101
B I R T H D A Y S & A N N I V E R S A R I E SC E L E B R A T I O N S
A
NNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS ARE
those that commemorate a particular
date or past event. This might be an his-
torical event, such as the fi rst walk on the Moon; a
military event, such as the beginning or ending of a
war; a national event, such as the birth of a nation or
the signing of a constitution; or a
more personal event, such as the
opening of a new business or the
receipt of an award. Usually when
we refer to anniversaries we are
referring to a yearly event, but
people may also choose to celebrate
monthly or biannually. A large cel-
ebration might be held on a c enten-
nial anniversary. An anniversary
celebration ranges from a small
personal event such as a dinner for
two people, to a large city-wide
event such as a p arade or fi reworks.
Anniversary celebrations might be
accompanied by balloons, fl owers,
special meals, or presents. In this
reading, we discuss two common celebrations: birthdays
and wedding anniversaries.
Birthdays
Birthdays are celebrated in a variety of ways in the
United States. A birthday is considered a special day
for the birthday person, so the
person will often get special treat-
ment from friends and family.
Children are usually very ex-
cited about their birthdays. At a
very early age, children know when their birthdays are
and how old they are. Parents often host a party on
their children’s birthdays. They will invite school
friends, neighbors, or family members. It is expected
that the people who are invited to a child’s birthday
party will bring a present for the birthday child, unless
they are told not to. The birthday
party will undoubtedly feature a
birthday cake topped with lighted
candles, one candle for each year.
As the cake is brought to the table,
everyone sings “Happy Birthday.”
When the cake is set before the
birthday boy or birthday girl, he
or she is supposed to make a wish
(without telling anyone what it is)
and blow out the candles. If all the
candles go out with one breath,
then the wish is supposed to come
true. Ice cream is usually served
with the cake. Children often open
their presents after the cake and
ice cream are served.
Adults also celebrate their birthdays, though not as
regularly as children. If someone wants to celebrate his/
her own birthday, he or she may plan a party and invite
friends or family. It is more likely that an adult will
have a party if the birthday is a “big” one, such as for
an age that ends in 0 or 5. Another “big” one is the age
of 21 when a person is considered
to be an adult. Sometimes adults
get gifts at a birthday party, but
not always. And while it is c ustom-
ary to say “Happy Birthday,” it is
PREVIOUS PAGE: A birthday girl blows out the candles on
her birthday cake.
A
BOVE: Children’s birthday parties often include birthday
hats and noisemakers for everyone.