presented with gifts, selected his or her woman are celebrated with ritual and
favorite foods to eat for the day, and was fanfare.
given a butter or jam cake ringed with And what naturally goes along with
candles. It is thought that the lighted candles, cake, and ice cream? The “Happy
candles symbolized the birthday of the Birthday to You” song, composed by two
Greek moon goddess Artemis, who was sisters, Mildred and Patty Hill, in 1893. It
honored with moon-shaped honey cakes has changed slightly from their original
surrounded by lighted tapers. Some say words: “Good Morning to You.” If this is
that because people were once fearful that your special day, then by all means
evil spirits might prey on the birthday “Happy Birthday to You”!
child, friends and family members would