Blowing out the candles on a birthday cake is a long tradition that has taken root in many countries. I hate to spoil your holiday, but this millennial tradition is actually quite dangerous as it contributes to the proliferation of many bacteria on the surface of your birthday cake. According to a new study by scientists from Clemson University in South Carolina, blowing out candles on a birthday cake can actually increase the number of bacteria that settle on its glaze by 1400 percent.
In their rather succinctly titled study, Bacterial Spread Associated with Blowing Candles on a Birthday Cake, published in Food Research, the scientists made a mock-up of styrofoam wrapped in tin foil with candles on top. Participants in the study first had to eat a slice of hot pizza to simulate a birthday celebration where the birthday person is eating any food before the birthday cake is placed in front of him. Any food stimulates the salivary glands and leads to the proliferation of bacteria in the mouth. The participants then blew out the candles.
The researchers then took samples from the foil and placed them in a bacteria-friendly environment. The experiment was repeated three times on separate days. It turned out that, on average, this tradition increases the number of bacteria on the cake by 15 times.
However, it has been found that some people blowing out candles are more conducive to the spread of bacteria than others. Everyday experience suggests that some people produce more saliva than others. For example, one of the participants in the experiment helped to increase the number of bacteria by 120 times.
“Some people can blow out the candles on the cake without carrying any bacteria. But there are also people who, for whatever reason, do carry a lot of bacteria, ”said Professor Paul Dawson, who was the lead author of this study.
While all of this is disgusting, don't worry too much if you've already been invited to a birthday party where the birthday boy is planning to blow out candles. As the authors of the study note, bacteria are a part of everyday life. There may indeed be several potentially harmful microbes on a birthday cake, such as streptococcus or staphylococcus, but not in the amount that can harm you. After all, humans have probably been doing this for thousands of years, and "birthday cake deaths" are very rare on death certificates.
“It's not too big a health risk,” Dawson added. "In fact, even if you blow the candles 100,000 times, the chances of getting sick will still be minimal."
As you can see, blowing out candles will not have fatal consequences, but if you are looking for a reason to deny yourself a sweet tooth, you can use this one.
Why exactly did the cake become a symbol of the birthday celebration? Why are candles inserted into the cake? And why should the candles on the cake be blown out? This question is now difficult to answer. Cakes have appeared in our culture relatively recently. Our grandmothers and great-grandmothers most likely have not heard anything about cakes. They baked loaves and pies for the holidays.
Translated from Italian and Latin, torta is round bread. But the bread was most likely round from the beginning, since the circle is a simpler form for baking. If you knead the dough and just put it in the oven, then it will bake in the form of a circle. Rectangular shapes were introduced to save energy during baking and for ease of storage and transportation. This happened most likely when the growth of cities began. It took space savings and ease of transport and storage. So it's not clear from the name where the cake came from.
Loaf is also round bread. Traditional bread of the Slavs, which was baked for a wedding. It is made from butter dough and skillfully decorated with elements from the same dough. Perhaps he is the progenitor of the cake. They began to decorate it with fruits. In winter, the fruit was replaced with a multi-colored cream. In the desire to surprise and make the loaf more delicious, they began to decorate it with multi-colored cream and add it inside. Perhaps it was like this.
Now about the candles on the cake. Fire at all times played a special role in human life. In ancient times, it attracted the attention of the gods. The fire heated the dwelling and cooked food on it. Candles, on the other hand, appeared as a cradle of fire soon after the taming of it by man. And in one form or another have survived to this day.
The burning candles on the cake symbolize the energy of the universe; warmth and comfort; communication with the higher worlds. While the candles are burning you make a wish. This moment is considered the most appropriate for your request to be recorded in the universe. The likelihood of the fulfillment of desire depends on the strength of the intention. You need to think about desire with positive emotions, blow out the candles and give the fulfillment of desire to the will of fate.
The number of candles, which increases with age, symbolizes the difficult attainability of desires with age. The reason for this may be the clogging of consciousness and the weakness of intention.
It was customary to celebrate a birthday with a big tasty cake since ancient times. So, the Romans, getting together on a holiday, treated themselves to pastries prepared for this special occasion. But have you ever wondered who was the first person who came up with the idea to light a fire on a cake?
Some believe that the tradition of lighting birthday candles dates back to ancient Greece, when people brought cakes decorated with lighted candles to the temple of Artemis. The flickering of a candle was associated among the Greeks with the light of the moon, a symbol of the goddess of the hunt.
In many ancient cultures, it was also a popular belief that smoke lifted prayers to the sky. The modern tradition of making a wish before blowing out the candles may be related to similar beliefs.
Others believe that the custom of putting candles on a birthday cake is a ritual of a later origin and was founded by the Germans. So, in 1746, Count Ludwig von Sisindorff celebrated his birthday with an extravagant festival. Of course, there was a cake at the party, so huge that it would not fit in any oven, and candles - according to the number of years of the birthday man.
It should also be said that in the 18th century, the Germans also used candles in organizing children's parties. On a child's birthday, a single candle was placed in the center of the cake, representing the light of life.
Why you don't need to celebrate your birthday on the birthday itself and why you can't blow out the candles on a birthday cake.
Each of us once a year celebrates one of the most important holidays - Birthday. This is a very important and multifaceted day. This is usually an occasion to gather friends, relatives, relatives and properly celebrate, receive well-deserved gifts and congratulations. It is also a reason to rejoice that you have become a year older, wiser or philosophically think about the fact that you are a year closer to the date when you will need to leave this world.
But few people know how important it is to spend 12 days correctly after a birthday, and very few people study what a personal Solarium is).
A solarium is the exact rotation of the Sun relative to the Earth, its exact return to the point in space that it was at the moment you entered this world, at the moment of your birth. It is better to be able to calculate it yourself, otherwise you can turn to a specialist, an astrologer for calculating the time of the solarium. This day can coincide with the calendar birthday, or maybe plus or minus one day from that.
It is at this moment of the solarium that special energies are turned on, which determine the fate of a person for the coming year.
The sun is the source of life force for all living things and for humans as well. Therefore, at the moment of solarium there is a kind of "recharging of the battery" of a person, his internal energy.
Therefore, it is so important to properly celebrate your personal New Year.
This is the origin of the ancient saying “as you celebrate the New Year, so you will spend it”. This applies primarily to the birthday. Any signs are important on this day, a small event can easily be reflected in a large one throughout the year.
So that the recharging is successful, and you have enough strength for good deeds throughout the year, you need to spend your birthday as calm and quiet as possible, preferably in nature.
On the contrary, we have a tradition to spend this day as noisily as possible, to celebrate "properly." we feel weak, lack of strength, we are sick, because our batteries are not charged.
Better to celebrate your Birthday on the 3rd day after turning on Solarium.
It is important that a fire (candle, icon lamp) burns in the house on a birthday. Fire is a reflection of your inner fire, symbolically it is associated with your creative principle, with spirit, the divine spark of universal Fire.
Therefore, in no case should you blow out the candles on the cake on your birthday !!! It is better to take them out of the cake and let them burn out completely, and looking at how the fire burns, put your desire in it.
And blowing out a candle you will symbolically extinguish your fire, your development. The tradition of blowing out the fire on this day is artificial and very harmful, specially introduced by unclean forces….
Solarium: bookmark the birthday program of life.
Every year a person, as is customary, celebrates his birthday, sometimes without even realizing the full significance of this event. Since childhood, he used to consider this holiday something special and memorable - when people around him give him gifts, they say kind words. With age, his sensations are no longer so strong and vivid.
And the days of his birth are no longer so remembered by him - as if they are becoming something ordinary. But the time of the new "birth of the Sun" is the most significant event of the year! However, no one taught him how to properly spend this day, did not teach him to understand that this was the time chosen by the ancient wise people in order to change the course of a person's life for the better. After all, it is by the Sun that all living things on Earth determine the cycles of their Life. At this time, a person can perform a special "magic" ritual and start a new life.
And for this it is good, of course, to know the exact time of your birth and the position of the degree of the Sun in the horoscope. Every year your Sun falls into this degree at different times and even sometimes on different days. Without this knowledge, it is more difficult to book a strong Solarium. But if you cannot consult an astrologer, do not be upset.
We will help you do our best to make the year following your birthday a Successful and Happy Year! This requires only one thing - your desire. Among your acquaintances, for sure, the overwhelming majority habitually celebrate their unique birthday: they prepare a table for guests or spend large sums on a good restaurant, try their best to cheer up the guests, so that the next day they almost get sick from such a "holiday". However, the result of these efforts is only the next year, similar as two drops of water to all the other years lived.
What is SOLAR - from the astrologer's point of view, this is the exact time of the conjunction of the Sun with the degree of its natal position - the position at the time of a person's birth. But you can consider the day of Solarium - your birthday, and the ritual itself begins in time a little earlier, - early in the morning. Although it is better to find out from the astrologer the point of turning on your Solarium, it happens at any time.
For many people, the period before SOLYAR or Happy Birthday - especially the last week, is not by chance the most difficult of the year - after all, you need to let go, finish many unresolved cases in a year, forgive someone, remember someone, pay back your debts and get someone else's. All year a person could live in a hurry and accumulate small debts to the world because of his ignorance, laziness, inattention ... And now, the hour is approaching when everything old, obsolete, needlessly must go away. And it is useful for a person, before laying down his solarium, to begin to remember what this year was like, what special events, achievements, victories and defeats he had.
So what else does a person need to know in order to competently carry out a ritual to attract success, luck and health in the coming year? He can write down all the events of the past year on paper, he can even create a special viewing album, where all the pictures are removed from him in the reverse order - so that the events clearly emerge in his memory. His friends and relatives can help him in this work. Together with him, they can remember many events of this year - and talk to him about what was hidden, about which they did not want to talk about before. At this time, a person must constantly remember that it is important for him to open up, not to keep resentment against the past, not to hide what he really feels, but to be SINCERE and HONEST - WITH YOURSELF FIRST.
It is best to do this based on the position of the planets in the horoscope during the period when the past year is remembered. But if this is not possible, then you can limit yourself to a simple recapitulation.
Before Solyar himself - early in the morning - stand for 10 minutes in cool salt water, presenting. How the water "takes" the past year and everything that should go away with the snapshot. It is good to hold a church wax candle in your right hand.
After that, you can proceed to the Solar ritual itself, which is designed for 12 days and helps a person to bring something new into 12 spheres of his life - astrologically 12 houses. Each "house" denotes one sphere - unique, inimitable for its owner - so you need to carefully read, it means. Every day, starting from the first day, you should live very actively - after all, how you live it, this will be the whole year.
12 DAYS FOLLOWING BIRTHDAY ARE CONSIDERED DAYS OF SOLAR.
So the FIRST day corresponds to the 1st house, the Second day to the second house, etc.
Houses describe the structure of a person's being.
1 - appearance, character, temperament of a person;
2 - money, valuables, movable property;
3 - close environment, neighbors, contacts, schooling, short trips;
4 - parents, home, family, real estate, end of life;
5 - creativity, love, children, childbirth, entertainment, art, speculation;
6 - work, service, health and illness;
7 - marriage, partners, obvious enemies;
8 - sex, other people's money, psychological crises, death, inheritance, occultism;
9 - worldview, religion, philosophy, higher education, long-distance travel;
10 - career, recognition, honors, goals in life, bosses;
11 - hopes, friends, surprises;
12 - secret in life, isolation, monastery, serious illness, mysticism.
If you want all these parts of your life to be in order, then you need to live each of the 12 days very actively. And since every person has a unique horoscope, you need to be careful to fulfill all your wishes. It is VERY IMPORTANT that you have the NEW CHARACTER QUALITIES you need, so that you do not just "shoot", but whether these qualities would feel inside you.
And now - in more detail about the houses:
FIRST HOUSE - denotes the impression that a person makes on others: this is a person's appearance, his personal ideas about himself, his talents, temperament, activity, the ability to be the first.
On this day, creativity and activity should be shown in everything. You get your future health through dousing, exercise. You SHOULD BE very independent and try to become visible within your environment - but this does not mean that you need to suppress others and be overly selfish. Women are advised to dress up and put on makeup - to create a new strong look. Maybe even completely change outwardly. On this day, it is better not to invite guests - to try to pay more attention to yourself.
SECOND HOUSE - denotes property, the ability to earn and spend money, practical knowledge and skills obtained by one's own efforts, business activity, property, prosperity and wealth.
On this day, it is not very useful to accept gifts, to be greedy, to be proud of your material property. It is good to make a donation or give out in all sincerity what is of value to you. If you consider yourself a "silly man" and earning money is given to you with great difficulty, you, on the contrary, can devote the whole day to earnings. Try to understand that you simply “invented” your poverty and from this day on you have every right to wealth. On this day, you must definitely earn something and be sure to spend it usefully, check all your accounts, debts, - do not borrow on this day and do not lend money to others;
THIRD HOUSE - denotes brothers and sisters, neighbors and relationships with them, exchange of thoughts, curiosity, speech, contracts, agreements, news. Near travel.
On this day, in order to avoid "punctures", it is best to be silent most or to speak very little and to the point. The motto of this day is "YOU WILL ANSWER FOR THE BAZAR." You can go on a short trip. The most beneficial thing on this day is to do the opposite of what you usually do when interacting with other people. If you are "silent" by nature, it is useful to communicate more, to exchange your thoughts and ideas. It is good to refrain from watching TV and reading on this day. Better to spend this day in nature or with brothers and sisters.
FOURTH HOUSE - denotes parents, your roots, ancestors in general, home and family, the end of life, peace of mind, familiar environment, emotional security, support for survival.
Observe where you want to go during this day - you may want to spend the day in the forest or in nature, or in a place where you can remember your family, ask him for help and support.
It is best to visit relatives on this day. It is good to do homework, to put the garden in full order, the vegetable garden. On this day, it is better not to start anything new, not to be active, but it is better not to allow inaction, laziness, sadness, tears on this day, so that they accompany you throughout the next year.
FIFTH HOUSE - denotes children, creative professions, creativity itself, hobbies, hobbies, free time, random happiness, love, romantic adventures, the desire to be noticed and appreciated in society, popularity, spending on entertainment.
On this day, it is better not to get carried away by love adventures, not to be seduced by the image, if there are strong temptations and temptations, you should not gamble and make expensive purchases. It's good to be with the children - watch their game and you will see how much joy, attention and spontaneity there is in it. You can also do something that you have never done before this day. We advise you to remember your childhood years - to do something like this, that then your parents categorically forbade you. In love affairs, on the contrary, you need restraint - then you will catch up. An important place is occupied by natural communication with your own or other people's children.
SIXTH HOUSE - denotes your health and care for it, service and daily work, caring for others, and responsibilities, subordination, discipline, relationships in the service, work environment, professional skills, work with tools and mechanisms
THIS IS YOUR HEALTH CARE DAY. A day when you can fully devote yourself to business, everyday worries. You can move up the career ladder on this day as for years of hard work. A DAY OF Tranquility. But try to beware of the routine. See if you are being sucked into the maelstrom of small daily affairs, where it is easy to miss the main thing. It is good to try a new diet on this day or arrange a light meal for yourself.
SEVENTH HOUSE - denotes a spouse, partners and enemies, personal relationships with people, responsibility in front; marriage, divorce, separation, rupture of relations, litigation, trade, deals, competition, co-authorship.
If you live with a partner, then it would be very good to spend this day together and discuss joint plans for the future - they may consist in the fact that you will start doing something that you did not dare to do. Maybe you will finally speak out directly and clarify a lot in your relationship. It's good to remember all your partners and understand what worked out for you and what didn't and why. Better not to sue, not to get divorced, not to conclude contracts. But if on this day you still have to sign important papers, be sure to check them more than once.
EIGHTH HOUSE - denotes death, changes, trials, crises, the end of old conditions, the beginning of new ones; conception and birth, sex; losses and gains for reasons beyond the control of a person; values of other people.
THIS IS THE MOST DIFFICULT DAY - it needs to be spent alone - to recapitulate yourself in order to get serious changes in behavior and thoughts. Sex, interference in other people's life and jealousy are contraindicated on this day. It is especially important to learn how to control your emotions and feelings. Be prepared for the fact that on this very day something outdated, although still expensive, will leave your life. Losing this one means liberation and is a good omen. You shouldn't be afraid on this day.
NINTH HOUSE - denotes knowledge that expands horizons, worldview, higher education, travel, distant relatives, people from afar, with a different view of the world, long trips and travel, especially with a cognitive purpose.
You CAN learn something new - it's very good! It is good to meet guests from afar, to go on a long journey if you intend to travel the whole next year. On this day, it is important not to sit at home. Go to a museum, an exhibition, a library, read an educational magazine. But it is on this day that you cannot teach anyone yourself. You cannot teach relatives, friends, and even children, although you can be very attracted to this.
TENTH HOUSE - denotes power, embodiment of ideas, profession, career, social status, authority, practical goals and results in life, assessment of your merits - both fame and shame, relations with bosses, state authorities, personal power and its use, manifestation of ambition, strategy of movement towards the goal, practical life choice.
DO NOT OWN, DO NOT BE Proud, DO NOT SET GOALS WHICH ARE FALSE. On this day, a strong desire may arise to feel like a boss, but initiative is undesirable. If you are not an ambitious person in life, then on the contrary, you need to reach the heights, set high and difficult goals and objectives, plan real actions and look at the possibility of achieving practical results. Be sure to remember all your bosses and mentally thank them for the "science."
ELEVENTH HOUSE - denotes friends, hopes for the future, plans, faith and dreams of a person, his idea of happiness, patrons.
This is the day of changing your Destiny. It's good if your hopes come true - that means you can make new plans! On this day, you can FINALLY COLLECT ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND MAKE A GREAT NAME DAY! From whom on this day it literally-SICKED, - that and not your friend! You don't even need to invite guests to your place, but to check who will come to you today, even without an invitation, means he is your real friend.
THE TWELFTH HOUSE - means restriction, renunciation and liberation from the old, unnecessary, purification, religious actions.
DAY OF PRAYER, RETAIN AND REST. It is good to take stock of the whole Ritual. Feel your strength, visit the Temple. On this day, one must be patient, be peaceful, compassionate to the needs of other people. It is very good to help someone in a difficult situation and completely free yourself from the burden of memory, from all past years, forgive your offenders, feel love for the whole world, for all people.
When you spend all 12 days following these rules, you definitely need to remember them throughout the year. Try to live the way you did in those 12 days. The easiest way is to write down the events of these days in a diary and re-read it. But there is one more way. Each of the 12 months following the birthday is also connected with Solar - the first month - 1 house, the second month - 2 house, and so on. You can continue to live by these rules throughout the year. And then a lot will start to change in your life. A new love may come to you, a new job. You can become more successful, happier, and healthier.
In fact, this short article is just an attempt to get you serious about the topic of your birthday. Be attentive to this day!
In our everyday life, we try to adhere to the traditions that were developed by our ancestors. So, for example, we try to get rid of cracked dishes, wear amulets and amulets, and for our birthday we blow out the candles inserted into the birthday cake. At the same time, the birthday man makes a wish, which, according to the existing belief, will definitely come true. I think you will be interested to know about the history of such an original tradition.
The ancient Greeks were the first to celebrate birthdays. On the festive table, they served honey cakes and pies that were shaped like the moon. According to the existing belief, it was these treats that were enjoyed by the Moon Goddess Artemis, whom the Greeks worshiped. The cakes were decorated with wax candles, the light of which was incredibly similar to the moon. Man celebrated his birthday once a year, while the birthdays of the Gods were celebrated monthly. Well, the Germans were the first to blow out the candles. They believed that the resulting smoke delivers their innermost desires to the Gods.
This custom among the Germans is directly related to the birth of Jesus. Unlike the ancient Greeks, whose cakes were shaped like a moon disc, the Germans baked cakes in the form of rolled up baby diapers. A candle was installed in the center of such a culinary product, which the birthday man blew out, making a secret wish, and the resulting smoke was supposed, according to the legend, to convey his request to the Gods.
Over time, the custom has changed somewhat. Other candles were added to the candles in the center of the cake, the number of which corresponded to the age of the birthday person. It was believed that this would make the next year of his life happy and carefree. Lit on the cake, they had to burn until the evening. If the need arose, they were replaced with new ones, not allowing the flame to go out. At the last stage of the holiday, the traitor blew out the candles while making a wish. The resulting smoke carried away his secret request to the Gods. The hero of the day could only wait for its execution.
At all times, people associated a festive cake with candles lit on it with goodness, vitality, and the fulfillment of innermost desires. This interesting tradition has survived to this day, and, moreover, almost unchanged. Today, the traitor's birthday is also served with a birthday cake on which candles are lit, in an amount equal to the number of his years. Blowing them out, the hero of the day makes a secret desire, which, together with the smoke, is carried away to heaven to the Gods.
Children like this tradition very much. Blowing out the candles, each of them can make one single, secret wish, which will come true without fail, albeit not without the help of adults. In addition, this is a rather bright and memorable sight, which is combined with the opportunity to taste one of the most beloved delicacies.
But in England, a festive cake is served on the table, which is stuffed with various objects. And if a person comes across a piece with a coin, then this is a sign that he will be accompanied by good luck and prosperity for a whole year.
People have always believed that fire contains supernatural power. The sun was revered by various peoples as the supreme deity. At the same time, in ancient times, no one believed that such a priceless gift as fire could be given to people by the gods for free. Therefore, numerous legends appeared about how a piece of divine light was tricked away from the gods.
Bonfires were not only a source of heat for people. All the most important ceremonies and rituals of the ancient tribes took place around them.
Over time, people learned to spread the element of fire to other carriers, using torches, and later wax candles. Candles can still be found in every home, but the meaning of fire as a means of delivery "to the address" of our prayers and requests has been forgotten by many. But a candle is a direct connection with the other world ...
In nine out of ten cases, a person who crosses the threshold of the temple comes to the candle box. The initiation into the rituals begins with a small wax candle. The candle is present at many church services, it is held in the hands of the newly baptized and combined with the sacrament of marriage. Among the many burning candles, a funeral service is performed, with candles the pilgrims go to the procession.
On the main Christian holidays - Christmas, Epiphany, Easter and the Nativity of the Virgin - it is customary to light not white, but red candles. They have a special power, and therefore many buy them in the hundreds and take home to use after the holidays.
Along with incense, the red church candle cleans the home beautifully. And it is believed that with such a candle, prayer will sooner reach the One to whom it is intended.
Many traditions in our life are associated with candles. For example, a birthday cake. Today it has become just a table decoration and fun blowing out candles. But actually this ceremony has its own special meaning.
Our ancestors believed that if you stick candles in a cake baked for a birthday, then this cake will become a very powerful means for fulfilling desires. This is because on a birthday next to a person there is always his guardian angel (after all, this is also his holiday). If you made a wish and blew out all the candles, this means that your angel helped you to blow them out, which means that your mental message, your desire, was received by the angel and he will deliver it up the level.
It's not just our birthday that heaven is so kind to our requests. The same thing happens on New Year's holidays and subsequent Christmastide. This is a time of miracles, magical gifts and predictions of the future, and the most severe church closes its eyes for two weeks of continuous fortune-telling.
Making a wish "for a candle" becomes akin to prayer at home, this is a completely harmless way to send your message to heaven. When you buy candles from the store, pay attention to their color. For each purpose, a special type of candlestick is used. After all, you can use candles, the color of which suits your desire.
White color means the beginning of actions, the beginning of some business.
Red is the color of love, sexual relations, fertility and the color of bold decisions and actions.
Orange is health. Always light orange candles when you are sick.
Yellow - finance, career, creative plans. Light a yellow candle if you want to attract money to your home.
Green - family, children, pets, plants. Light a green candle before planting your vegetable garden or garden for the best harvest. Or the houseplant you want to grow.
Blue - successful passing of exams, academic success, it is good to light such a candle before a long journey.
Pink - if you need to calm down, calmly fall asleep, light a pink candle.
Brown - want to change your place of residence, solve some material problems? Light a brown candle.
Gold - big action, close-ups, power. Do you want to become president? Gold candles in your home should not be translated.
Black is human flaws and the termination of some action, process. If you want to stop something, light a black candle.
Now, using this information, you can more accurately formulate your requests.
In the Nordic countries, they believe that money loves warmth. And they often do this ritual. A candle is lit and a circle is laid around it with coins. A candle warms up money and multiplies it. Judging by how richly they live in Sweden and Finland, the ritual works.
They say that before the New Year you need to collect all the debts so that the next 12 months the money goes to the house and not from the house.
For those who do not believe in it or believe, but not the end, such advice can be given. Just at every opportunity, light candles in your apartment that you bought in the church. Or even in a store. And do not allow someone else to touch them with their hands before that, because wax, stearin and paraffin have the ability to absorb energy.
And further. The stronger your desire, the more time it takes to fulfill it, the thicker the candle should be. And "crying" candles should be avoided altogether - they lead to tears.
Like this. Believe it or not, they say it's true.
Good luck and good luck!