1 of 22

Cross-Cultural

Milestone Birthdays

By:

Denzel, Naomi, Allison, Rylee,

Mitch, Tommy, Julia, Connor

2 of 22

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

3 of 22

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.

4 of 22

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.)

5 of 22

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)

6 of 22

Typical Quinceanera Layout

7 of 22

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

8 of 22

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

9 of 22

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

10 of 22

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

11 of 22

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

12 of 22

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

13 of 22

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.

14 of 22

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

15 of 22

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

16 of 22

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

17 of 22

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.

18 of 22

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

19 of 22

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

20 of 22

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.

21 of 22

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

22 of 22

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)