It seems a bit strange to imagine ancient Egyptians celebrating their birthdays with layered cakes topped with lighted candles.
The first birthday cakes were nothing of what they are today and weren't even called birthday cakes. At that time only they could afford to celebrate with something sweet. That is how cake became associated with special occasions.
Ancient Egyptians are credited with "inventing" the birthday celebration. And ancient Greeks borrowed the tradition but rightfully realized that a dessert would make the celebration all the more meaningful. So they baked moon-shaped cakes to offer up to the moon.
It wasn't just the ancient Egyptians and Greeks who celebrated with sweet cakes. And it's believed that the original birthday cake came from them. Rather than just celebrating birthdays, though, ancient Rome was known for celebrating all things with a cake including wedding, but there was an exception—the birthdays celebrated were only for men who were citizens, and they had to be famous.
Modern birthday parties are said to get their roots from the 18th-century German celebration. On the morning of a child's birthday, he or she would receive a cake with lighted candles that added up to the child's age plus one. The birthday child would make a wish, try to blow out all the candles in one breath, and dig in.
A. Ancient Romans also had their traditions.
B. Rather, they were symbolic of the noble class.
C. Ancient Greeks made the first birthday cakes.
D. On birthday, children would eat cakes made by their mums.
E. They also decorated the cakes to make them shine like the moon.
F. This extra candle was called the light of hope for another new year.
G. However, they're the ones who first came up with the idea to do so.
