Hi there,
I am just writing to inform you that I am an asian from Singapore who has migrated to NZ twenty years ago. In our culture birthdays are not a big issue unless you are twenty-one. Than it is celebrated with a huge party usually with a dance and lots of family and friends. There is also a cake that is made into the shape of a key to signify the coming of age. Then it is pretty low key until you turn fifty and than if you want to you could have another big party.
 
          For us as a family we make the thirteenth birthday a celebration with again family and friends. At this age the children are given a ring that is either gold band or gold and diamond ring or something or value and it is to signify that the ring is a covenent between them and god that they will save themselves for only that special person in their life and wait untill this person comes along before making any serious commitments.

           Sorry this has been so late as time has not been on my side. Hi there again, Sorry I was not clear about who I was in the last email. Firstly I have no way of sending you any photos as I do not have a scanner. My name is Shirley Scott. I was born in Singapore and I immigrated to New Zealand twenty-one years ago. The traditions that I wrote you about are ones that we celebrate as part of the culture I was brought up with. This is mainly a family tradition. As Singapore has many different cultures living in it, I belong to a race called 'Eurasians'. The covenant thing is mainly an individual family tradition. Not all
families follow it. I hope this has helped you to better understand it.
I live in a place called Tauranga in New Zealand.
Regards

Shirley