Why you can't celebrate 40 years
When the cherished date of the fortieth birthday approaches, many men and women wonder whether it is worth celebrating this holiday. There are signs that categorically do not recommend organizing lavish celebrations.
According to beliefs, for men to celebrate their fortieth birthday is fraught with the possibility of misfortune or even death in the near future. Believing in such a sign, not every daredevil will be eager to organize a magnificent farewell to his youth.
For ladies, celebrating their fortieth birthday promises illness and poor health. This is also not a pleasant prospect. It is believed that guests present at the celebration can jinx the hero of the occasion. It is on this day that a person is very vulnerable and susceptible to the negative influence of external forces.
As with every superstition, this sign has its own reasons for its occurrence.
For men
The sign that men should not celebrate their 40th birthday appeared a long time ago. It originates in Ancient Greece. The fact is that previously people’s standard of living was lower; the presence of various diseases and living conditions did not allow them to live to a ripe old age. If today the average life expectancy is 75-85 years, then in the past people could only dream of reaching their 60th birthday. Hence the sign not to celebrate 40 years.
It was believed that the age of forty is the threshold between youth and the extinction of life.
This explains that celebrating the onset of old age’s ailments is, to say the least, stupid.
Is it possible to celebrate a woman’s 40th birthday?
The women's anniversary is shrouded in no less secrets. Why ladies shouldn’t celebrate their fortieth birthday and how to avoid the likely consequences - all these questions torment the fair half of humanity.
The reasons behind the ban on celebrating the fortieth anniversary have purely physiological implications. Women aged 40 to 45 years experience hormonal imbalances, their first wrinkles appear, gray hair appears, their health worsens and their cycle changes.
At the age of forty, the female body stops producing the usual amount of tarragon, the body changes, and with it the mood and appearance.
The sign of not celebrating 40 years is based on the fact that a magnificent celebration can only speed up the approaching old age, because now the female body needs a calm and measured flow of life.
There is another explanation why you cannot celebrate 40 years. It is suitable for both sexes. It is believed that at the age of 40 a person achieves a certain wisdom in life and can continue along his path without help from above. Guardian angels leave him and provide him with the opportunity to lead his life on his own, taking into account past mistakes and accumulated experience.
And without bright guides, people are very weak, deprived of the protection of higher powers, therefore they are susceptible to misfortunes, painful and tragic events begin to follow them on their heels.
One thing is clear for sure: it is possible to celebrate the holiday, because any superstitions and signs are based on factors that people today can easily explain.
40th anniversary and the culture of ancient peoples
In fact, not all nations considered the number 40 a bad sign. For example, the Slavs used the 40-digit number system. In addition, “forty” was a quantitative measure.
If you dig even deeper and remember such ancient civilizations as Greece and Rome, you can find out that people celebrated their 40th anniversary with close friends. 40 years was considered the moment of the dawn of strength and intelligence, but at the same time the beginning of old age and the end. The fact is that in those distant times of constant wars, a few lucky people managed to live more than fifty years. Some peoples believed that there was no need to draw attention to old age.
Naturally, now all these arguments are not so significant. Thanks to the development of medicine, the average age of a person has increased significantly.
Superstitions of the peoples of the world
Each part of the world has its own attitude towards signs; it is impossible to name at least one prejudice that has a positive or negative connotation for all peoples of the world. The situation is similar with the fortieth birthday.
Japanese culture avoids fours in every possible way; it is believed that this number has a similar meaning to the symbolism of death. The Japanese are convinced that 4 is the cause of many troubles and misfortunes, so they never buy apartments on the fourth floor. What can we say about celebrating a birth on your fortieth birthday?
Asian peoples have their own culture, separate from us. The Slavs honor the number 40. This is connected with the religion of our people. In the history of Christianity, there are many good events that happened within forty days or on the fortieth day.
40th anniversary and traditions of other nations
Of course, you can take an interest in the traditions and culture of other peoples. For example, residents of Germany are unlikely to have heard of such a belief. But in Japan, the number 4 (in numerology, the number 40 is 4+0) is considered a sign of death. Some particularly superstitious Easterners do not celebrate not only their fortieth birthday, but also any birthday in which a four is present. Others refuse to live on the fourth floor or in house number four. Therefore, if you ask whether women of the East celebrate their 40th birthday, then we can safely say that everything here depends on traditions and upbringing.
Mysticism and numerology
Mystical arguments regarding whether to celebrate 40 years or not are based on the fact that the threshold of 39-40 years marks a decline in business and the beginning of the fading of vitality. Eastern magic associates the four with death.
In fortune telling with Tarot cards, the Major Arcana symbol is number 13 according to the Hebrew numbering of letters. These two numbers add up to 4, so four and the number 40 in particular symbolize negativity, trouble and decay.
Why can't you celebrate your fortieth birthday? Esotericists' point of view
Some modern magicians, sorcerers and fortune tellers refer to numerology. But this figure does not carry a negative meaning. For example, the number 4 symbolizes creation. 40 years in numerology means a certain transformation of the mind, a change in perception and worldview. Yes, forty years is important, but there is no information that it cannot be celebrated.
Some esotericists associate this belief with the mystical properties of Tarot cards, where the number 40 corresponds to the major arcanum “Death”. The card is designated by the letter “M”, which corresponds to the number 4.
Religious superstitions
If we start from Slavic culture and religion, then both men and women can celebrate 40 years. In the history of Christianity, Moses led the people through the desert for 40 years until they found what they were looking for, that is, they came to success. The rain that fell from heaven for 40 days led to the cleansing of the earth. At the end of the forty-day flood, Noah and all the inhabitants of the ark found land.
After giving birth, a woman should not show her baby for 40 days. During this period, the mother is cleansed and then ready to lead a normal life. Also, on the 40th day after birth, the child is baptized in the church.
Orthodoxy does not equate turning 40 with something harmful; in our culture, 40 years is just a number. Much more significant is 33 years old - the age of death of Jesus. And then, only men should be wary of this date.
However, the meaning of the number 40 in Orthodoxy can be interpreted both positively and negatively, based on the same references in the Holy Scriptures.
The Church denies superstitions about celebrating birthdays at 40.
How to celebrate a woman's 40th birthday?
What to do if you are still afraid of causing trouble? In such cases, a woman should celebrate her 40th birthday at home. They say that the native walls will protect the birthday girl from negative energy. In addition, gather only close relatives and friends - if you are superstitious, then you should not organize a noisy party with several dozen guests.
Some people advise not to mention the reason for the celebration during the celebration. For example, make toasts in honor of “the beginning of your fifth decade” or “farewell to your 39th birthday.” As a last resort, you can arrange some kind of themed party or get together to celebrate some kind of church holiday. By the way, you can always postpone the party to another day - this will make all signs and superstitions unimportant.
In any case, you should not rely on superstitions alone - first, study different points of view and draw appropriate conclusions. After all, most explanations for this sign prove absolutely nothing, and some are literally “far-fetched.”
What happens when you celebrate your fortieth birthday?
Dire predictions and bad omens surround your birthday at the age of forty. According to beliefs, men will face a number of difficulties at work, financially, and there may be discord in family life or divorce. An even more frightening sign warns that drawing attention to the person celebrating on this day can promise a quick death.
Ladies should also be careful, because it is undesirable for women to celebrate their 40th birthday due to the likely deterioration of physical and mental health. On the threshold of the fortieth birthday, the beautiful half of humanity expects a decline in vitality and loss of attractiveness.
But all signs and superstitions exist only as long as we believe in them. One thing is absolutely certain: upon reaching the age of 40, a new countdown to the next happy anniversary will begin.
What happens if you celebrate a birthday?
Of course, a lot of people don't celebrate their 40s. Why can’t a woman celebrate such an important date? It is believed that turning forty is a turning point. Fun at this time can attract the attention of higher powers and, accordingly, cause their discontent.
Is there evidence of such biases? It is certainly possible to find people who have encountered problems and misfortunes after their fortieth birthday. But there are no less than those who cheerfully celebrated such a significant day and remained alive and well with all their loved ones.
How to celebrate your fortieth birthday
If the hero of the day’s faith in superstitions and omens is strong, there are several tricks to avoid attracting trouble and still celebrate your 40th birthday.
First of all, you shouldn’t have a grand celebration; it would be much more prudent to invite your family and friends. In a narrow circle of well-wishers, you don’t have to worry about the likely consequences of the feast in the sacred sense.
Another way to celebrate 40 years for men and women is to postpone the celebration to another day.
If your birthday falls on a weekday, you can move it to the weekend. Thus, all precautions against bad omens for 40 years will be observed.
How to celebrate your fortieth birthday for a superstitious person?
It’s one thing if the birthday boy is critical of various superstitions, and quite another thing if he takes all the recommendations of his ancestors seriously. The fact is that thoughts can attract certain situations into life and even cause illness. That is why the strengthened belief that 40 years are not celebrated may, when trying to celebrate your wife’s birth at 40, play a bad joke.
However, people’s craving for superstitions can always be turned in the other direction. There are several options for celebrating your fortieth birthday with minimal consequences.
- Celebrate the passing of 39 years. All those invited are warned to limit their congratulations and toasts to the celebration of the passing of 39 years. It seems that the rhythm of the feast will be familiar, but at the same time the accent of the number 40 will disappear. There will be additional excitement among the guests, because it is very unusual not to meet the new age of the birthday boy, but to see off the old one.
- You can gather a narrow circle of guests. 40 years in esotericism means a turning point in life, when energy is significantly weakened. During this period, it is easy to jinx a person, even unconsciously. That is why reducing the number of guests will allow you to gather only your dearest and closest people who sincerely wish you all the best. But this applies, as a rule, only to men with birthdays, so women can safely celebrate their fortieth birthday, if, of course, they are not afraid to voice their own age out loud.
- You can also move the date of celebration from the date of birth so that all signs lose their power. If a holiday, for example, falls in the middle of the week, it will be very easy to justify your decision with the desire to have a great rest on the weekend.
- You can change the reason for gathering guests. You can always come up with a themed party. Well, wishes for the birthday boy can be expressed without mentioning his age. The idea of the holiday depends on your imagination, but the guests will definitely support it with pleasure.
In Christianity it is believed that everyone is equal before God. Moreover, this applies not only to people, but also to numbers. That is why a believer should never single out one of the numbers over the others and attribute to it the presence of certain magical properties. That is why it is believed that 40 years is as good as 39. You should be grateful for every day you live, without trying to guess the date of your death and somehow try to push it back or push it forward with specific actions.
How to celebrate 40 years for those who don’t believe in omens
Whether to celebrate the 40th anniversary or not is up to everyone to decide for themselves. If you don’t believe in omens, but don’t want to tempt fate once again, spend this day with your closest people. Those who consider superstitions stupid can safely gather friends and celebrate the holiday on an anniversary scale.
4 ideas where to celebrate 40 years in a close circle
An anniversary with those closest to you is no different from noisy, crowded parties. It is enough to find an unusual location and celebrate the holiday with your family or together with your closest person.
Church background
The number 40 has special meaning among Orthodox Christians. Many unpleasant religious events are associated with it:
- global flood;
- wandering of the Jews in the desert with Moses;
- Jesus succumbed to the temptation of the Devil.
The soul does not leave the earth for 40 days after death. A woman has no right to enter the church immediately after giving birth. It is believed that it must be cleansed, and this takes 40 days.
However, there are also positive church events associated with this number. Prophet Moses communicated with God for 40 days. The duration of his life, according to the Holy Scriptures, was 120 years. That is, three times 40. Solomon and David reigned for the same number of years. After his Resurrection, Jesus walked the earth for 40 days. And these are not all positive events from the Bible.
The clergy reassure their parishioners, saying that signs do not in any way affect their destiny and life. Even more: believing in them is a sin. Therefore, believers are not prohibited from celebrating this anniversary.
Is it possible for women to celebrate their 40th birthday?
This date does not please every lady, which is understandable. Closer to 40 years, light wrinkles turn into deep ones, and the elasticity of the skin practically disappears. This affects the attitude towards oneself and life, so women are often not in a festive mood.
However, now this is rather a far-fetched problem. Modern women look beautiful at any age, and aging suits many people.
