​

​

​

Cross-Cultural

Milestone Birthdays

​

By:

Denzel, Naomi, Allison, Rylee,

Mitch, Tommy, Julia, Connor

Introduction

Folklore Genre: Customary, Material

​

Folk Groups Interviewed: American, Jewish, Chinese, Indian, Mexican, English, Dutch, Brazilian, Italian, Singaporean, Guatemalan, Canadian

​

Number of interviews so far: 21

Notable Milestone Birthdays

• Thirteenth Birthday - Bar and Bat Mitzvahs
• Fifteenth Birthday - Quinceañeras
• Sixteenth Birthday - Sweet Sixteens
• Eighteenth Birthday - Legal adulthood
• Twenty-first Birthday - Drinking age (in U.S.)
• Decade Birthdays - 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, etc.

Thirteenth birthday

• Particularly significant in Jewish culture with Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, signifying the transition into Jewish adulthood
• Common rituals include:
• Passing down a Tallit, a traditional fringed shawl
• Chanting that week’s Torah portion
• Night-before dinner with close family
• A religious ceremony followed by a celebratory event
• Guests signing a picture of the bar/bat mitzvah upon entering the celebration
• Monetary gifts are expected, especially in multiples of $18 ($36, $180, etc.)

​

Quinceañeras(15th Birthday)

• Particularly Significant in Mexican Culture
• Signifies the transition into womanhood
• Rituals Vary but typically include the following:
• Father Daughter Dance
• Quinceañera Bible/Rosary
• Quinceañera Kneeling Pillow
• Changing of the Shoe
• The last Doll etc….
• Common gifts could be either Monetary or Traditional
• Gift Cards
• Jewelry
• Crosses
• Bibles,
• Tiaras
• Rosaries
• A LOT OF MONEY ($5,000-$20,000)
• A LOT OF PLANNING

Lizet Garcia (Liz)

​

Typical Quinceanera Layout

Quinceañera Rituals

​

• Collector: Denzel Davis
• Informant: Daniela Gudiel 19 (Guatemalan)
• Customary Lore: Ceremonial Ritual
• El Padre y la Hija Bailan (The Father and Daughter Dance)
• El cambio de zapatillas (A Shoe Exchange)
• La Ultima Múneca (The Last Doll)
• Quinceañera Bible/Rosary
• La Corte de Honor (The Court of Honor)
• Social Context: Friends and family gather to witness and support these coming of age tradition
• Cultural Context: Traditions rooted in Religion

​

Brazilian 15th (Festa de Quinze)

• Similar to celebrations in other Latinx cultures - represents transition to womanhood
• Rituals include exchange of flat shoes for high heels, passing on a doll to a child, and a father daughter dance
• Can be substituted for a Debutante Ball or a large trip, often to Disney World
• Modern rituals include a choreographed dance with friends, and surprise parties

​

Sweet 16

• Seems to be American phenomenon
• Specific to girls
• Generally a large, themed party
• Significant because of right to drive but also a more general sign of maturity/womanhood
• 2 informants in New Orleans
• Generally tied to social position/affluence
• Private schools vs. public schools
• Parallels to Mardi Gras/debutante culture
• All sophomore girls at private schools have one party to avoid competition among parents

Eighteenth birthday

• Usually associated with “adulthood”
• Minimum legal drinking age in 61% of countries
• Also represents the acquisition of other rights, such as voting and often driving

Drinking age around the world

Italian 18th

• Called the “diciottesimo”
• Legal age to drink, drive and vote
• Common to throw a big party in a rented venue
• Friends will usually contribute with small amounts of money to buy a nicer collective gift
• Birthday person must give a speech and toast at the end of the party

Canadian (Albertan) 18th

• Legal drinking age in Alberta
• Marks an ‘official’ change into adulthood
• Rite of Passage:
• First legal drink
• Usually order a drink called a ‘muff dive’ (a shot buried in a glass of whipped cream)
• Have to drink the shot with no hands

Twenty-First Birthday (U.S.)

• In the United States, the 21st birthday is significant because the individual reaches legal drinking age. The celebration usually involves drinking alcohol and going to bars with close friends.
• One common tradition is ‘21 shots’ in which the individual is expected to take a shot for each of their years; however, it’s rarely actually done.

Twenty-First Birthday (UK)

• The 21st birthday in the UK is steeped in a rich history of tradition and hierarchy
• In medieval times, the 21st birthday is a day in which that person becomes a knight or dame
• Genre: Ritualistic Lore
• Celebrate, give thanks and reflect
• Rite of Passage: Incorporation
• Conferred great responsibility and now an agent of the monarch

​

​

Twenty-First Birthday (The Netherlands)

• Considered a “crown year” and get treated like royalty (5,10,15,20,21)
• Similar to the UK but more symbolic and celebratory
• Genre: Ritualistic Lore
• Celebrate with family and friends, decorate a chair for the birthday person, give many gifts
• Rite of Passage: Incorporation
• Conferred the ability to now symbolically live like a royal
• Amsterdam pancakes dusted with powdered sugar and topped with taarties

​

​

Twenty-First Birthday (Singapore)

• Represents the beginning of adulthood - ability to vote, buy cigarettes, sign contracts
• Celebrated with a large party: rented venue, catering, invitations and decorations
• Heavy drinking can be involved
• Local saying: “If you don’t chug, you have no balls”
• Religious people might pray for luck in temples or at home

Decade Birthdays

• The 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th, etc. birthdays are all significant in American culture, as they represent the start of a new decade in one’s life, and oftentimes a new phase of life
• The 30s is for ‘settling down,’ the 50s is for when one becomes ‘middle aged,’ the 60s is for when one becomes a senior, etc.
• After one reaches adulthood, decade birthdays are oftentimes the only significant milestones left.

Decade Birthday: the 50th

• Canadian/Corporate Atmosphere
• When someone in the company turned 50, their office was decorated with black balloons, fake headstones, condolence cards, etc
• Occasionally gifted people with adult diapers, hair dye, or slippers
• An ironic way to pass an age milestone
• Shows a sense of humor, encourages people to not take life too seriously

Lunar Year Birthdays

• In Chinese culture, every 12 years (12th birthday, 24th birthday, etc.)
• Wear red for good luck
• Eat noodles--symbolic of longevity
• Family gathering with traditional celebratory food (bun pastries, sticky rice, etc.)
• Value of present increases as you age
• Importance of 60th birthday

Cultural Differences

• Multiple cultures celebrate the transition from childhood to adulthood, but choose different ages in which to do so: 13, 15, 16, 18, etc.
• The 21st birthday is significant in the U.S. but not in Asia (China, India, etc.) because it revolves around the individual reaching legal drinking age.
• The 21st birthday is significant in places like the U.K., the Netherlands, and Singapore, but for entirely different reasons than in the U.S.
• Specific birthday customs vary culture by culture.
• For instance, unlike in the U.S. and other cultures in which the birthday person is treated by their friends and family, in India it’s the birthday person’s responsibility to throw a party for their friends and pay for everyone, including dinner and drinks.

Similarities across birthdays and cultures

• All birthdays across cultures, and especially milestone birthdays, involve large gatherings of family and friends
• Food and drinks (sometimes alcoholic) are an extremely important element of celebrating birthdays
• There are many traditional dishes, including the birthday cake
• In China, the birthday person is supposed to eat enough eggs to count their age
• In India, the birthday person gets a cake smashed in their face at midnight
• Gift-giving is also a necessary element of birthdays and often follows certain traditions
• Milestone birthdays tend to be clustered around earlier years, as the most significant transition is one from childhood to adulthood

Conclusion

• Milestone birthdays represent Rites of Passage, including Rites of Separation, Transition, and especially Incorporation
• This is because milestone birthdays almost always mark a transition from one phase of life to another. From childhood to teenage years, teenage years to young adulthood, young adulthood to middle age, etc.
• Different age groups have different social and legal expectations placed upon them - thus, rituals are often necessary in order to represent this change and allow for a smoother transition.
• These celebrations involve recognition from the community
• Most cultures have milestone birthday celebrations, and they are not limited to one social class
• Perhaps a way to celebrate life and reflect on what we have to be thankful for (such as our health)

​