In the modern world, a cake decorated with candles is the most famous tradition associated with celebrating a birthday. The birthday boy must mentally make a wish and blow out all the candles on the birthday cake with one breath - if he succeeds, the wish will certainly come true. But where did this tradition come from - decorating the cake with candles?
Ancient history
There are several opinions on decorating a cake with candles that intersect with ancient history. According to one of these theories, the ancient Greeks presented round-shaped cakes with lighted candles as a gift to Artemis, the goddess of the moon. The rounded shape of these pies and the burning candle lights symbolized the moon, illuminating the darkness of the night. Another theory says that a cake with candles first appeared in medieval England, where it was customary to bake a round cake for name day, in which various objects were hidden - coins, a bell, rings and other small souvenirs.
A person who found any of these items in his piece of holiday cake could predict his future from it.
People who lived many years ago were sure that blowing out the lit candles on the cake while making a wish guaranteed them the fulfillment of this very desire. It was believed that an angel who heard a mental request would take it to heaven to God along with the smoke from a blown out candle. However, this desire could not be voiced to anyone, because then its magical power was irretrievably lost.
Pagan beliefs and the color of cake candles as an attribute of the cake
According to the beliefs of the ancient pagans, the annual birthday is a symbol of the transition of the soul from the world of ancestors to the world of the living. At this time, the soul could be kidnapped by evil spirits, so close people gathering around the birthday man with a cake decorated with burning candles symbolized a ritual offering to the gods who could come and drive away evil spirits from a defenseless person on that day.
In fact, the cake with candles was a kind of pagan altar for pleasing higher powers.
As for the color of the candles, each of them fulfills its mission when making a wish. So, white candles on the cake will help you start a business successfully. Red candles fulfill wishes for love, procreation and the decision to act boldly. The orange color of festive candles symbolizes the fulfillment of a wish for health, and yellow - about attracting money. Green candles are associated with wishes for family and children.
A cake with blue candles should be presented to birthday students and travelers, as they bestow good luck and success. A cake with pink candles will fulfill the desire for peace, and brown candles will help you change your place of residence. The golden color of the candles on the cake is ideal for birthday people who want power and fulfillment of all their ambitions.
