happy birthday arbiter!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

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quote:

Originally posted by pkcRAISTLIN dont argue with the yanks nutter, they know best!

happy b-day mack.

Here's hoping you have a sensible, productive day.

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http://eschatonnow.blogspot.com/

Here's to the day your "parents" found you in a cornfield!

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There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

Happiest of happies.

A birthday is the date on which a person was born. It is customary in many cultures to celebrate the anniversary of one's birthday in some way, for example by having a birthday party with friends in which gifts are given. It is also customary to treat someone especially well and generally accede to their wishes on their birthday.

It is thought that the large scale celebration of birthdays in Europe was due to Mithraism in the Roman Empire, and that prior to this it was not so common. Mithraism had a large influence throughout the empire, due to being taken up by many Roman soldiers, until it was supplanted by Christianity. Birthday celebrations were much rarer during the Middle Ages, but saw a resurgence with the advent of the Reformation, when they were seen as a good way to transfer customs from the saint's days to other dates not linked to the newly repudiated veneration of saints.

Even today, the celebration of birthdays is not universal in the West; in addition to those people preferring name day celebrations, Jehovah's Witnesses do not celebrate either, considering them to be pagan festivals, along with Christmas and Easter.

In most English-speaking countries it is traditional to sing the song Happy Birthday to You to the honored person celebrating their birthday. Similar songs exist in other languages, such as "Lang zal hij/zij leven" in Dutch or "Sto lat" in Polish. This happens traditionally at a birthday party while someone brings a birthday cake into the (often darkened) room.

The birthday cake is traditionally a highly decorated cake, and is typically covered with lit candles when presented; the number of candles often equals the age of the person (this tradition becomes very difficult for people of roughly 40 years or older, and is often abandoned far earlier, as it can feel a bit childish or just isn't worth the fuss amongst adults). The person whose birthday it is makes a silent wish and then blows out the candles; if done in one breath, the wish is supposed to come true. Another common superstition is that if you reveal your birthday wish, it won't come true. Except in the case of young children, it is also very common for the "birthday boy" or "birthday girl" to cut the initial piece of the cake like the couple does with a wedding cake.
The singing of the song also sometimes happens at a restaurant when one gets taken out for their birthday. The server or servers in the restaurant may lead the singing of the song while dessert is delivered to the table (which may or may not be a piece of cake, and may or may not be complimentary). The dessert may feature a sparkler instead of a candle. Other customers at the restaurant usually join in for the singing of the song. At some restaurants the servers may perform special, untraditional birthday songs and dances.

For special birthdays and for when the number of candles might be considered impractical or a fire hazard, special candles might be substituted for the many individual candles. These candles are in the shape of a numeral; for example on one's 5th birthday there may be only one candle on the cake in the shape of the numeral 5, and on one's 50th birthday there may be two candles on the cake, one in the shape of the numeral 5 followed by the other in the shape of the numeral 0.

• A birthday is considered a special day for the person, and so the person will often get special treatment from friends and family. This is especially true for children who cannot wait for their own special day. In contrast, many adults loathe the reminder that they are continually getting older. In addition to parties, people often get gifts on their birthday. Often, the honored person gets a "birthday hug" from friends and family. For older people a birthday may be a prompt for their grown-up children to write or call.
  

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Lira, is it not time for your head examination?

Happy birthday Mr R Bitter!

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"I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again."

Happy Birthday!

quote:

Originally posted by Fundamental Lira, is it not time for your head examination?

I got my head checked, by a jumbo jet.
It wasn't easy, the thing got stuck in there.

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Indiana Clones Upcoming Sets
[ I May Upload Something Someday ]

quote:

Originally posted by Lira I got my head checked, by a jumbo jet. It wasn't easy, the thing got stuck in there.

Oh, how unfortunate. But it's not my problem.

It's not my... problem. Woo-hoo!

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"I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again."