Ever wonder why many people believe not eating your birthday cake brings bad luck? This peculiar superstition has been around for ages and continues to persist despite how incredibly illogical it seems.
It’s just a cake, right? Yet every year, without fail, your aunt reminds you that not gobbling up at least one bite of your birthday treat will doom the next 364 days. She means well, but is there any truth to this notion, or is it just an old wives’ tale designed to guilt you into overindulging in buttercream?
The Origins of The Birthday Cake Tradition
The tradition of birthday cakes dates back to ancient Egypt, where sweet round cakes were eaten to honor the goddess of the moon. Over time, round cakes symbolizing the cycles of life became popular for birthdays in England and other parts of Europe.
By the 17th century, birthday cakes as we know them today started emerging. The cakes were coated in icing and decorated, with candles added to represent the number of years being celebrated. Blowing out the candles and making a wish became an important part of the tradition.
Somewhere along the way, the idea that you must eat your birthday cake to have good luck in the year ahead took hold. There are a few theories about how this superstition came to be:
- Eating the cake signifies embracing another year of life. Not eating the cake could symbolize rejecting or being ungrateful for the opportunity to age.
- The cake and candles represent your life and light in the world. Blowing out the candles but not eating the cake is like extinguishing your own life and light.
- The wish made while blowing out the candles will only come true if the cake is eaten. Not eating the cake means your wish won’t be fulfilled.
Sure, these are just superstitions, but for many, myself included, the tradition of eating birthday cake remains an important part of celebrating another year and all the possibilities it may hold.
Superstitions About Not Eating Birthday Cake
Many believe that if you don’t eat at least one bite of your birthday cake on your actual birthday, you’ll have misfortune for the next year. The tradition of birthday cakes dates back to ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, so breaking from tradition could anger the gods or spirits.
Some think that not eating your cake signifies you don’t value your friends and family who went through the trouble of organizing your celebration. It may bring strained relationships or loneliness in the year to come.
Others believe that birthday cake represents the sweetness of life, so not partaking means you’ll miss out on life’s joys until your next birthday. You could face a year of bitterness, sorrow, or hardship.
A more lighthearted superstition is that you’ll turn into an old maid or bachelor if a piece of birthday cake isn’t eaten. Whether you’re single or not, you may be destined for a year of solitude without your cake!
The last birthday cake superstition is about blowing out the candles. Some people think you should blow them all out in one breath to get the most luck for the coming year. If you have to blow them out in two tries or more, it’s thought your good fortune for the year will be less. So, for maximum luck, blow those candles out in one go, even if you won’t eat the cake!
So, Is It Bad Luck To Not Eat Your Birthday Cake?
Absolutely not! This is just an old wives’ tale with no real truth behind it. As with many long-held superstitions, the origins of this myth are unclear, and at least for me, there is no reason to believe it.
Your luck, fortune, and wishes for the year ahead have nothing to do with whether or not you indulge in a slice of sugary confection. Whether or not you choose to eat your birthday cake comes down to you and what you believe. Superstitions are fun to debate, but there’s no real evidence one way or the other. If eating that sugary slice of nostalgia makes you happy on your special day, then by all means, grab a fork and dig in without guilt. But if you’re watching your waistline or just not in the mood for cake, don’t feel obligated out of some sense of illogical tradition!
