A person becomes an adult in most legal systems on the date of his or her birth (typically between the ages of 12 and 21), and completing significant age milestones imposes certain rights and obligations. At certain ages, a person may be able to drop out of school, be conscripted or enlist in the military, consent to sexual intercourse, marry with parental consent, marry without parental consent, vote, run for elected office, legally purchase (or consume) alcohol and tobacco products, buy lottery tickets, or obtain a driver’s license. A birthday is the symbolic or actual anniversary of a person’s or institution’s birth. Birthday presents, cards, a celebration, or a rite of passage are all used in different cultures to commemorate people’s birthdays. Christmas, Mawlid, Buddha’s Birthday, and Krishna Janmashtami are all religious holidays that commemorate the birth of their founders or holy personalities. A birthday varies from a birthdate in that the former occurs only once a year (for example, January 15), whereas the latter is the exact date of birth.
