As this post goes live, I’ll be celebrating my 35th birthday.

Now, I have to admit, 35 isn’t usually the age people get overly excited about in the UK. It’s not one of those milestone birthdays that comes with big expectations or parties planned months in advance. But in Austria, birthdays ending in five have their own little significance. We call them Halbrunde Geburtstage – half-round birthdays – and while they might not be quite as grand as turning 30 or 40, they’re still considered a wonderful reason to celebrate.

Perhaps it’s because, as I’ve got older, I’ve realised birthdays are less about the number and more about the people you spend them with.

This year feels especially meaningful because I’ll be back home in Austria with my family. After spending so many birthdays away since moving to Yorkshire, there’s something rather special about celebrating at home again. Even better, my Mum is making my favourite birthday cake – a Malakofftorte. If you’ve been following the blog over the past few weeks, you’ll know exactly why I’m looking forward to that!

It also made me think about the birthday traditions I grew up with. Some are shared with Britain, while others are distinctly Austrian. Looking back, they’re the little things that made birthdays feel special long before I cared what presents were waiting.

A Birthday Starts the Moment You Wake Up

When I was growing up in Austria, birthdays always felt different from the moment I opened my eyes.

There was that wonderful excitement of knowing it was your day. Even before getting out of bed, I’d be wondering what the day would bring. Sometimes presents are waiting on the table, carefully wrapped and impossible to ignore. The excitement wasn’t just about opening gifts; it was knowing that everyone was making an effort to make the day feel a little different from any other.

There was another little tradition in our family that has stayed with me into adulthood.

I honestly can’t remember a birthday without it. Even now, if I glance at my phone at 8:56 on my birthday, I know there’s almost certainly going to be a message waiting… well my dad is delaying it now for one hour due to the time difference. It’s such a small gesture, but one that’s become part of what makes my birthday feel like my birthday.

With my birthday being in the midst of Summer holidays, it was usually a day spend at home with the family. Looking back, I don’t remember extravagant parties every year. What I remember are the little traditions that happened almost without thinking. Those are the memories that have stayed with me.

Sharing Your Birthday at School

One tradition that’s very common in Austria is taking cake or sweets into school on your birthday.

Whether it was homemade cake, muffins or a bag of sweets to share with the class, birthdays were something everyone celebrated together. Teachers would usually acknowledge the birthday child, classmates would sing Zum Geburtstag viel Glück, and for one day at least, you became the centre of attention.

I also remember the celebrations in my after-school club. We had our own wonderfully strange version of Happy Birthday that mixed English and German in a way that only children could:

Happy Birthday to you,
Marmelade im Schuh,
Aprikose in der Hose,
Happy Birthday to you!

Translated literally, that’s “jam in your shoe, apricot in your trousers.” It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, which was probably why we found it so hilarious. I haven’t heard it in years, but every now and then it still pops into my head whenever someone’s birthday comes around.

Looking back, I think these little traditions taught us that birthdays were something to share rather than keep to ourselves.

The Importance of Family

If there’s one thing I associate with Austrian birthdays more than anything else, it’s family.

By late afternoon or early evening, grandparents, or close family friends would often arrive. There wasn’t necessarily a strict schedule. People came in, coffee was made, and conversations started before everyone eventually gathered around the table.

Looking back, birthdays were rarely rushed. There was always time to sit together, chat for hours and have another slice of cake.

That’s something I’ve always loved about Austrian family life. Food isn’t simply something you eat before moving on to the next activity. It’s part of spending time together.

Coffee and Cake – The Heart of the Celebration

If you’ve read a few posts on this blog, you’ll know that coffee and cake are an important part of Austrian culture.

Birthdays are no exception.

While some families go out for dinner or organise larger parties, many birthdays still revolve around sitting together with coffee and homemade cake. Conversations last for hours, someone always asks whether anyone would like another cup of coffee, and somehow there’s always room for another slice.

Every family seems to have their own birthday cake tradition.

Some always make Sachertorte, others swear by fruit tarts in the summer or Black Forest gateau. In our family, though, the cake I always hoped for was Malakofftorte.

Rich, creamy and wonderfully nostalgic, it’s been my favourite for as long as I can remember. Knowing that Mum is making one again this year honestly makes me feel like a child all over again.

Sometimes it’s amazing how one familiar cake can instantly transport you back home.

What Makes a Half-Round Birthday Different?

People outside Austria are often surprised when I mention that I’m celebrating my 35th birthday as something a little special.

A Halbrunder Geburtstag is exactly what it sounds like: halfway between two decade birthdays. Turning 35, 45 or 55 often becomes another excuse to gather family and friends.

It’s not an official tradition with rules, and not everyone celebrates in the same way. But many people will organise a family meal, invite friends around or simply mark the occasion a little more than they might for 34 or 36.

Perhaps it’s just another reminder that life is worth celebrating whenever we get the chance.

When I first moved to Britain, I noticed that most people didn’t really think of 35 as a milestone. Mentioning a Halbrunder Geburtstag usually earned me a slightly puzzled look.

I quite like the Austrian approach. Why wait another five years to celebrate?

The Little Traditions That Stay With You

Before the birthday song, before the candles and before the cake, there was another tradition that still makes me smile.

My cousin and I had an ongoing competition every single birthday to be the first to wish the other Happy Birthday. Neither of us wanted to come second, so we’d both stay awake until midnight, ready to send our message the moment the clock struck twelve on the birthday.

It became completely normal for one of us to receive a message at 00:00 on the dot. Looking back, it seems wonderfully competitive over something so small, but it became one of those traditions we both looked forward to every year.

That habit followed me into adulthood. In fact, when my now husband and I first started dating, I was so determined to be first that I wished him Happy Birthday at midnight… Austrian time!

The only problem was that he was in the UK, so from his point of view I’d actually wished him a happy birthday an hour early.

We still laugh about that now. Old habits really do die hard.

Candles, Cake and Singing

Once the cake appears, the candles are lit and everyone gathers around, it’s only a matter of seconds before someone starts singing.

Most people know the German version of Happy Birthday:

“Zum Geburtstag viel Glück,
Zum Geburtstag viel Glück,
Zum Geburtstag liebe…,
Zum Geburtstag viel Glück.”

Another song you’ll often hear is “Hoch soll sie leben!“ (“May she live long!”). Everyone joins in enthusiastically before ending with three loud cheers. It’s one of those traditions that’s equal parts lovely and slightly embarrassing for the birthday person, as all eyes are firmly on you!

After the singing comes the important part: making a wish before blowing out the candles.

Whether the wish comes true is another matter entirely, but I’d imagine most of us still make one.

Only then does everyone tuck into the cake.

Birthday Presents

Of course, birthdays also mean presents.

As children, that’s often the part we count down to. As adults, I think most of us become far more excited about simply spending time together.

Austrian birthday gifts often feel wonderfully practical. Books, flowers, good wine, something for the kitchen, vouchers for a favourite restaurant or thoughtful homemade gifts are all common choices.

It’s never really been about how many presents there are.

The best gift has always been having everyone together.

Birthdays as an Adult

Birthdays look rather different now than they did when I was ten.

There are fewer balloons and children’s games, but in many ways the celebrations have become even more meaningful.

Friends might meet at a restaurant, families gather for Sunday lunch, or colleagues share cake in the office. Someone almost always brings a bottle of sparkling wine, and before long everyone is sitting around talking for much longer than originally planned.

I think that’s something Austria does particularly well.

We don’t always need a huge event.

Sometimes coffee, cake and good company are more than enough.

Living Between Two Homes

Since moving to Yorkshire, birthdays have naturally changed.

Some years I’ve celebrated quietly at home, some with friends, and some with family visiting. Technology has made it much easier to stay connected, but a video call can never quite replace everyone sitting around the same table.

Living abroad has also made me appreciate traditions in a way I probably didn’t when I was younger.

The older I get, the more I realise that it’s the familiar things I miss most. The smell of fresh coffee. The birthday cake I grew up with. Hearing everyone sing in German. Spending an afternoon where nobody is in a hurry to leave.

This year I’ll get to experience all of that again, and I don’t think I could ask for a better way to celebrate turning 35.

Birthday Traditions Are Really About People

Looking back, I don’t think birthdays in Austria are memorable because of elaborate parties or expensive presents.

They’re memorable because people make time for one another.

Whether you’re turning eight, eighteen, thirty-five or eighty-five, birthdays are an opportunity to gather around the table, enjoy good food, laugh together and create another memory.

That’s something I hope never changes.

As for me, this year’s birthday will be filled with all those familiar traditions I’ve missed: a message from my parents at exactly 8:56 in the morning, celebrating with my family in Austria, singing around the table, and, of course, a generous slice of Mum’s homemade Malakofftorte.

Actually… knowing me, it’ll probably be two slices.