When Did Humans Start Celebrating Birthdays? #Video

When did humans actually start celebrating birthdays? It feels like such a normal part of life—cake, candles, singing, and gifts—but for most of history, ordinary people didn’t celebrate birthdays at all. So where did this tradition really begin?

In today’s episode of History of Simple Things, we travel back to Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and Ancient Rome to uncover how birthday celebrations started with gods, kings, and powerful rulers before eventually becoming a personal tradition for everyone. From candle rituals to medieval name days and Germany’s Kinderfest, the story behind birthdays is far more surprising than you might think.
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