Why Do Celebrations Always Have Cakes?

You name it, almost every celebration there is out there always has a cake.

Birthdays, celebrations, anniversaries, and many more. There’s even a saying, “an occasion without a cake is just a meeting”. But why are cakes so fond to us all and seen as a necessity in our events?

The reason behind this tradition actually reflects from ancient times.

The first birthday celebration that is recorded by history is from Ancient Egypt, when someone was crowned as a pharaoh, which was considered to be a God. This coronation was so crucial which is believed to be the first note of a birthday, and marked the transition from human to deity. 

It may start the whole concept of celebrations, but where is the cake?

It was actually the Greeks who celebrated birthdays of Gods and Goddesses like the Ancient Egyptians. They would honor through making moon-shaped cakes, with candles on top of them. The candles were a representation of the beautiful light of the moon, which they were celebrating their lunar goddess’s birthday–Artemis. This later became a tradition, and keeps on evolving until today. 

Although, birthday cakes were not like today, all sweet and delicious.

Ingredients like sugar and other ingredients used to be expensive and really hard to get. So the sweet and beautifully decorated cakes are mostly for the wealthy. After the Industrial Revolution, this changed as everyone was finally able to get their hands to the delicious ingredients to bake personal cakes, or to buy them. Until today, birthday cake became accessible to all.

It brings a lot of happiness to the people who are being celebrated and those who come. It also makes it a better way for a celebration. Also, the different flavours, types, and shapes of cakes make it even more fun and personalized for any celebration!