A woman from Gauteng has captured the hearts of many across South Africa by sharing a video of herself giving out food donations during her birthday month.
Content creator nomuntu.mbuyisa posted the touching video in May. In the clip, she opens her car boot filled with food parcels packed in polystyrene containers. Instead of expecting gifts for herself, she chose to give back to her community.
The video shows her handing out food parcels to several people, though their faces are not shown. Her kindness reflects a growing trend where people celebrate birthdays by helping others rather than focusing on receiving gifts. This selfless approach challenges the usual idea of birthday celebrations.
This act highlights a philosophy that is gaining popularity worldwide — using one’s birthday to bless others. This idea has roots in many cultures. As people grow older, they often want fewer material things, making gift-giving less important.
Choosing to give instead of receive also removes the stress of planning big parties or finding the perfect gift. It shifts the focus away from oneself and onto others, creating moments of real joy and satisfaction.
Birthday giving can take many forms. It can mean feeding the homeless, visiting the sick, donating to charity, or simply helping neighbours. The important part is the spirit of giving to celebrate another year of life. Many people who follow this tradition say they feel happier and more grateful than when their birthdays were focused only on receiving gifts and attention.
