The Beatles never released an official music video for their song "Birthday". The track was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, released on November 22, 1968, on their double album The Beatles (known as the White Album), and recorded in a single evening.

What does your birthday mean?

How to navigate the negative baggage around the day.

Do you find birthdays invite unsolicited pressure or heavy thoughts? I've experienced this. In a landmark 2014 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), behavioral researchers Adam Alter and Hal Hershfield investigated how people behave when they reach "nine-ending ages" (ages 29, 39, 49, 59).

They found that as people approach a milestone birthday, they experience a sharp surge in existential reflection.

The Cognitive Shift: Facing a new decade prompts people to audit their meaningfulness, asking, "Is my life meaningful? Am I where I am supposed to be?"

Behavioral Spikes: The researchers analyzed large datasets and discovered that "nine-enders" are overrepresented among first-time marathon runners, people seeking extramarital affairs, and individuals making major career changes. Milestone ages trigger an urgency to either achieve a breakthrough or re-evaluate life trajectory.

Let's dive into some birthday history. 

In the ancient world, birthdays were about sacred power and protection. The earliest recorded "birthdays" (3000 bce) did not mark a human's physical birth, but rather a pharaoh’s coronation day. When a pharaoh was crowned, they were believed to transform into a god; thus, their coronation was celebrated as their divine "birth". The Greeks adopted the practice of celebrating divine births. They offered round cakes topped with lit candles to Artemis, the moon goddess, to recreate the glow of the moon, a tradition that laid the groundwork for modern birthday candles. The Romans were among the first to celebrate the birth of non-divine individuals, though this honor was strictly reserved for prominent, living men. Celebrations honored the individual's genius (a protective guardian spirit) through banquets, prayers, and gifts.

In the early Christian era & Middle Ages, unsurprisingly, early Church fathers considered birthday celebrations a taboo of the flesh. With the spread of Early Christianity, birthday celebrations largely vanished in Western Europe. Those early Church fathers (such as Origen) viewed birthday celebrations as pagan and sinful, arguing that celebrating one's birth glorified original sin and earthly vanity rather than spiritual salvation.

Instead, medieval Europe emphasized Saint's Days. Individuals were named after patron saints and celebrated the feast day of their namesake, framing their identity around community faith rather than personal individuality.

Moving into the Modern Era, we saw aspects of childhood reframed by industrialization. The modern birthday party took shape between the late 18th and 19th centuries, driven by two main cultural catalysts:

The German Kinderfest (18th Century): German culture introduced Kinderfeste, dedicated celebrations for children featuring a cake topped with candles representing each year of life plus "one extra for the future".

The Industrial Revolution and the rise of 19th-century middle-class values fundamentally shifted birthday celebrations. As industrialization made essential ingredients like sugar and flour, as well as mass-manufactured goods, widely accessible, birthday cakes and gifts became affordable for the general public. Simultaneously, the social concept of "childhood" evolved, transitioning from a period defined by labor to a protected, cherished stage of emotional development.

What Birthdays Mean Across Cultures Today

Across modern global societies, birthdays serve distinct psychological, social, and cultural functions depending on whether a culture emphasizes individualism or collectivism:

Individual Self-Actualization (Western / Individualist Cultures)

In societies like North America and Western Europe, the birthday acts as an explicit exercise in individuation. It's a day where the individual is singled out as uniquely valuable. Sociologist Russell Belk highlights these core functions of the modern Western birthday:

Affirmation of Self: The celebrant receives focused attention, gifts, and status.

Commercial Socialization: Children learn social norms of gift-giving, reciprocity, and hospitality.

Milestone Anchoring: Age boundaries (18, 21, 30, 50) act as developmental psychological checkpoints.

Life-Stage Transitions & Rites of Passage

Many cultures place minimal emphasis on routine annual birthdays, reserving major social investments for milestone ages that signify status changes within the community:

Culture / Tradition | Milestone Age | Meaning & Function

Latin America (Quinceañera)15 (Girls)Marks the formal transition from childhood to young adulthood, emphasizing family honor and community debut.

Judaism (Bar/Bat Mitzvah)12 / 13A spiritual and communal transition into moral accountability under religious law.

Japan (Seijin no Hi)20A collective public holiday ("Coming of Age Day") welcoming young adults into legal maturity and civic duty.

Korea (Doljanchi)1st BirthdayHistorically celebrated surviving infancy. The child picks up an object (Doldjabi) to symbolically predict their future health, wealth, or career path.

Longevity, Lineage, and Ancestry (East Asian Cultures)

In traditional Chinese and East Asian cultures influenced by Confucian philosophy, individual birthdays historically took a backseat to filial piety.

Celebrations emphasize gratitude to parents (especially mothers) for giving life.

The 60th Birthday (Kanreki in Japan / Huanli in China) marks a completed cycle of the traditional sexagenary zodiac, representing a symbolic rebirth into respected elderhood.

Symbolic Foods: Rather than cake, traditions feature long "longevity noodles" (chángshòu miàn), where eating an unbroken noodle symbolizes a long life.

Sociological Functions & Academic References

Social scientists categorize the underlying functions of birthdays into three core mechanisms:

Liminality & Time-Marking: Birthdays create structured breaks in the continuous flow of time, helping humans process aging and mortality within their social circle.

Group Observance: Rituals like singing in unison ("Happy Birthday") and sharing food build social intimacy and reinforce belonging.

Reciprocal Economics: Gift exchange serves as an informal economic network, cementing social obligations and social ties.

To reframe milestone-birthday anxiety, psychiatrists and cognitive-behavioral therapists suggest:

You might be wondering why we’re exploring the history and psychology of birthdays in this week’s newsletter. The answer is simple: it highlights how deeply our perception of aging is shaped by arbitrary cultural norms. While we have centuries of tradition and nearly 300 years of industrial-age expectations, dictating what each stage of life "should" look like, reality has shifted beneath us. With life expectancy increasing by two decades over the last century, we are in uncharted territory. Currently, there are no established societal blueprints for professional life after 70 or 80, leaving us to navigate a world that hasn't yet caught up to our longevity.

This is why we are witnessing ageism across the business world. I'm not sure this will change to any extent in our lifetime. 

What I do know is this. 

If you take radical agency over your life—meaning your health, your ongoing mental health, and your willingness to learn new things—your chances of thriving are better. 

Key Academic Sources for Further Reading

Belk, R., & Dodson, K. (1997). "Lessons of Altruism and Egoism in Children's Birthday Stories." Association for Consumer Research.

Pleck, E. H. (2000). "Celebrating the Family: Ethnicity, Consumer Culture, and Family Rituals." Harvard University Press.

Salzman, M. R. (2012). "Birthday." The Encyclopedia of Ancient History.

Klein, J. (1981). "Birthday Parties: A Study of Developmental Change in American Culture." Central Issues in Anthropology.

— Sherman G. Mohr

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A celebration of significant birthdays this week!

During the week of August 3–9, several notable public figures across sports, entertainment, business, and media will celebrate these milestone nine-ender birthdays. Let’s keep an eye on them and see if their upcoming transition to a new decade will lead to any major events in their lives.

Turning 49 (Born August 3–9, 1977)

Tom Brady (Aug 3): Seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback widely regarded as the NFL’s greatest of all time.

Ashlie Atkinson (Aug 6): Character actress known for roles in The Gilded Age, And Just Like That..., BlacKkKlansman, and Mr. Robot.

Turning 59 (Born August 3–9, 1967)

Reid Hoffman (Aug 5): Silicon Valley venture capitalist and co-founder of LinkedIn.

Mike Greenberg (Aug 6): Longtime ESPN host (Get Up, Mike & Mike, NBA Countdown).

Marcelo Balboa (Aug 8): U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer and legendary USMNT defender/captain.

Deion Sanders / "Coach Prime" (Aug 9): Pro Football Hall of Famer, MLB player, and Colorado football head coach.

Turning 69 (Born August 3–9, 1957)

Faith Prince (Aug 6): Tony Award–winning Broadway star best known for Guys and Dolls.

Melanie Griffith (Aug 9): Oscar-nominated actress known for classic films like Working Girl, Something Wild, and Body Double.

Turning 79 (Born August 3–9, 1947)

Rick Derringer (Aug 5): Rock guitarist and producer famous for hits like "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" and "Hang On Sloopy".

Amanda McBroom (Aug 9): Singer-songwriter who composed the title song "The Rose," famously recorded by Bette Midler.

Turning 89 (Born August 3–9, 1937)

Dustin Hoffman (Aug 8): Two-time Academy Award-winning actor (Rain Man, Kramer vs. Kramer, The Graduate, Tootsie).

Royal & State Extravaganzas

1. Sultan of Brunei’s 50th Birthday (1996)

Estimated Cost: ~$27 Million ($50+ Million adjusted today)

The Scale: Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah threw a legendary two-week extravaganza. He constructed a custom 60,000-seat stadium specifically to host a private concert by Michael Jackson (who was reportedly paid $17 million for the performance). The guest list included world royalty, with Prince Charles joining the Sultan for a polo match, and attendees were presented with solid gold medals at dinner.

Source & Coverage: Read the breakdown on DDW Magazine's Most Expensive Parties.

2. Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th Birthday (2016)

Estimated Attendance/Viewership: Millions nationwide; 1,500 live performers

The Scale: Spanning several months, the focal point of the sovereign's milestone was a massive four-day pageant at Windsor Castle featuring 900 horses and performances by international pop icons and classical artists. It culminated in nationwide street parties, including the "Patron’s Lunch" along the Mall in London for 10,000 guests.

Source & Coverage: Review the official event staging details at HPower Group's Event Retrospective.


3. Nelson Mandela’s 80th Birthday Celebration (1998)

The Scale: Held in Johannesburg shortly after his marriage to Graça Machel, Mandela’s 80th birthday served as both a national festival and a global summit for peace. The dual-stadium concert hosted tens of thousands of attendees and featured tribute performances by Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Kenny Lattimore, and local African superstars, attended by political leaders and international icons.

Source & Coverage: Read the original 1998 press report via allAfrica News Archives.


4. Elizabeth Brooks’ $10 Million Bat Mitzvah (2005)

Estimated Cost: $10 Million

The Scale: Hosted by defense contractor David H. Brooks for his 13th-birthday daughter at New York City’s iconic Rainbow Room, this event is widely cited in pop-culture history as one of the most expensive coming-of-age parties ever thrown. Rather than hiring cover bands, the host booked full mini-concerts from Aerosmith, 50 Cent, Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty, Ciara, and The Eagles.

Source & Coverage: See the historical ranking on DDW Magazine.

5. Kim Kardashian’s 40th Birthday Private Island Getaway (2020)

The Scale: At the height of 2020 pandemic lockdowns, Kardashian chartered a private Boeing 777 to fly dozens of family members and friends to the secluded island resort of Tetiaroa in French Polynesia. The week-long celebration included private island buyouts, health screenings, and luxury excursions. It became one of the most viral and talked-about pop-culture events of the decade, spawning endless memes and media debates around celebrity privilege.

Source & Coverage: Read the cultural impact analysis in The Guardian.Over50Pros Curates

When 9-year-old Eley sat in a Kingsville, Texas restaurant waiting for friends who didn't show up to her birthday party, her mother took to local social media in a moment of sheer desperation. She asked if any local neighbors happened to be nearby and wanted to join in celebrating her daughter.

Within less than an hour, dozens of complete strangers filled the venue. Local families arrived bearing gifts, Pokémon cards, and party favors, transforming what started as a quiet, sad afternoon into a bustling, joyous community celebration.

The Story: Major Bill White, a decorated World War II veteran and Purple Heart recipient living in Texas, was approaching his 100th birthday in 2020. He had a simple request: he wanted to receive 100 birthday cards—one for every year he had lived.

His family posted the request online, and what followed was overwhelming. His story went viral globally, and instead of 100 cards, the postal service delivered over 100,000 letters, cards, and care packages from well-wishers around the world, along with visits from local law enforcement and veteran groups.

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Birthdays. Aging.

I picked up my youngest daughter one Saturday when she was about 14. I was in that every other weekend visitation rotation after a divorce. Tough times. Emotional times. On the way over to pick her up, I realized the radio station I was listening to was playing the Beatle’s White Album all the way through. Before long, I was transported back to college and in tears. The tears, of course, were related to much more than sweet memories. I was a puddle and red faced when my daughter sat down in the front beside me. When we got to the end of the block, she asked, “Dad, are you okay?” I sat quietly for a few seconds wondering what to say. I said this, thinking it was quite profound, “One day you wake up and realize you have less time in front of you than you do behind you.” She responded, “It must suck to be you.” I busted out laughing and immediately felt better. She is now a therapist that manages her clients with far more compassion than she did me that day! It still makes me smile!

And as always, if you need help with anything related to topics in the newsletter or transition over 50 years old, schedule a call.

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Coming Next Week: An answer to one noted podcaster’s claim that millions of entity formations and start ups are fake businesses.