Book 2, Question 109
Why Do We Celebrate Birthdays?
A birthday is a special day that comes once a year. It marks one more trip around the sun. A marker on the life map! Not every culture uses cake, but the mark still matters.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 2
More fun facts
- In China, a birthday cake is optional, but long noodles called longevity noodles are a birthday staple. They stand for a long life.
- Noodles have been a popular food in China for at least 2,000 years.
- Longevity noodles are also important at birthdays in Singapore and the Philippines.
- In its first 20 years with crews on board, the International Space Station hosted 81 birthday celebrations.
- The record for the most birthdays one person has celebrated in space is four.
- Astronauts have been celebrating birthdays in orbit since 1971.
Questions kids ask
Why shouldn't you break a longevity noodle?
The long noodle stands for a long life, so it is meant to be eaten by the birthday person without breaking or biting it first.