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Why we blow out birthday candles: The surprisingly old tradition

Written and edited by the WorldPing NewsdeskPublished Updated Original reporting: Times of India
Why we blow out birthday candles: The surprisingly old traditionWorldPing
Image via Times of India.

What happened

The birthday candle tradition has transformed over the centuries, originating from ancient Greek rituals to 18th-century German customs.

At Kinderfest, candles adorned cakes to symbolize age and good fortune, with extinguished flames tied to making wishes.

Key facts

  • The birthday candle tradition has transformed over the centuries, originating from ancient Greek rituals to 18th-century German customs.
  • Reported by Times of India and published Fri, 18 Sep 2026 14:29:23 UTC.

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Coverage timeline

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  2. Why we blow out birthday candles: The surprisingly old tradition

Sources

The original report was published by Times of India. WorldPing does not claim that reporting — this page summarises and contextualises it.

Read the full report at Times of India

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