How to Blow Out Birthday Candles

Lighting candles on a birthday cake--which are blown out by the birthday celebrant--is a tradition that many people take part in. The history of lighting candles on a cake is said to have originated from ancient Greece when the Greeks lit candles on cakes to make the round cake appear to glow like the moon. These glowing cakes were offered to the Goddess of Moon, Artemis. Later, candles were believed to gain the attention of the heavens to draw attention to your prayers and wishes so they had a better chance of being answered.

Instructions

1. Swallow anything that's in your mouth so you don't spit on the cake when you blow. If you've recently eaten something, wash away any leftovers by drinking some water.

2. Inhale, taking the deepest breath you can. You'll need to blow hard, with a lot of oxygen so fill your lungs up.

3. Get close to the cake, but stay a few inches away from the flames for safety reasons. Close your eyes and make a wish at this point, if you desire.

4. Blow out the candles by releasing all of the air in your lungs in a forceful manner. If the candles are spread out, you may need to physically move your head so that you can blow them all out. Try to blow them all out with only one breath.

Tips & Warnings

• Use wax paper to cover the cake (with holes cut out for the candles) when younger children are blowing out candles to avoid getting their germs all over the cake.

• An adult should remove the candles from the cake and wet the wicks to avoid any accidental flare ups or fire hazards.

• If you have long hair, have someone hold it or tie it back away from your face so it doesn't come into contact with the candle flames or food.

References

• Department of Energy: Newton: Ask a Scientist
• Tokenz
• dGreetings