Have you ever wondered about birthdays? How did they ever get started? How were they determined? Before the invention of the "calendar" people had no way of keeping track of the passing of days, much less when someone was born. Since the calendar was invented, though, that has changed. People then started to celebrate birthdays.

The birthday party tradition started in Europe centuries ago. Many believed that evil spirits were attracted to people on their birthdays. So, to protect them from harm, family and friends would visit the birthday person and bring good thoughts and wishes. It was believed that giving gifts brought even more good cheer to ward off the evil spirits. This is how birthday parties began.

Initially, only kings were recognized as important enough to have a birthday celebration (could this be how the tradition of birthday crowns began?). However, as time passed children began having birthday celebrations. It is believed, that the first children's birthday parties occurred in Germany and were called Kinderfeste.

The Greeks are credited with inventing the "Birthday Cake", since they made round cakes, to represent the moon, and took them to the temple of Artemis. Artemis was considered to be the "goddess of the moon." It's also believed the early Greeks made primitive candles out of wax and these candles were placed on the round cakes and lit to represent the glow of the moon.

Back in the pagan days, people worried about evil spirits, especially when someone was about to turn a year older on their birthday. So, in order to protect the "Birthday Boy or Birthday Girl", the people decided they needed to throw a birthday party for the person. The birthday party that was full of laughter and merriment was sure to keep the evil spirits away!

Some traditions are remarkably similar in many parts of the world, like birthday candles to carry wishes up to God, birthday games to gauge how much more a child can do versus last year and birthday taps or pinches to ensure good luck for the coming year. Here’s some traditions that are more specific to other countries.

Africa – In some African nations, initiation ceremonies are held for groups of children instead of birthdays. When children reach a predetermined age, they learn the laws, customs, songs, beliefs and dances of their tribes.

Argentina –When girls reaches the age of 15 there is a huge party held in her honor and the birthday girl will dance the waltz with their father and boys.

Aruba – A treat is taken to school by the birthday persona and given to their classmates and teachers. All teachers receive a treat and give the birthday child a small gift. As a special treat, the birthday person is allowed to wear special clothes instead of the school uniform.

Bolivia –At 16, the birthday girl, wearing a white dress, dances the waltz with her father and boys.

Brazil –For every year the birthday person has lived, he receives a pull on the earlobe. The first slice of cake, from the birthday person is usually given to his most special friend or relative, usually his parents. On the 15th birthday, girls will dance a waltz, starting with her father and grandfather, until she has danced a total of 15 partners. Each symbolizes a year of her life.

Canada –In Canada, the birthday child is ambushed and their nose is greased for good luck, which, it is believed, makes the child too slippery for bad luck to catch them. This tradition is believed to be of Scottish decent.  In Quebec, the birthday person receives a punch for each year of his live, plus one for good luck.

China –The birthday child pays respect to his parents and is given a gift of money. Family and friends are invited to lunch, and noodles are the main course to wish the birthday child a long life.

Cuba – Birthday celebrations are similar to the United States. Food, decorations, gifts, pinatas, cake, candles, "happy birthday" song and games are all party of the birthday celebrations. However, in Cuba, neighbors, friends, family and others even if they don't have kids around the birthday child's age.

Denmark – The birthday person will have a flag flown outside a window to designate that someone who lives in that house is having a birthday. While the birthday person is sleeping, presents are placed around the child's bed so they will see them immediately upon awakening.

Ecuador –When a girl reaches the age 15, there is a great celebration and the girl will always wear a pink dress. The father puts on the birthday girls first pair of high heels and dances the waltz with her at the same time 14 maids and 14 boys dance to the same waltz.

England – As the birthday cake is being prepared, certain symbolic objects are mixed into the birthday cake. It is believed that if your piece of cake has the coin in it, then you will be rich. Additionally, the birthday person is given the "bumps". They are lifted into the air by the hands and feet and raised up and down to the floor, one for each year then one for luck, two for luck and three for the old man's coconut!

Germany – One of the birthday person’s family wakes up at sunrise and lights the candles on the birthday cake. There are as many candles as the years of age of the birthday person plus one for good luck. The candles are left burning all day long, and after dinner everyone sings the birthday song and the birthday person blows out the candles. If all of the candles are blown out in one try then the wish of the birthday person will come true. Presents are then opened and the party begins.

Germany –When men turn 30 and still don't have a girlfriend, then they have to sweep the stairs of the city hall. All their friends will throw rubble on the stairs and when you're finished, they'll throw even more rubble. This allows all girls to see the men who reaches 30 and still don't have a girlfriend.

Ghana – The birthday person eats special foods like watche (brown rice and beans), sheto (black pepper), mecko (red pepper), red rice with corn beef and fufu (pounded yam and cassava).

Guyana – The birthday celebration meal consists of chicken, duck or lamb curry with rice. A family member bakes a fruit, black or sponge for the birthday boy/girl to cut. The person celebrating their birthday always wears something fancy.

Holland – In the country, special year birthdays, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 21, are called "crown" years, and the birthday child receives an especially large gift on a crown year birthday. The family also decorates the birthday child's chair at the dining room table with seasonal flowers or paper streamers, paper flowers and balloons. At school the birthday child can give their classmates something to eat and the teacher makes the child a birthday hat, often made of paper streamers or paper flowers.

Hungary –The birthday child brings candy to school to give to his classmates.

India –At school, the birthday child wears a colored dress and passes out chocolates to the entire class.

Ireland –The birthday child is lifted upside down and "bumped" on the floor for good luck. The number of bumps given is the age of the child plus one for extra good luck.

Israel –A small child sits in a chair while grown-ups raise and lower it a number of times corresponding to the child's age, plus one for good luck.

Italy –The child's ears are pulled for every year of the birthday child’s life.

Japan –On the special day, the birthday child wears entirely new clothes. Certain birthdays are more important than others, and these are celebrated with a visit to the local shrine.

Latvia –The birthday person sits in a chair and friends and family lift the chair one time for each year. The traditional birthday cake is a yellow cake called "klingeris".

Lithuania –A garland is hung around the entire door of the home of the birthday person. The birthday person sits in a decorated chair and family members lift them up to three times.

Mexico –The piñata, usually made out of paper mache and in the form of an animal, is filled with goodies and hung from the ceiling. The birthday child is blindfolded and hits the piñata until it burst open. Then, all the children share the goodies from the broken piñata. The song, Las Mananitas, is sung. Additionally, when a girl is 15, the birthday is celebrated with a special mass in her honor, and then a party is given to introduce her to everyone as a young woman. The father dances a waltz with her.

Nepal –A mixture of rice yogurt and color is placed on the birthday child's forehead for good luck.

New Zealand –After the birthday cake is lit, the happy birthday song is sung, usually out of tune. Then the birthday person receives a clap for each year he has been alive, plus one for good luck.

Norway –The birthday child stands in front of his class and chooses a friend to share a dance while the rest of the class sings a happy birthday song.

Panama –The piñata is the most important item and are usually made to resemble a character to correspond with a theme. It is filled with candy and confetti. When the cake is served, the happy birthday song is often performed in Spanish and English. The cake is served with ice cream. The extended family and friends are invited, sometimes as many as 100 children are invited.

Philippines –Birthday cakes are baked in various sizes and shapes. The celebration includes noodles representing long life, balloon decorations and pinatas. Earlier in the day the family goes to hear Mass and to thank God.

Puerto Rico –The child gets tapped on the arm for each year, and a big party with a formal dinner is held.

Russia –Instead of a birthday cake, many Russian children receive a birthday pie with a birthday greeting carved in the crust.

Scotland –A pound note is given for every year of the child, plus an additional pound for good luck. A soft smack on the bottom is also given for each year.

South Africa –On the 21st birthday, the parents give a key, made of anything from paper to aluminum foil to silver to gold, as a sign that the child is ready to unlock the door to their future.

United States –A cake with candles are put on top based on how old the person is. Then everyone sings the "happy birthday" song, and at the end of the song, the birthday child blows out the candles. If he blows all the candles out with one blow, their birthday wishes will come true.

Uruguay – The cake with candles and lights out, with the eternal song "Happy Birthday to you..." are the primary birthday rituals. At the end of the song, the birthday person blows out the candles and all guests applaud or cheer, some make jokes, whistle loudly and touch the birthday person's shoulder or head. When a girl turns 15, she puts on a formal dress and dances a waltz with possible suitors.

Vietnam –Not only is Tet the beginning of a New Year, it is also everyone's birthday. The Vietnamese do not know or acknowledge the exact day they were born. A baby turns one on Tet no matter when he was born that year. Children say they were born in the year of the symbol of the lunar calendar for that year. On the first morning of Tet, adults congratulate children on becoming a year older by presenting them with red envelopes that contain "Lucky Money,” These envelopes are given to the children by parents, siblings, relatives and close friends.