Happy Birthday to You!

How people around the world celebrate birthdays for young and old.

Happy birthday to you, the latest installment of our Small World Series. Today with the help of our digital reporters around the world, we are gonna take a look at birthday traditions across the globe, from Korea to Lebanon.

I am Joohee Cho in Seoul. When it comes to spending on a first birthday party, sky is the limit for most Korean parents, and the Chung family is no exception.

“I spent about $6,000 and I just have only one baby and this baby is very precious to me.”

The first birthday is considered a major milestone, because in the past, so many didn’t survive the first year of life. For the main ceremony, baby Eun-Suh wears a han bo(韓服), the traditional costume. The highlight of the party is when the baby must choose an object that will symbolize her future. Family friends add cash to the choices. Looks like Eun-Suh will be in the money.

I am Karen Russo in Mumbai /. With India's growing economy, the middle and upper class have more disposable income. And with that comes spending on elaborate events like the increasingly popular western-style birthday parties.

This party for five-year-old Ruansh has a carnival-type atmosphere with face-painting and prize-winning games. There is even a magician.

One Indian tradition remains constant, parents feeding their children the first piece of cake for good luck. Although it appears to be a tradition this naughty boy doesn’t care to follow.

I am Lara Setrakian in Lebanon, there is an old tradition in the Middle East to not just celebrate birthdays but celebrate name days.

Today, Elias and his wife Elian are celebrating theirs. It’s the feast of prophet Elijah. So for people with a name derived from Elijah, it’s their special day. They are the guests of honor at mass. But for Elias and Elian, the real party starts in their living room. Complete with cake. At nightfall, fireworks on the rooftop, a dinner with friends mark their special day.

參考中文翻譯：

世界各地的人們怎樣為年輕人和老年人慶祝生日的呢？

現在，由于世界各地數碼攝影記者的幫助，我們可以一覽全球各地的生日傳統，從韓國到黎巴嫩。

我是Joohee Cho，現在在首爾。當人們舉辦第一個生日派對時，父母毫不吝惜，Chung的家庭也毫不例外。

“我為孩子的第一個生日花費了6，000美元。我只有一個孩子，這個孩子對我來說非常珍貴。”

第一個生日被認為是人生一個重要的里程碑。因為在過去，很過孩子根本活不到一歲就夭折了。為了這個重要的慶祝會，小寶寶Eun-Suh特意穿了傳統的韓服。晚會的高潮是寶寶“抓周”，寶寶隨手抓到的物體象征的他的未來。親朋好友會在所有的選擇中加上現金，象征著小寶寶以后會很有錢。

我是孟買的Karen Russo。隨著印度經濟不斷增長，中低階層的人們擁有越來越多的可支配收入，可以花費錢財來舉辦一些豪華的盛宴，比如越來越受歡迎的西方風格的生日派對。

為5歲的Ruansh舉辦的生日派對很有狂歡節的氣氛，人們臉上都化裝，還有贏獎的游戲，甚至還有一個魔術師。

印度的一個傳統仍然很普遍，父母喂孩子吃第一塊蛋糕，代表好運。然而這個淘氣的小男孩似乎不想遵循這個傳統。

我是黎巴嫩的Setrakian。中東地區有一個古老的傳統，不僅要慶祝生日，還要慶祝他們的名字。

今天，Elias和他的妻子Elian 正在為他們的孩子舉行慶?；顒?。這是預言者Elijah的盛宴，所以對所有以Elijah命名的人來說，今天是一個特別的日子。他們是受人尊敬的客人。但是，對Elias and Elian來說，他們真正的派對在客廳里舉行，全部都是蛋糕。黃昏時，屋頂燃放煙花，與朋友共進晚餐來度過特別的一天。