The Name Day: A Birthday's Rival

Most educators and students are unaware of the Name Day, an alternative to the birthday celebrated in many cultures. Rather than birthdays, individuals of these cultures celebrate a day devoted to the saint, mythological god, or historical figure after which they were named. If students, particularly of elementary years, are to be educated in a multicultural society, they should be introduced to worldwide cultural observances, such as the Name Day; then perhaps those who also celebrate the closing of one year and the beginning of another in a different manner would not feel culturally unrepresented during this crucial time of social development. Since the Name Day tradition is still honored throughout the world today and continues to be practiced by ethnic groups living in America, it is important that this cultural tradition be introduced to students in order to promote the value of this ancient, yet still relevant, tradition.