No.16

This card was sent to me by the Sunday School and I see from the reverse side that our address was Burnbank Terrace, Lenzie. That was where I was born, but I think that by the time my next birthday came around we would have moved to the tenement in Kerr Street, Kirkintilloch.

The Christian Church didn’t always approve of observing birthdays and the rejection of celebrating them continued right down to the 4th Century. So many customs and traditions had their roots in paganism and that was the case with birthdays. 

An article from the German magazine Schwabische Zeitung in April 1981 explains that the origins of celebrating birthdays“lie in the realm of magic and religion”. It continues - “The custom of offering congratulations, presenting gifts and celebrating, complete with lighted candles, in ancient times were meant to protect the birthday celebrant from the demons and to ensure his security for the coming year.”

Both the Romans and the Greeks believed that everyone had a spirit who attended the birth and watched over him or her for life, and birthday celebrations were partly in honour of that guardian angel. There was a special significance about sacrificial fire and lighted tapers, which explains why we have candles on our birthday cakes today.

Were birthday parties common in my childhood? I don’t think so, for I can’t remember us having any or going to any. The only children’s party I recall (apart from those held by the Sunday School) was one which our Aunt Frances had for her piano pupils, and all I can remember of that is that I refused to join in a kissing game and went in a huff.

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THE BENEFITS AND MISUSE OF ALCOHOL

written in the 4th century BC by Eubulus

Three cups of wine a prudent man may take,

The first of these for constitution’s sake.

The second to the girl he loves the best,

The third and last to lull him to his rest.

Then home to bed - but, if a fourth he pours,

That is the cup of folly and not ours.

Loud noisy talking on the fifth attends,

The sixth breeds feuds and falling out of friends.

Seven begets blows and faces stained with gore,

Eight, and the watch patrol breaks ope the door.

Mad with the ninth, another cup goes round,

And the swilled sot drops senseless to the ground.

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The Falkirk Wheel

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This day is a special day, it is yours.

Yesterday slipped away, it cannot be filled anymore with meaning.

About tomorrow nothing is known.

But this day, today, is yours, make use of it.

Today you can make someone happy.

Today you can help another.

This day is a special day, it is yours.

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"Have you never seen a chihuahua before? It'd rude to stare!"

Next post - Wednesday
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RENOIR AND THE IMPRESSIONISTS
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