Few birthday traditions are as universal as making a wish and blowing out candles on a cake. Whether you're turning 8 or 80, the ritual remains remarkably similar: gather friends and family, sing ...

"Make a wish!" your loved ones shout as you take the deepest breath possible, preparing to blow out the candles that multiply with each passing year. The room quickly fills with smoke, leaving you a ...

I have five kids, which means I have lit, blown out, relit and blown out again approximately 4,000 birthday candles in my lifetime. I have singed my hair over a Costco sheet cake. I have watched a ...