The 77-year-old man gave his son a fortune-telling birthday.

Birthday custom in Dongguan:

Birthdays generally start at the age of 60 or 66. Whether they are 60 or 66, they are calculated according to the imaginary age, that is, one year earlier than the actual age. Birthday, also known as "birthday", was originally the "birthday" of the elderly, and it has been celebrated every year since then without interruption. It's usually a small celebration, and every ten is like seventy, eighty, ninety and so on. On the birthday, the anniversary is invited not only to hold a banquet, but also to sing a big play, show a movie, or ask the suona team to play. There are sons and nephews, sons and grandsons, daughters and sons-in-law, nieces and sons-in-law, goddaughters and sons-in-law, apprentices, students, relatives and friends who congratulate the old man on his birthday. Neighbors also have regular gifts to celebrate the birthdays of people over 70.

1, birthday preparation

For the old man's birthday, sons should make all preparations in advance. First, prepare steamed bread, dishes and drinks for guests and friends; The second is to prepare noodles, peaches, cakes and so on. Longevity noodles are mostly dried noodles, and fine noodles that can be rolled by themselves without dried noodles are called longevity noodles. Shoutao is made of white flour into a peach shape, steamed and painted with red and green for eating. Gao Shou is a multi-layered jujube steamed with white dates, but there are many birthday cakes in the town; Third, we should decorate Shoutang. Shoutang is usually in the main hall, covered with lanterns and colorful decorations, with nave's paintings hanging in the middle of the front wall. Most of the male birthday girls are Antarctic immortals, and most of the female birthday girls are Empress Dowager Yaochi, or the Eight Immortals celebrate their birthday, or a century-old picture, or a big golden birthday on a red paper. On both sides of nave are couplets of blessing sentences such as "Happiness is like flowing water in the East China Sea, and longevity is longer than that in the South China Sea". There is a gift table under the wall, on which are Chen Shoutao, Gao Shou and Shou Jiu, with two red candles on each side. Spread a red carpet or flower mat on the ground in front of the table for future generations to salute.

2. Birthday ceremony

There is no strict ritual procedure for celebrating the birthday of the elderly, only general rules. Generally speaking, on the birthday, please put the ancestral tablet on the shrine, light incense sticks and set off firecrackers. The birthday girl will put on new clothes and lead the whole family to worship. After that, the old birthday star sat in the Shoutang chair, and the younger generation dressed neatly, kowtowed respectfully in turn and presented birthday gifts. Birthday kowtowing is called "Shoutou", and "Shoutou" must be kowtowed. Nowadays, many young people do not kowtow, but become three bows.

After the birthday, the birthday party began, and everyone toasted the birthday girl. The birthday girl distributed birthday cakes, eggs, fruits and other foods to everyone, and everyone chewed enthusiastically, saying that this was a "chewing disaster" for the elderly. Longevity noodles are a must-have food at birthday parties. When eating noodles, children should put some noodles in the bowl into the old man's bowl, which is called "prolonging life" for the old man.

Have a rest after the birthday party, and everyone will accompany the birthday girl to the theatre and movies. In the evening, please invite the deacon and others to have wine to thank you. The birthday ceremony ended successfully.

3. Birthday gifts

Relatives and neighbors who celebrate the birthday of the elderly should bring birthday gifts. There are also various birthday gifts, such as clothes, shoes and hats, crutches, birthday noodles, peaches, birthday cakes or birthday cakes, meat, eggs, fish, wine, apples, pomegranates and peaches, as well as birthday greetings, birthday couplets, birthday screens and birthday plaques with birthday words written on them. Some friends also send plays and movies to celebrate. It is forbidden to send the clock (the end).

4. Special birthday present

When the elderly celebrate their 66th, 73rd and 84th birthdays, the birthday ceremony is quite special.

Sixty-six accounts for two characters, symbolizing "Sixty-six Great Harmony", which is highly valued by the elderly and children, so the birthday gift is more grand. "Sixty-six, the mother gave her daughter a piece of meat." On the parents' 66th birthday, in addition to general gifts, the married daughter must also buy a piece of meat of six catties and six ounces and steam sixty-six steamed buns for her parents' birthday, in order to repay her parents' kindness in giving birth to children. Meat and steamed buns must be eaten by both parents, and others are not allowed to share them, otherwise it is called "grabbing happiness".

Seventy-three or eighty-four years old is a common saying of life and death. As the saying goes, "Seventy-three, eighty-four, the ghost king doesn't ask himself to go." At this age, the elderly and children are nervous, and they usually take extra care of the elderly. On birthdays, there is a special way to break the law, that is, children buy live carp for the elderly as birthday gifts. Carp is good at jumping and eating carp, so it will jump over this hurdle and get safe and healthy.