Few things make a person feel special than a birthday well celebrated.

For many, this isn’t any random day. It’s a day when loved ones show appreciation in words and gestures, a day of laughter and merriment. A day to be happy and grateful for adding yet another year to our lifespan.

birthday wishes

But what is a birthday?

Simply put, it’s the day you are born. The anniversary of the birth of a person, or, figuratively, of an institution.

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Birthdays and Birthdates

Do you know a birthday is different from a birthdate?

You must be wondering what the difference is. I’ll explain.

A birth date is a particular date you’re born, and unlike a birthday it is not valid every year. Let’s say you were born on the ninth of January, twelve years ago, that would mean your birthday is January 9. And your correct birthdate would be January 9, 2010.

Simply put, a birthdate includes the year you were born.

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Significance of Birthdays

Numerous cultures all around the world celebrate birthdays in various ways. Most common gestures include birthday gifts, birthday cards, a birthday party, or a rite of passage.

Different traditions, too, celebrate the birth of their founders or religious figures with special holidays.

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According to legal systems, a person officially becomes an adult on a particular birthday when they reach the age of majority (usually between 18 and 21). Reaching age-specific milestones confers particular rights and responsibilities. These responsibilities include:

  1. You are eligible for military conscription, meaning you can enlist in the military
  2. You can consent to sexual intercourse
  3. You are able to marry with parental consent
  4. You can also marry without parental consent
  5. Eligibility to vote, and to run for elected office

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Cultural Significance of Birthdays

Before we go into birthday prayers, let us first look at some of the intriguing ways other cultures celebrate birthdays:

  1. In some Hispanic countries, as well as in Portuguese-speaking Brazil, the quinceañera (Spanish) or festa de quinze anos (Portuguese) celebration traditionally marks a girl’s 16th birthday
  2. As for children from Nepal and India, their first birthday is celebrated with a haircut; their head is shaved while being held over a sacred fire. According to culture, the removal of hair cleanses the child of any evil in past lives and symbolizes a renewal of the soul. Hindu male children of some castes, like Brahmins, have the 12th or 13th birthday replaced with a grand “thread ceremony”. The child takes a blessed thread and wears it, symbolizing his coming of age. This is called the Upanayana
  3. In the Philippines, a coming-of-age party called a debut is held for young women on their 18th birthday, and for young men on their 21st birthday.

Wait, there’s more …

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More on the Cultural Significance of Birthdays

  1. Asian countries follow the zodiac calendar; they have a tradition of celebrating their 60th birthday.
  2. In Korea, many celebrate the traditional ceremony of Baek-il (Feast for the 100th day) and Doljanchi (a child’s first birthday).
  3. For the Japanese, there is a Coming of Age Day for all of those who have turned 20 years of age.
  4. In British Commonwealth nations cards from the Royal Family are sent to those celebrating their 100th and 105th birthday and every year thereafter.

Common Birthday Celebrations

Now an individual’s birthday, in other areas of the world, is mostly celebrated with a fun party. The birthday cake is studded with the same number of lit candles as the age of the individual, or a number of candles representing their age.

birthday cake

The celebrated individual or celebrant makes a silent wish and attempts to blow out the candles in one breath; if successful, a tradition holds that the wish will be granted. In many cultures, the wish must be kept secret or it won’t “come true”. Presents are bestowed on the individual by the guests appropriate to their age.

Other birthday activities include:

  1. Entertainment; sometimes a hired professional will feign as a clown, magician, or musician. They would perform some tricks to the crowd’s delight
  2. A special toast or speech by the birthday celebrant
  3. A song. Usually, guests will sing the last stanza of Patty Hill’s and Mildred Hill’s famous song, “Good Morning to You” (unofficially titled “Happy Birthday to You”) at some point in the proceedings. In some countries, a piñata takes the place of a cake

Birthday Prayers for Myself

Does birthday prayers for myself on my big day matter?

If you are to make a list of “presents” you will like to receive on your birthday, prayers would most likely fall under the last category. But they are actually the best gifts you could receive on such a special day.

Anyone can wish you a happy birthday and give you presents, but it brings good fortune when you show gratitude to God or whatever you believe in for bringing you this far in life.

It helps to ask that He uplifts your soul and that he grants you guidance and protection in the coming years. That you get to celebrate many more birthdays. Prayers cost nothing, but they can give you everything.

However, only a few persons nowadays are religious and even fewer still pray regularly. While prayers are not exactly rocket science or calculus, it is not always easy to think of what to say to the big guy upstairs.

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Prayers

To help your case, we have prepared an amazing collection of powerful birthday prayers for your big day to help you commemorate your birth:

  1. Lord, I can’t thank You enough for bringing me this far in life. I might not be a billionaire, but You have blessed me with life, good health, happiness and peace of mind. These gifts are worth more than all the money and treasures of the world. Thank You so much. And please, keep on smiling at me.
  2. You are my sunshine, dearest heavenly Father. I pray that You continue to transform every darkness in my world into the spectacular rays of the sun. Thank You for filling up my life with countless blessings.
  3. Dear Lord, please draw me closer to Your mighty presence and bless all my days. Amen.
  4. Father, since I accepted You as my personal saviour, my life has become simply happy and wonderful. Today, I pray that You continue to bless me with happiness.
  5. On this special day, I thank God for His remarkable blessings in my world and pray that He will continue to protect me from the eyes and plans of my enemies.
birthday wishes

More Prayers

  1. Lord, please keep sadness away from my heart and worries from my mind. Bless me with a life of happiness, good health and good fortune. Happy birthday to me!
  2. As I observe my birthday today, I pray that God will draw me nearer to Him and fill all my days with happiness and His amazing grace.
  3. On this extraordinary day in my life, it is my prayer that the merciful Lord will shower me with His divine blessings and give me the gift of long life.
  4. Lord, I am making merry today because it is a very important day that You have made possible for me. I pray for more of your presence in my world will last eternally.
  5. As I celebrate this exclusive day in my life, Lord I pray that You grant me happiness, success and good health
  6. Lord, it’s my prayer that your immeasurable love will shine in my life and guide my path for as long as I live on this earth.
  7. On the occasion of my birthday, dear God, I pray that You change my life positively. Thanks for answering my prayer.
  8. Precious Father, please immerse me in your grace and send your holy angels to wrap their mighty wings around me as I commemorate my birthday today so that I may be protected and blessed until the end of time. Amen.
  9. God, because You love me so much, I am a happy and prosperous man/woman today. I pray that You will continue to love and bless me for as long as I live. Thank You so much

Endnote

Now that you know exactly what to pray for and how to go about it, be sure to leave a few supplications for the Most High because blessings are more important than wishes and presents.

We hope this post on “Birthday prayers for myself” guides you on what the prayers to pray on your birthday

If you’re reading this, you can let us know when your birthday is in the comment section. Who knows? We just might have a ready surprise for you.

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