Birthdays - Alexandra Brown

Birthdays are very important times of the year for us. We always make big productions out of them. We throw big parties, get presents, have cake, and sometimes get completely wasted (if you're over 21, and most definitely at your 21st). But in oral cultures, birthdays didn't seem all that important. Throughout my readings, I never once found anything written about birthdays. They just weren't that important. Everything was covered through the life passage rituals. Being born, entering adulthood, getting married, and finally dying. So why do we make such a big deal about it now? Yeah, we have laws (like drinking, and driving, and smoking) which dictate when we can or cannot do something, but is that the only reason we keep track of how old we are? Or is it just an excuse to get presents and be the center of attention at a social gathering? Or is there some other obscure reason I can't think of?