Is it possible or not to celebrate a woman’s fortieth birthday?

Why is it forbidden to celebrate a fortieth birthday?

Since ancient times, there has been a belief that a woman should not celebrate her fortieth birthday. Just like a hundred years ago, today many representatives of the fair sex await their anniversary with horror, refusing in every possible way the celebration and gifts. What is the reason for the prejudices that prevent women from celebrating their fortieth anniversary and why are many so afraid of the number forty?

There are many facts that prove the negativity of the number “40”:

Forty days after death, the human soul seeks peace, protecting loved ones from imprudent actions;
For forty years the Jewish people wandered in the desert looking for eternal happiness and the promised land;
Forty days is the period of purification for a woman who has given birth. Only at the end of this period will she be admitted to the church and will be able to approach her husband;
The worldwide flood lasted for forty days, taking away many sinful souls;
Forty days after his baptism, Jesus Christ wandered in the desert, where there were many devilish temptations and trials;
Forty years of age in Greece was the peak point of human life. This number meant imminent death, for no one among the ancient Greeks lived to be fifty years old.

History contains many more facts that show all the negative aspects of the number forty.

Why shouldn't we celebrate our fortieth anniversary? There is a belief that a person who celebrates his fortieth anniversary brings upon himself problems, illnesses and even death. And if the birthday boy himself avoids punishment, it will definitely go to his loved one. It’s hard to say whether it’s true or fiction. There are also many situations where the number forty finds a completely different interpretation.

Position of the Orthodox Church

The priests do not prohibit the celebration of the fortieth anniversary. The Church believes that the ban on celebrating was invented by superstitious people. Let us give the priest’s answer as to whether it is possible to celebrate 40 years for men and women. Hieromonk Job (Gumerov) answers: “The opinion that one should not celebrate one’s fortieth birthday is superstitious. It was invented by arbitrary association. The reason for such prejudices is the lack of church involvement.”

Orthodoxy condemns any superstition. However, there are a number of biblical dates where the number 40 is mentioned. So, within 40 days:

The Flood lasted;
the soul of the deceased is on earth;
the baby must not be shown to strangers;
a woman who gives birth is considered “unclean” and cannot attend church.

As a counter-argument, one can cite references to the number 40 as positive signs. For 40 days Christ walked the earth and gave light and grace to the souls of believers. David reigned for 40 years. And Solomon's temple was 40 cubits long.

but on the other hand

Considering that the Slavs used the fortieth number system, it is not surprising that most incidents were described using this number. People tend to believe and remember bad things, but if you want, you can find a positive interpretation for everything. In any situation, there is a second point of view that also deserves attention.

Thus, all of the above facts can be assessed completely differently:

The human soul finishes its affairs, thereby finding peace. What's bad about it? During the period of forty days, close people have the opportunity to confess to the deceased, to tell him what they did not say during life;
The procession of the Jews through the desert was crowned with happiness and success for them; they found the Promised Land. Moreover, if their souls were pure, they would have found happiness earlier;
After a woman gives birth to a child, she has more time to relax. She also has a new role - mother, and the acquisition of family warmth and comfort;
The Flood allowed blameless people to be reunited and saved, thus cleansing the world of sinners;
Jesus successfully withstood all the torment, proving his devotion to the idea of the divine father;
In ancient Greece, forty years was considered the apogee of the prosperity of human life - why is this not a reason to rejoice! The increased lethality was due to constant wars and poor medicine.

During the period of forty years, all the biorhythms of the human body begin to change, and especially the female one. Not every woman will be able to cope with this and rebuild, find a new path in life. This is where fears appear, completely concentrated on the negative and attracting troubles.

Most people at this age realize that their life is not the way they would like. The body begins to age, and the future does not provide any prospects for happiness. This gives rise to apathy and reluctance to celebrate a birthday.

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.

Why are women specifically prohibited from celebrating their fortieth birthday?

There is no clear answer to this question today. Most superstitious people are sure that it is the female sex that is most susceptible to misfortunes and tragedies. The female psyche is very delicate and vulnerable. Fears of punishment for the celebration and tragedies force the birthday girl to miss her fortieth anniversary and not celebrate it at all. If a superstitious woman even agrees to celebrate her anniversary, after the celebration she will always be in fear, and the woman will attribute even minor failures to the fact that she celebrated her fortieth birthday. Some believe that a woman at around forty can no longer expect happiness and good things from life. After forty, only troubles, illnesses and negativity begin in life. However, whether to celebrate the anniversary or not is up to the birthday girl herself and her own discretion.

Folk superstitions

One thing is definitely clear: such superstitions are also present in the cultures of other peoples. For example, in Germany there is no such superstition at all. In Japan, on the contrary, they fear him. In Japanese numerology, the number forty is divided into 4 and 0. The Japanese call four the number of death and avoid it in every possible way. Overly superstitious Easterners do not celebrate birthdays at all, with the presence of the number four at age. Some are even afraid to settle on the fourth floor. Thus, the celebration of the fortieth anniversary in the East depends on the values and upbringing of the woman.

Some women rely on Muslim customs and probably do not celebrate their fortieth anniversary. Basically, like all my birthdays. There is no concept of “birthday” in their culture. Muslims believe that celebrating a holiday dedicated to oneself means considering oneself more important than Allah. Some Muslims celebrate birthdays in a small family circle, without the fun typical of a celebration.

Why men should not celebrate their 40th birthday

Representatives of the stronger sex are also not recommended to celebrate their 40th anniversary, so as not to incur failures and health problems. Many people think that higher powers punish men for celebrating their anniversary.

Superstitions were confirmed by the story of an astronaut who went into orbit after his 40th birthday. As soon as the spacecraft took off, sudden problems arose in its operation, which caused the crash. The astronaut did not survive. So the coincidence became another reason for fear.

Interestingly, the Orthodox Church does not prohibit either men or women from celebrating their 40th birthday. The priests consider the refusal of the holiday to be a manifestation of human fear. The church also condemns any superstitions. The clergy are confident: even celebrating 33 years (the age of death of Jesus Christ) will not bring troubles and misfortunes.

Interpretation of esotericists

Many modern sorcerers and fortune tellers rely on numerology. The number forty does not bring any negativity with it. For example, the number four is a symbol of creation. Numerology considers turning forty as a kind of change in the body, a restructuring of the worldview. The fortieth anniversary is a grandiose celebration and there is no reliable information that it is prohibited.

Esotericists connect superstitions and the magical properties of Tarot cards, where the number forty corresponds to the major arcana, meaning “Destruction”. The card is marked with the letter "M", which corresponds to a four.

Recommendations for the brave

If you consider yourself to be a cautious person who certainly believes in omens, but listens to such warnings. For you, we have compiled a list of tips to help you mark the date correctly so that the symbolism of the 40th anniversary does not affect you in a mystical way.

You can gather a feast, but give a different reason. For example, celebrate the completion of this date.
Approach the choice of invited guests with special care. Let you be surrounded by people who truly wish you well and do not allow thoughts of negativity. Even if these are 3 people, but these are your true friends.
Why not just postpone the celebration to a later date? For example, it's okay if you move your birthday forward a few days, or vice versa, back.
Get inspired by the theme of the evening. Tell everyone to come in fancy dress. It's fun!

Popular beliefs, as well as the wisdom of Eastern women, carry a special flavor. Many people hear that you can’t celebrate 40 years. But taking the statement at face value makes no sense. Seek the truth within yourself! Say goodbye to your 39th birthday! This phrase sounds much "cuter".

Addition of a sign in Astrology

Astrologers explain the fear of celebrating a forty-year anniversary by the fact that the age between thirty-nine and forty-three years is very precarious and people during this period are very at risk. Astrologers say that at this age a woman is greatly influenced by planets such as Pluto, Uranus and Neptune. These celestial bodies are responsible for her life. In the period of thirty-nine to forty-three years, under the influence of these planets, terrible consequences can occur: a person at such a precarious age easily succumbs to the negative influence of the world. The owner of this age should be prepared for bad and disastrous changes. The financial side is very exposed to risk; most likely, bankruptcy awaits the person. Families are destroyed and divorced. People are susceptible to mental illness, breakdowns and even suicide.

However, you should not completely believe it. Many people live happily even at forty years old, all this depends on each individual.

The magic number forty

The number 40, scary for many people, has many different interpretations:

Thanks to an established superstition, the number 40 attracts death.
According to Orthodox canons, this number does not carry anything frightening, and in the Bible it is repeatedly mentioned in connection with a variety of events.
Even 100 years ago, many simply did not live to this age, so the number 40 had a negative meaning.
Some people associate the fortieth anniversary with the date of 40 days when the soul of the deceased is on earth.

Suspicious and fearful people believe that this date is a bad sign and prefer not to celebrate it, thinking that something bad will certainly happen.

In numerology, the number 4 means balance, stability and calm. This is the potential of a square - one of the most static figures. Zero - complete absence of movement anywhere. This is the absolute embodied in the sacred circle. And the circle has neither beginning nor end. Numerologists say that zero stabilizes four until activity stops completely.

When combined, these two numbers form a void into which a person plunges. If he has enough life experience, he will cope with this difficult moment. Then his life will be relatively calm, without shocks. However, this crisis reveals people who are weak in spirit. They failed to develop their potential and reached the age threshold too immature. These people are at risk of losing their support and depression when they turn 40. Sometimes such people are overtaken by death.

How can a superstitious person celebrate his fortieth birthday?

If the birthday girl does not believe in all sorts of prejudices, then celebrating the celebration is not difficult. It is very problematic if a woman is very susceptible to all sorts of superstitions and is afraid of even the thought of her birthday. But due to emotional stress, negative thinking can cause many tragic situations, as well as health problems. You need to talk to a superstitious birthday girl very gently and not insist on holding a celebration. You can offer her the following options for celebrating her birthday, so that the woman does not stress herself out too much and everyone has pleasant memories from the anniversary:

You can celebrate not your fortieth birthday, but your farewell to your thirty-ninth birthday. A very unusual version of the celebration in order to bypass the ill-fated number forty. An overly superstitious person may, of course, refuse this option, but this method is quite realistic.
You can celebrate your juice anniversary with a small circle of loved ones. There is no need to organize a huge celebration. It will be enough to arrange a cozy atmosphere with muffled music and a delicious dinner surrounded by your closest people. This is how the anniversary will be celebrated and everyone will be left with warm and cheerful impressions of this day.
You can postpone the celebration to another day. In this case, you need to rely on the fact that since the anniversary is celebrated on a different day, nothing bad will happen. A very successful way to celebrate the fortieth anniversary, so do not neglect it.

Why don't women celebrate their 40th birthday?

The fifth decade for a woman is not the easiest time. Nature takes its toll: wrinkles appear, well-being and mood are not always at their best. Superstitious people believe that celebrating a 40th birthday can have a negative impact on the condition of the female body and take away vital energy. But in the modern world there is no need to be afraid of this: a woman just needs to take care of herself, play sports and visit a cosmetologist in order to remain young and beautiful for a long time.

Advice from psychologists

Psychologists assure that nothing catastrophic will happen if a woman celebrates her fortieth birthday. However, many people tend to associate failures in life with their actions. For such people, an anniversary can truly become a tragedy. A woman initially prepares herself for the worst that will definitely happen to her after the celebration. Even the smallest failure, for example the loss of a wallet, will be considered by the birthday girl as punishment.

Psychologists recommend that overly sensitive women refuse to hold a celebration in order to avoid damage to their health, since they will always be nervous and intimidated by the “punishment” for the holiday.

To create at least a little festive mood, psychologists advise:

Look for positive events associated with the number forty. Such events must happen, you just have to think carefully and remember some situations from your life or from the lives of loved ones. For example, someone met their future soulmate on the number forty bus.
You can divide the number forty into its two components - four and zero. You can remember your birthday when you were four years old, and imagine that your fortieth birthday is the same four-year celebration, successfully arriving for the tenth time.
The anniversary should be celebrated at home. Invite your closest people and spend this day in a cozy atmosphere, and the house will serve as protection from various disasters.

Psychologists' opinion

Experts are sure that people mature at the age of 40. Men don’t celebrate their birthday not because there are bad omens, but because they simply don’t want to do it. An adult does not need unnecessary fuss around himself. And those who need it will most likely never grow up. The midlife crisis also makes itself felt. And not everyone experiences it superficially. For many men, their lives change, their family breaks up, and misunderstandings occur with their children. In such a situation, the last thing the brain will think about is whether or not to celebrate your anniversary.

Few men admit that they are getting old. And in general, people rarely know how to do this with dignity. Nobody wants to realize that in 20 years it’s not just the government that will write you off. At 40, retirement doesn't seem so far away. And the person understands that the best years of his life are already behind him. In our country, it is not customary to travel in retirement. The lot of older people is to sit at home, and no one likes this prospect. That’s why men feel like they need to start a new life while their strength is still running out.

Is it worth celebrating at all or not?

Each opinion regarding the celebration of the fortieth anniversary is correct in its own way, and answering the question “whether it is worth celebrating a birthday or not” is very difficult. No one can give an exact answer whether something terrible will happen to the birthday girl after the celebration or not. In such a situation, we can only advise one thing: if a woman is really very superstitious and is guided by beliefs, fearing negative consequences, then it is clearly not worth celebrating her fortieth birthday. In this situation, the birthday girl will not receive any pleasure from the celebration, and after the celebration she will constantly live in fear and expectation of the worst.

If you really want to have a holiday, then you should limit yourself to a modest dinner surrounded by your closest people - husband, children and parents. Such a cozy feast can bring good impressions no less than a large-scale celebration.

Also, according to popular belief, you should not give gifts to the birthday girl on her fortieth birthday. This is considered a bad omen among the superstitious. It is best to buy something with her on any other day after the anniversary that she will like. This will protect the woman and her loved ones from negative consequences.

If you treat your fortieth birthday as a new milestone in life, the birth of which will bring only the best, then a positive result will be ensured. It all depends only on the prejudices in the head. Having a positive attitude towards the new stage of life will bring a lot of joy and happiness!