People celebrate(庆祝)birthdays in almost every country on Earth．And they celebrate them in many different ways．

　　In China and in Japan, for example, the arrival of the New Year is more important than a person’s birthday．So everyone adds a year to their ages on New Year’s Day, instead of on their birthday．

　　In Brazil, the special birthday food isn’t cake, but special candies．In China, it’s long noodles-for long life．In Iceland, people have pancakes with candies rolled inside them on birthdays．

　　In Britain, a birthday is an all－day celebration．At school, the birthday child is lifted up and “bumped” by his classmates．This means the child is lifted by the feet and arms and bumped to the ground, once for each year and once for good growth．In Israel, the same custom(风俗)is followed, except the birthday person is lifted and lowered while sitting in a chair．

　　In Holland, children not only get presents, but they give things out, too．They give cakes, cookies and candies to their classmates and teachers on their birthday．

　　In Mexico, it’s good luck to give birthday greetings as early in the day as possible．So it’s usual for the birthday child to be woken up at mid－night by friends birthday songs．

　　In India, birthday celebrations also begin before dawn(黎明)．Prayers(祈祷)and blessings must be said before morning comes．

　　In Thailand, two tall candles are lighted the night before a birthday．One is as tall as the birthday person．If it goes out early, it’s bad luck．Another custom of Thailand is that they buy live(活的)fish and birds for the birthday person and then the birthday person frees the animals, and it brings good luck．

　　In Nigeria, everyone in a certain age group celebrate their birthdays together, on a certain day．

　　In many countries birthday customs are changing．Old customs are giving way to western style birthdays, with candle-topped cakes．But one thing never changes－Birthdays are special days for everyone!

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　　As a single parent of four children, money was always tight．It was Christmas time, and although there wasn't money for a lot of gifts, we planned to celebrate with a family party．But the big excitement for the kids was the fun of Christmas 　　1　　．

　　They planned weeks ahead of time, asking 　　2　　 what they wanted for Christmas．luckily, I have saved ＄120 for 　　3　　 to share by all five of us．

　　The big 　　4　　 arrived．I gave each kid a twenty－dollar bill and 　　5　　 them to look for gifts of about four dollars each．Then everyone scattered(散开)．We had two hours to shop．Then we would 　　6　　 back at the “ Santa's Workshop．”

　　Driving home, everyone was in high Christmas spirits 　　7　　 my younger daughter, Tina, who was unusual 　　8　　．She had only one small, flat bag with a few candies－fifty－cent candies! I was so angry, but I didn't say anything 　　9　　 we got home．I called her into my bedroom and closed the door, 　　10　　 to be angry again．This is what she told me：

　　“ I was looking 　　11　　 thinking of what to buy, and I 　　12　　 to read the title cards on the ‘Giving Trees．’ One was for a little girl, four years old．And all she 　　13　　 for Christmas was a doll．So I took the card off the tree and 　　14　　 the doll for her．We have so much and she doesn't have anything．”

　　I never felt so 　　15　　 as I did that day．

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