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Your
very own holiday
You have a holiday that is your very own-your
birthday!
The day you were born is a very special
day for you and your family. You probably
celebrate this holiday with a birthday
cake, perhaps with a party-and by getting
presents!
For thousands of years, people all over
the world have thought of a birthday as a
very special day. Long ago, people
believed that on a birthday a person
could be helped by good spirits or hurt
by evil spirits. So, when a person had a
birthday, friends had a birthday, friends
and relatives gathered to protect him or
her. And that's how birthday parties
began.
The idea of putting candles on birthday
cakes goes to ancient Greece. The Greeks
worshipped many gods and goddesses. Among
them was one called Artemis.
Artemis was the goddess of the moon. The
Greeks celebrated her birthday once each
month by bringing special cakes to her
temple. The cakes were round, like a full
moon. And, because the moon glows with
light, the cakes were decorated with
lighted candles.
Not everyone celebrates their birthday.
Some people celebrate their name day
instead. In certain religions, children
are named for a saint. Each saint is
honored on a special day, called the
saint's feast day. People who are named
for a saint often celebrate the saint's
feast day-their name day-rather than
their own birthday.
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