In Germany, some children burn a birthdays candle on their birthdays. These candles have marks on them (usually 12) to represent each year of life and only the section from one number to the next is burned.

You can make a birthdays candle of your own!

1. Get a large, plain candle.

2. Measure and mark the candle with evenly space lines using a permanent marker.

3. Number the lines starting with your present age at the top and ending with age 12 or whatever number you choose as a final year (maybe 18 or 21) at the bottom.

4. Decorate the candle with markers or stickers. Or mom or dad could melt some old candles or some canning wax colored with old crayons and pour this in a thin layer on a baking sheet. When the wax has cooled, but not completely hardened, take small cookie cutters or some other tool and cut out shapes to decorate the candle.