<P> The use of fire in certain rites dates back to the creation of altars . Birthday candles hold symbolic power . </P> <P> In the past it was believed that evil spirits visited people on their birthdays and that, to protect the person whose birthday it was from evil, people must surround the individual and make them merry . Party - goers made noise to scare away evil spirits . </P> <P> In 18th century Germany, the history of candles on cakes can be traced back to Kinderfest, a birthday celebration for children . This tradition also makes use of candles and cakes . German children were taken to an auditorium - like space . There, they were free to celebrate another year in a place where Germans believed that adults protected children from the evil spirits attempting to steal their souls . In those times there was no tradition of bringing gifts to a birthday; guests would merely bring good wishes for the birthday person . However, if a guest did bring gifts it was considered to be a good sign for the person whose birthday it was . Later, flowers became quite popular as a birthday gift . </P> <Ul> <Li> In 1746, a large birthday festival was held for Count Ludwig von Zinzendorf at Marienborn near Büdingen . Andrew Frey described the party in detail and mentions, "there was a Cake as large as any Oven could be found to bake it, and Holes made in the Cake according to the Years of the Person's Age, every one having a Candle stuck into it, and one in the Middle ." - Gotha - Altenburg)), recounts of his 52nd birthday on 28 August: "...when it was time for dessert, the prince's entire livery in full regalia entered, led by the majordomo . He carried a generous - size torte with colorful flaming candles - amounting to some fifty candles - that began to melt and threatened to burn down, instead of there being enough room for candles indicating upcoming years, as is the case with children's festivities of this kind ." As the excerpt indicates, the tradition at the time was to place one candle on the cake for each year of the individual's life, so that the number of candles on top of the cake would represent the age which someone had reached; sometimes a birthday cake would have some candles' indicating upcoming years .' </Li> </Ul>

When did we start putting candles on birthday cakes