Here are a few birthday traditions from around the world:

China

Traditional Chinese birthdays aren’t even counted the same way as they are in the West. A child’s first year of life is counted as one instead of zero, so that a child is two years old in his second year (their first birthday as we could count it), three years old in his third year (his second birthday), and so on.

In traditional Chinese culture, a baby’s first month birthday is celebrated with a red egg and ginger party. Before modern medicine, infant mortality was very high in many countries, so a child that survived through their first month had a much greater chance of staying alive. This party is when the baby is formally introduced to friends and family and the baby’s name is officially announced for the first time.

Traditionally, the most important birthday in Chinese culture is the 60th. In Chinese culture 60 years is one cycle of life, so 61 is the beginning of a new life. On their birthday morning the person celebrating will eat a bowl of long noodles to symbolize their long life.

England

An old English birthday custom is to mix a coin and thimble into the birthday cake batter. Superstition says that the person who got the coin in their slice of birthday cake would be wealthy, while the unlucky finder of the thimble would never marry.

When someone turns 21 in England (they can legally drink at 18, so it’s not quite the party like it is here in the States), they are sometimes given a key to the house as a symbol of their coming-of-age. The key means their parents have given the birthday boy or girl permission to come and go as they please.

Germany

Historians say that birthday cake tradition started in Germany when the cakes given as treats on Christmas started being given out to celebrate children’s’ birthdays. German birthday cakes are supposed to have candles that burn all day, one for each year they are celebrating.

Never wish a German “happy birthday” before their actual birthday. No cards, no gifts, no nothing! It’s considered bad luck.

If a German man turns 30 and still isn’t married, he is supposed to sweep the steps at City Hall to show they are good husband material to the eligible women in town. Meanwhile, a single woman is supposed to clean all the doorknobs in her house. The only way out of the chore is to get a birthday kiss from a member of the opposite sex!

Holland

In Holland certain birthdays (5, 10, 15, 20, and 21) are called “crown” years. The birthday child (or teen or adult) is supposed to receive an especially large gift that year. Their family also decorates the birthday boy’s/girl’s chair at the table with seasonal flowers or paper streamers, paper flowers and balloons.

In the Netherlands, a man’s 50th birthday is known as “Abraham” after the Biblical patriarch Abraham, who supposedly lived to be 175. Women are known as “Sarah” on their 50th who, according to the Bible, lived until she was 127.

Vietnam

Birthdays as we know it are only really celebrated in the most urban areas of Vietnam, those cities most heavily influenced by Western Culture. Everyone celebrates their birthday on New Year’s Day in Vietnam, also known as “tet.” Vietnamese tradition is that an individual’s actual day of birth is not to be celebrated. Rather, people become a year older every year at tet, regardless of when they were actually born.

• South Korea – Seaweed Soup. PIN IT. …
• Russia – Personalized Pie. PIN IT. …
• China – Longevity Noodles. PIN IT. …
• Australia – Fairy Bread. PIN IT. …
• The Netherlands – Taarties and Pancakes. PIN IT. …
• Sweden – Princess Cake. PIN IT. …
• Ghana – Oto. PIN IT.

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Grand Central Oyster Bar executive chef Sandy Ingber received the disappointing news from Holland that the highly-anticipated arrival of nieuwe maatjes herring would be delayed until Wednesday, June 19, two weeks later than the originally schedule June 5 date. The Oyster Bar is the traditional destination for the first shipment, and it is believed to be only the second time in the 33-year history of the Dutch Herring Festival that the first catch of Holland Herring will not arrive on the scheduled date, previously occurring in 2006.

“Starting the season with herring of lesser quality is not an option,” says Nico de Jong, President of the Herring Wholesale Association. The herring is caught so far is not yet the right quality to Dutch herring processing.

As it was in 2006, bad weather of the past few weeks is the culprit in the postponement. Due to the lack of sufficient sunlight the plankton on which the herring feeds has been insufficiently available. The plankton is a major influence on the growth of the herring, impacting the percentage of body fat in the herring.

Arrival Delayed Two Weeks…
GRAND CENTRAL OYSTER BAR HOSTS 33nd ANNUAL “HOLLAND HERRING FESTIVAL” BEGINNING WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, AT 12 NOON WITH OPENING CEREMONIES ANDOFFICIAL FIRST TASTING; FESTIVAL CONTINUES THROUGH WEDNESDAY, JULY 3

What: 33nd Annual “Holland Herring Festival” – Official First Tasting and arrival of “Nieuwe Maatjes” Herring from the Netherlands
Where: Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant, “Below Sea Level” at Grand Central Terminal, New York City
When: Wednesday, June 19, 2013 (Note date was postponed from June 5)
Time: 12:00 noon (continues throughout day)
Who: Oyster Bar Executive Chef Sandy Ingber, General Manager Kevin Faerkin, and special guests
Admission: Free; herring by consumption (filets: $7.00, herring salad, $7.95)
Subways: 4, 5, 6 and 7 Reservations and information: 212-490-6650
For lovers of “nieuwe maatjes” herring from Holland, the year-long wait has been extended two weeks, but it is about to end. The arrival of the tasty delicacy from the waters of the Netherlands is always eagerly anticipated. Delayed from the originally scheduled date of June 5, the arrival time is now expected to be Wednesday afternoon, June 19, at 12 noon when the historic Grand Central Oyster Bar launches its annual “Holland Herring Festival” with opening ceremonies including the “Official First Tasting” of Dutch Herring, hosted by executive chef Sandy Ingber and general manager Kevin Faerkin. Dignitaries and special guests will participate in the ceremonies. The Herring Festival will continue through Wednesday, July 3. The Oyster Bar has for three decades been the traditional destination in America for the first Holland Herring of the season. The most-looked-forward-to time of the year for herring lovers, the delicacy arrives air-expressed to the Oyster Bar from Scheveningen, The Netherlands, on the North Sea where the herring fleet makes its home. The Oyster Bar always receives the very first herring shipped to the USA, and the cream of the catch, as well. Beginning on June 19th, and for approximately two weeks thereafter, the Oyster Bar looks forward to featuring the succulent, toothsome delicacy known as nieuwe maatjes herring. Herring lovers will enjoy the season for less than a month. The herring filets are served with hard-boiled egg, sweet onion and chives. Herring filets are priced at $7.00, and the herring salad at $7.95 per order. Liquid libations – “Dutch Martinis” featuring spirits from the Netherlands Ketel One vodka and Bols Genever gin – and Holland-imported favorite Heineken beer will co-star with “nieuwe maatjes” herring. Central Oyster Bar at 212-490-6650, or visit http://www.oysterbarny.com/.

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