Candles on cakes is an ancient, if unsanitary, custom

Clay is off today. Here’s a column first published June 1, 2011:

Today’s question:

When did the custom of blowing out candles on a birthday cake originate? I have been to many birthday parties for children and adults and have seen saliva shot all over the cake when the candles are blown out. Does this seem unsanitary to you?

Saliva shot all over the cake? Well, now that you mention it, this does sound sort of unappetizing. You know what I don’t like? I don’t like those big sheet cakes people get for office parties or reunions or other big gatherings. They taste like cardboard if you ask me, which of course you didn’t. The custom of candles on cakes goes all the way back to the ancient Greeks. They used to bake round cakes as offerings to Artemis, the goddess of the moon. When a circle of lit candles was placed on the cake it was supposed to glow like the moon. And they thought the smoke from the candles carried their prayers up to the goddess.

Over the years, candles on birthday cakes came to represent good luck, and when they are blown out their smoke is meant to carry the honoree’s wishes up to the heavens.

My mother used to say things like, “He’s a diabetic. He dasn’t have sugar,” meaning he dare not. Shouldn’t it have been daren’t? Have you ever heard anyone say “dasn’t”? I don’t believe I have. Dasn’t is an Old English word that came from the Old High German word “gitturan,” which meant “to dare.” It once was widely used in New England and the Pennsylvania Dutch region, but it’s pretty much archaic today.