■生日蛋糕上为什么要点蜡烛
Why Need to Light Candles on Birthday Cake

Thousands of years ago birthdays were considered a time when the bad spirits as opposed to the good spirits were able to harm you as this day changed a person’s life. It was believed that the only way to keep the bad spirits at bay was to have your friends and family around you so that their good wishes and present giving would keep them at bay.

Also noisemakers are thought to be used at parties as a way of scaring away the evil spirits.

The custom of lighting candles originated with people believing that the gods lived in the sky and by lighting candles and torches they were sending a signal or prayer to the gods so they could be answered. When you blow out the candles and make a wish, this is another way of sending a signal and a message.

The candles in the cake represent life, burning brightly for a short time and then snuffed out. The person blowing out the candles is saying, “This much of my life is over—I’ll never get it back, but I still have the breath of life within me and I am in control. I will blow away the past and start anew with this wish.”

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古希腊的人们庆祝月亮女神的生日时，要在圣坛上摆着插有蜡烛的蛋糕。他们相信燃烧着的蜡烛具有神秘的力量。如果孩子许下心愿，并一口气吹灭所有的蜡烛，便能如愿以偿。因此，这一习俗流传至今。

数千年前，人们认为生日是可以改变人一生的日子，与善灵为敌的恶灵也会专挑这一天来伤害人。而唯一能让恶灵退避三舍的方法，就是邀请亲朋好友相伴左右，他们所送上的祝福和礼物，恰能阻止恶灵靠近。

在派对上，还可以通过大声欢呼来吓退恶灵。

点蜡烛的习俗源自人们的信念，他们认为神明高高在上，点亮蜡烛和火炬就相当于向神明发送信号或祈祷，神明便可以加以回应，而吹灭蜡烛许愿，则是另一个发送信号和讯息的方法。

蛋糕上的蜡烛代表生命，火光明亮，但转瞬即被掐灭。吹灭蜡烛的人边吹蜡烛边说：“过去都已过去，不会重来，但生活在继续，我的生命我做主，就让过去随蜡烛而灭，我也带着新的希望，踏上一段新的人生旅程。”