What To Do When People Sing You Happy Birthday

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When you’re the birthday person and people sing Happy Birthday to you, it can be an awkward affair.

You might feel uncomfortable to be the centre of attention when the birthday song is sung to you. You might be horrified when people surprise you with a birthday party and burst out in song.

No matter what language the song is sung in, you might struggle to compose yourself during the tune: do you stare at the cake with candles, then stare at the singing people, and then stare at the cake again?

The faster we finish singing Happy Birthday, the faster we can eat the cake | Weekly Photo Challenge: Early Bird.

The faster we finish singing Happy Birthday, the faster we can eat the cake | Weekly Photo Challenge: Early Bird.

I’m not big on celebrating birthdays and have never thrown myself a birthday party. Each time my friends suggest they throw me a birthday bash, I insist I won’t turn up to it.

However, in the past I’ve had to put up with a few surprise birthday parties and, that song.

When Happy Birthday is sung to you, you can be respectful, polite and show your appreciation to the singers and so-called singers. After all, they’ve obviously took some trouble to show up and bring a cake with candles to you, be it store bought or homemade. The least you can do is sit and stare at the candles until the song is over.

One day on my birthday many, many years ago, I was sitting in my room writing an essay for university and my mum screamed at me to come to the kitchen. I did and turned out she bought a $30 cake without my knowledge and had put it on the table. She hassled me to light the candles on the cake so she and my brother could sing the song. Which I did, because it was quite a thoughtful, hard-earned monetary gesture.

You can be sporting and join in the fun when Happy Birthday is sung to you. Maybe smile and grin, hamming it up for the smartphone cameras. Or sing along too.

Likewise you can have a good sense of humour and show your funny side as some have suggested: blow out the candles mid-song or conduct those singing Happy Birthday to you à la an orchestra.

After all, Happy Birthday is a feel good song usually sung in C major. That’s probably why when people sing it they often think about a good time and not the debate about who the copyright of the birthday song belongs to.

Sometimes eating cake is more exciting than singing Happy Birthday.

Sometimes eating cake is more exciting than singing Happy Birthday.

On the other hand, you can be honest and show your true feelings when people sing you Happy Birthday. If you’re delighted, you can laugh the whole way through.

If you’re embarrassed, you can cover your face with your hands. Once when I was a kid in Australia, my parents threw me a birthday party and invited my friends from school. During the birthday song, I remember staring at the cake with my mouth open…and my classmates trailing off singing the last line.

Countless birthday traditions across the world don’t revolve around singing the birthday song. As I wrote last year about celebrating birthdays, in Chinese culture it’s auspicious to eat noodles on birthdays and it symbolises long life.

For some of us, birthdays are more than just about cake and song, more than just about people celebrating the occasions with us. Birthdays remind us of our culture, where we’re from and where our values lie as we partake in such traditions.

It seems for many people, the more low-key birthday celebrations are: a simple, nice meal to mark the occasion. Maybe a day trip to somewhere. No need for a song and smoky, fiery candle fanfare.

The older you get, the more you realise the colour of your hair fades to white permanently, the slower your legs move when climbing a hill, the more forgetful you may be. No birthday song will change any of that. The older you get, the more you realise life is indeed a gift.

Your birthday is the anniversary of the time you first opened your eyes in this world. The anniversary of the time you took your first breath. The anniversary of the time you first used your voice. As the adults whom we are now, those first times seem so long ago compared to how far we’ve come and what we’ve got today, things we have that we should be thankful for.

At the end of the day, when people sing you Happy Birthday, often they do so wishing you well. They sing it off-key even when they know they can’t sing. They make the effort to repeat an uplifting phrase over and over. For a moment, they are trying to make you feel like you have a part in this world.

The least you can do, really, is be thankful.

What do you do when people sing Happy Birthday to you?

162 thoughts on “What To Do When People Sing You Happy Birthday”

  1. Hi Mabel,

    Birthdays have always fascinated me and I love to celebrate with my favorite persons. I always smile when birthday song is sung and when I sing it for others, I do so from the bottom of my heart, bringing as much emotion as I can into my voice. The best celebrations have been the birthdays of my children, year after year, with a new shape of the cake, immortalised in my albums in the form of most fond memories.

    I love birthdays probably because I don’t have any memories of mine being celebrated when I was a child! Birthdays are those landmarks, which evoke lovely memories. Some special emotions are attached to them…love, gratitude, respect, admiration, pride and honor are imbibed effortlessly.

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    • Good to hear that your birthday is a positive, happy occasion for you. You are so gracious, singing the song truthfully. I am sure those you sing Happy Birthday to feel special when you do. After all, being present at someone’s birthday usually says a lot – that you’re happy to be by their side. Some might think birthdays are trivial because, well, there’s always next year…

      “Some special emotions are attached to them”. Very well said. When people you haven’t seen in a while come say hi to you in person on your birthday, that makes it all the more special.

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  2. I always think the singing of the song is a pretty special thing, even though it is so common. I am pretty respectful of the singing and b-days in general (even though they really do not hold any meaning to me). I guess I think it is good to realize that you were given life and therefore try to make it the best life possible…if that makes any sense, and the singing is a great way to make the person embarrassed enough so they actually think that there is something special to the day.

    If the singing of the song is happening in a restaurant, often other people who do not know the person also joins in the chorus of the song and I always take that as a bit of a “congratulations, be happy and make it a great day” camaraderie with everyone. Thus, I guess my take is that it is very embarrassing but also very cool. Enjoy it, for life if too short not too 🙂

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    • Yes, agreed. I suppose one’s birthday is supposed to commemorate life – another year in this world, another year older and another year wiser as the cliched saying goes. Each life is unique with its set of stories.

      Many eyes are on us when Happy Birthday is sung. I’m inclined to think many of us are uncomfortable or bashful when the spotlight hits us, which is why we’re embarrassed by it.

      I’ve actually never seen other people in a restaurant join in the birthday song when it’s sun by the table next to them. I really need to eat at restaurants more… 🙂

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      • It is really funny that I do not celebrate my birthday, and perhaps it is because how you say it is a bit embarrassing (many people do not like attention on themselves). But partake in the celebrations when it is for others 🙂

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        • You are right. We seem to partake in birthday celebrations for us, maybe because we like setting someone up and seeing their reaction. It gives us something to do for someone, sort of like a selfless act in some way and I reckon most of us are kind at heart.

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  5. Love your post Mabel! I will make sure to wish you Happy Birthday next week 🙂 mine is on the 23rd May so I’m not much longer after yours and will be turning the big 26 this year! I don’t like to celebrate my birthday either…in fact every year I try to go away for the weekend somewhere private with my partner. It is always so awkward when they sing – where do you look? What do you do? But I do like the fact that people want to celebrate my birthday so I’m always happy to do a small dinner with family and friends. I feel though that 26 is not a milestone for me so this year I will keep it low key and go away for the weekend as my usual plans 🙂 I hope you have a wonderful birthday no matter what you do and eat lots of yummy desserts! xx

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    • We are May babies, very cool. People tend to crowd around you singing Happy Birthday, usually in a form of the circle. Everywhere you look you’ll see people and make eye contact. For us shy people, this might be a bit of an uncomfortable experience.

      I hope you and your partner have a lovely weekend away this year. Enjoy yourselves and eat well 🙂

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  6. Yes, how adults sing happy birthday may seem a little childish, even though the good wishes are there.
    When I was a child in in elementary school however, it would usually be sung this way:

    “Happy Birthday to you,
    You were born in a zoo,
    You look like a monkey,
    And smell like one too.”

    Good friends. Good times : )

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    • I think it’s a personality thing. Either we like birthdays, or we don’t. I’m the kind who’s okay with doing absolutely nothing out of the ordinary on my birthday. With some of my friends, they insist on at least a dinner or an outing.

      I wonder how the copyright surrounding the song will end. Will be interesting.

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  8. My mother always called me when I lived away from home on my birthday and sang the birthday song in Finnish. Later she did the same thing for my wife. This year was the first time after nearly a decade that I was ‘home’ again and instead of the song I got a great handmade birthday cake from her 🙂

    I actually can’t remember when anyone sang happy birthday to me. I am sure some people did, especially during my earlier years in school but appearenlty those were never so important memories to imprint themselves. I only remember celebrating few times when I was much younger together with a few friends and this also stopped in later years. The last time anyone was invited was on my 18th birthday ( actually celebrated nearly two months later due to exams) to have a computer LAN party in our cellar…

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    • How nice your mother to make you a handmade birthday cake. I bet it was a great size too and it took you days to finish it 🙂

      Maybe we get tired of celebrating birthdays as we get older because we think it’s just another day (quite true…). Or it’s a personality thing. Computer LAN belated birthday party – that sounded fun!

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  9. I’ve always wondered why I hated celebrating my own birthdays so much. I suppose you have just done the job of explaining it to my brain perfectly!

    Next year I’m planning to go away to some places to avoid people celebrating with me, provided if I can remember it when the day comes!

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    • Birthdays are usually about attention, attention, attention. Doesn’t bode well for shy people and introverts. Good idea, plan a trip away to escape the limelight!

      This year I’m not doing anything special for my birthday, again. Just donating some money to the needy, as usual.

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  11. Oh Mabel, here is wishing you a very Happy Birthday in advance!! I have always loved birthdays – not just mine but of people in general. I think its a really special day for that individual. So i try and make it special for my friends and family by doing something for them that they would enjoy. For mine, if no one does anything, I make sure to pamper myself, watch a movie, go shopping, meet some girlfriends for lunch and in the end – wait for my husband to take me someplace nice for dinner. I simply LOVE birthdays! and I enjoy growing old. The only thing I do not do is have a party now. That’s way too much 😉

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    • You are very thoughtful, Namrata. I won’t be surprised if your friends gush that they had the best birthday(s) with you! And you sure know how to have a good time on your birthday by the sounds of it.

      Each time a birthday rolls around, it’s one year older, but also one year wiser. I’m guessing you like birthdays for this reason too – you learn more lessons, become a bit more smarter 😉

      Thank you for the wishes, lovely of you.

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  12. I love your article! It looks like a little problem, and it probably is, but I do feel the cringing and the awkwardness that you describe – I feel the same. You ideas are excellent! Next time I’ll blow the candles off in mid-song and then conduct the singers like in an orchestra 😀 And then cover my face in embarrassment…

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  13. I turn 50 next week. I haven’t had a party since my 21st. There’s been lots of cakes though and lots of singing happy birthday. I usually feel a little embarrassed but happy someone has gone to the trouble to have cake and sing. For my 50th I’ll be visiting my parents and my daughters. Whether there is cake or singing, it matters nought. I’ll be with people I love.

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    • I think as we grow older, we have more responsibilities and feel more tired, and so we don’t have the energy for bombastic birthday celebrations. Haha, you’ve always seemed a funny person. I’m sure you make people laugh on your birthday, and most days 🙂

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  15. Call me self-absorbed, but I love celebrating my birthday, especially in Asia. However, I think it has something to do with it being on Valentine’s Day. Before my husband came into the picture, my friend would organized a big party for me and all us single and guys girls at the time dance the night away together. Plus, I have had some great ones since I met my husband. For example, I rang in my 25th in Bali.

    This may sound corny but I love it when people sing the Happy Birthday song, especially when it is done in three languages. I am not one to really enjoy the spotlight and whenever all attention is on me, I usually joke around to feel at ease. But, in all honesty, I think it has to do with how comfortable I feel with the people who are celebrating it with me.

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    • Oh, and I forgot to wish you the happiest of birthdays! May the next age of your life be everything you want it to be plus more!

      And this has nothing to do with post but I was wondering how do you watermark your photos with you name on instagram. Do you use your phone or a program?

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      • Thanks, Constance. You are very kind, I too hope my next year will be a good one.

        I like to use the app called Pixlr on my phone to watermark my photos (there’s also Pixlr-O, which has less functions). There are also other apps out there too, but I do know some of them make your photos less clear. Try a few and see how you go.

        Usually I edit my photos on my computer, transfer it to my phone and add the watermark 🙂

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    • How special it must be for your birthday to fall on Valentine’s Day! Double the celebration, double the love. Sounds like you know how to have a good time on your birthday – overseas trips! Memorable for the right reasons 🙂

      Great point – the people celebrating our birthday with us. Birthday parties are usually meant to be intimate affairs where everyone likes to trade life stories.

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      • Thanks for the heads up about the app. I will try to out soon! I like the idea of editing my photos on my computer – it seems like the easier and faster way.

        Yes, it is awesome having a birthday on Valentine’s Day! However, my husband jokes around and says it is the most expensive day of the year for him. haha

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  16. Hi Mabel,
    In my opinion, I like to think that every living day is indeed a celebration, therefore, I am not big on observing my birthdays with parties and all that stuff. But I am thankful and grateful when people remember and sing me a happy birthday song., sung well or otherwise :-). Happy birthday in advance.
    Ken

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    • You are so right. Every day is worth living, every day is worth celebrating. Make the most of every day. Always nice when people remember your birthday as it sort of means you matter to them in at least a small way. Thank you for the wishes, Ken. Have a good one.

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  18. Hey! I didn’t know you ate noodles for your birthday, that is something my mother never gave to me! Birthday’s are a big deal in Greenland, something I’m not quite used to. In Australia we would have a get together, have a meal, go get a drink somewhere… in Greenland it is donning a suit, making a first class meal at home, and so on! Happy birthday, for next week!
    Tanny

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    • I generally don’t go out seeking noodles to eat for my birthday…just that my mum makes them for me on this day so it makes me wonder. I had no idea birthdays were a big deal in Greenland. It sounds so fancy with a lot of fanfare around it. A time to dress up and impress everyone around you!

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  19. We both do NOT like being centre of attention. And find it somewhat awkward when people sing Happy Birthday to ws. A case of we don’t know where to look, what to do, how to react except smile awkwardly. It is a funny thing…

    But anyway HAPPY BIRTHDAY for next week if we happen to miss it.
    Another pleasing post to read 🙂

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    • Sadly there is no escaping attention when someone starts singing the birthday song to you. If there is a cake, great, we can look at that. But if there’s no cake and it’s just you and a bunch of people, it can get VERY awkward!

      Thank you for the wishes, very kind. You must be very proud of your honorary wise monkey for growing up 😉

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  21. I belong to a community singing group and if they know it’s your birthday (not even just on the day, but if it’s coming soon), they will sing Happy Birthday. I usually dread it because I’m uncomfortable with 40-50 sets of eyes staring at me. But I try and be gracious about it. I will, admittedly, stare at the floor while it happens but then I’ll look up, smile and say ‘Thank you’.
    I got out of it last year. No one realised it was my birthday a couple of days after singing group and the next week I had to work and didn’t go to singing. And then the moment is passed.
    Oh boy, that Adriano Zumbo cake looks goooooood!

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    • Your community singing group seems to love getting into the spirit of celebration. The Happy Birthday song must be loud and resounding, maybe with high and low voices. Very polite and gracious of you to thank them. Hopefully this year it will go your way again…whichever way you prefer…

      The Adriano Zumbo cake cost $7.50 if I’m not wrong, from the Emporium mall in the city. It was very, very rich and decadent. Two bites and I went, “Enough”!

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  22. Hap, hap, happy birthday to u Mabel, in advance that is… Being the cynosure of all eyes, with people merrily singing around u can feel a trifle awkward. Nonetheless, the most appropriate thing is to look smilingly at your singing friends and well-wishes in grateful acknowledgement of their wonderful gesture; imbued with a universality of spirit, the happy birthday song is the most sung or played tune in any language, anywhere. Grow old along with me, the best is yet to be, said the poet…so, come next week, be a happy birthday lady exuding the warmest of spirits. I will catch it here with my antenna…best wishes… Raj.

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    • You are right. The birthday song is a wonderful heartfelt gesture. People sing it because they want the birthday person to feel happy, to be positive and generally when the song is sung, it’s a celebration of life.

      Haha, you have a very good sense of humour, Raj. I really appreciate you singing the birthday song to me. Thank you very much.

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  23. Hmm… I am not sure when was the last time someone sang Happy Birthday to me in person… mostly on the phone nowadays, so I don’t really have to worry where to look or if I should smile 😉 Since we didn’t have too much money when I grew up, we never celebrated our birthdays. And I don’t miss it… because everyday is special…
    Have a great day!

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    • You are so right. Everyday is special, everyday is different. So we should embrace each day as it is.

      Maybe you really are good at hiding your birthday from others. Maybe if you told more people, you will hear more Happy Birthdays than you can handle 😀

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  24. I’ve had to endure the song from family, especially my mom. First I’m embarrassed and the red shows on my cheeks. Then mid-song, I started getting angry because the song, itself, is dumb and degrading. But I keep my mouth closed and the smile stays on my face. I love it when people say, “Happy Birthday” to me. I’ll grin and say thank you every time.

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    • Oh dear, I am so sorry your blush shows when your family sings you Happy Birthday! So tolerant and extremely nice of you to sit through the song each time, I’m sure your family always wishes you well. After all, it’s always the thought that counts…

      Like you, I prefer a simple “Happy Birthday” as opposed to four lines of it in a song 😀

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  25. Happy Birthday Mabel! We’re both Tauruses! I knew you were awesome for some reason 😉

    Usually I’ve touched when I’m sang the B-Day song. I feel special and grateful. The best was when some students surprised me with a cake (!) and video taped me while they sang, then uploaded it to FB. Very sweet indeed!

    Hope your day is filled with magic and spice 🙂

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  26. Interesting again, Mabel. As usual thought provoking. I used to love having birthdays – like most children do. I also loved throwing parties for my own children – and often the house was filled with laughter and me and my husband playing games with them or building things or painting masks etc.
    Now my children are grown and they love having parties with their friends. Cooking and baking and playing games. But celebrations at home are not much anymore. A favourite cake and som singing…In my family we all shine and look at the singers when they sing. We are all grateful for another year being given to us.
    As i age I don’t want to celebrate anymore, even though I love it when my family sings for me, and the tradition is to be surprised early in the morning with song and presents. I usually go out somewhere to eat with my family, or maybe a visit to a museum or gallery as well. A concert is possible.
    As years go by, I don’t like to think about how fast they move on…but thinking about the alternative, birthdays are happy days.
    Hope you will have a great day, Mabel – Happy Birthday!

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    • Sounds like a very loving and cozy house you (used to) live, such a loving family you have who make the time to appreciate and respect each other on your birthdays. “In my family we all shine and look at the singers when they sing”. So lovely.

      You are very lucky: your birthday celebrations might be low key, but they are occasions where you get to spend time with those who matter to you and you matter to them.

      Thank you for the well wishes, Leya. It put a smile on my face.

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  27. I agree with you, even though I look forward to it, there is really nothing more awkward than a bunch of people singing to you. In my family though, my younger cousins won’t even let you got through the first verse, because they are sooo excited to bite into the cake..hehe.. But this year I am definitely going to try your idea of conducting the bday song like the conductor directing the orchestra, thank you for the Idea.. and heres wishing you a very happy and blessed year ahead!!!

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    • Hahaha, that is so funny to hear your cousins just go right for the cake! I hope they are careful not to touch the burning candles and someone cuts them a big slice each 😉 Very sporting of you to attempt to conduct the people singing you Happy Birthday later this year – Happy Birthday in advance! Thank you for the well-wishes too. I hope it will be a good year this year for me too 🙂

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  28. Happy birthday (I say it, won’t sing it to you, as I don’t think you would like that!). I don’t mind having the song sung to me but for me it is so much important to see the people who mean the most to me in my life, rather than physical presents or cake. I believe the power of love is priceless ❤ Your post here is beautiful, Mabel!

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    • That is so true – the presence of people who mean a lot to us often speaks volumes to us. Feelings and actions often speak louder than words. I will remember that you don’t mind having the song sung to you, though… 😉

      Thank you for the well wishes!

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  29. I always feel awkward when someone, anyone, is singing at me. Holiday songs? Sure. Karaoke? No problem. I end up smiling awkwardly for the whole song and staring off in some arbitrary direction. I’m sure I look more confused and deranged than anything else. Nonetheless, I always appreciate the kindness behind it!

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    • You are not alone. I too feel very awkward when people sing me Happy Birthday. I’ve always had a group of people sing it to me, never just one person, though. Maybe the latter tends to be more awkward. As long as you don’t look angry when the song is sung, that should be okay…those singing might take an angry face as an unappreciave one!

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  30. We celebrate birthdays with cake at my work and they are usually a lot of fun – it’s an excuse to have a break, enjoy a treat, socialise with colleagues and crack a few jokes. We’ve also started to get very good at harmonising when we sing happy birthday because now someone hums the note before we start (kind of as a joke, but the results are good!). Our office is not far from a very good cake shop, which is a bonus, although it doesn’t have anything quite as sinfully lush as the cake you pictured.

    I like the way you talk about the deeper meaning of birthdays in your post – they certainly do take on a new significance as we age and we can become more ambivalent about them.

    And happy birthday! Have a wonderful celebration, whatever you choose to do.

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    • That’s very heartwarming and sporting of your work, celebrating birthdays. Each time it sounds like an opportunity for all of you to get very good at singing 😉 All of the places where I’ve worked don’t celebrate birthdays in the office unless the birthday person suggests it – and usually this person is the one who ends up bringing the cake and snacks.

      Thank you, Maamej. One year older, one year wiser, more lessons learnt and we realise the world is more than just party, fun and games. I won’t be celebrating my birthday this week but will be donating some money to charity as I do each year this time of the year 🙂

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      • Good on you for using your birthday to think of others.

        Our office is small, the organisation is community-based. and we (mostly) all get on well, I think that’s why we celebrate birthdays. I imagine it wouldn’t take off so well in a larger or less closely knit workplace.

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  31. Hahaha, Mabel, your post is so accurate. I never know what to do when I am being sung Happy Birthday. I smile nerviously, look at the cake, look at the people, clap my hands, look at the cake again, and think to myself: OMG this song is really long.

    It is a very awkward moment hahahaha.

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    • I’ve never heard of anyone clapping their hands to the Happy Birthday song…that would be sort of like trying to drown out the singing 😀 You are right. The song is only four lines but it always seems like the longest song in the world!

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  32. Happy happy birthday next week! Now you also have me wondering about the southern hemisphere equivalent of our “May Day” here in the north (not really celebrated much anymore, but once bound up with the coming of spring). — “September Day” just doesn’t have that ring to it — I remember that, as children, we used to make ‘May baskets’.

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    • My birthday is on 1st May. Living in Malaysia and Singapore, this day is May Day, or Labour Day and it’s a public holiday in these countries – and so I felt my birthday was special. Sadly, Labour Day is sometime in March in Australia.

      May baskets. I’ve never heard of them. They sound like they make lovely gifts, made with love. Thank you for the well-wishes!

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  34. You are too young to realize that life is indeed a gift.” It’s so true. I don’t wait for my birthday to celebrate, I do whenever I feel like to celebrate. Then, most of time, I have no time for that. Life is too short, then let’s not wait until our birthday… 🙂

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    • You sound like a go-getter, Amy. And I’m not surprised judging from your amazing photos. Sometimes celebration isn’t the most important thing…being thankful for what we have is and living in the moment. Every day is different and each second will never happen the same way again 🙂

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      • So well said, Mabel. I appreciate you sharing your insights and make us think further. Not a go-getter, I just do what I love and love what I do. 🙂 Thank you for your compliment. 🙂 Forgot to let you know that I’m in love with your header. 🙂
        Happy Birthday to you, Mabel!

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  35. Happy early Birthday, Mabel! I have never been a fan of birthdays, or of the song Happy Birthday, either. This is especially true as I get older. Getting older is not something I look forward to anymore. It was different when I was younger. Congrats on how well your blog is doing! Culture is soooo interesting.

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    • “Getting older is not something I look forward to anymore” I think a lot of us think this way. For me, I fear losing my physical strength and agility as I get older…and at my age, I’m starting to feel it, that I’m not a teen anymore.

      One year older, one year wiser? I suppose so given that we have more life experiences but sometimes I still feel just as confused as ever.

      Thanks, Jess. I am very thankful for each person who stops by my blog, and that includes you. Thank you for supporting for a while now. Hope you have a good one this week!

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  36. Mabel – you are such a fantastic writer – and I love all the tibias you insert – which shows your 80 angles of sometimes seeing something. and really laughing at this “or conduct those singing Happy Birthday to us à la an orchestra….” and think I might try this sometime – ha!
    and happy birthday to you!🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

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    • I like how you use the word “tibias”…very interesting. Do try conducting your birthday singers like an orchestra and get back to me. It sounds like it’s something you are very good at 👌

      Thank you for the birthday love. It will just be another ordinary day, but thank you 😘 💕

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      • well that is so funny about the tibias word because it was “supposed to “tidbits” ha! but maybe this can be a new adjective for “juicy rich details that show a person’s life seasoning” – oh such good tibias!!! ha!
        anyhow, I will get back with on the b-day conducting – and also, I shared this with another reader, but this is a cool photo from an Australian photographer in 1935 – and was of some cups from woolworth’s!

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        • Yes, I really like how you used tibias here – I really thought that was genius and took you seriously! When you conduct your birthday singers, make sure you don’t swing your arms through the burning candles. You never know, you might get way to excited trying to draw a crescendo out of your singers!

          Very interesting saucers, thank you for sharing. Very pretty, very delicate too and I love how the photographer saw the shadows resembling ballet dancers. So creative.

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          • thanks amble – and how cool to see such classic old photo – that has woolorths and australia ties – love when things like that happen.
            thanks for the conducting tips – ha! and I am like you where i do not like a big fuss, and for the last good number of years we usually just go and eat out someplace –
            oh and I hope your book writing is coming along well – 🙂 ❤ have a nice day

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  37. What a great post Mabel! Hope you are having a wonderful birthday! Happy birthday to you!!
    For your question, I usually just smile 🙂 But sincerely I don’t really enjoy people sing Happy Birthday song for me, it feels awkward to get too much attention 🙂

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    • So polite of you to smile and enjoy the moment. Maybe we all should, since birthdays only come around once a year and really, not all the time you’ll get people singing to you. Thank you for the well-wishes 🙂

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  38. I think smiling and making eye contact with your well wishers is the way to go. If you want to be especially gracious, serving them each a slice of cake after they finish singing would be nice.

    It is awkward to be the center of attention, but I think it is very important to show that you appreciate their effort to honor you.

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    • “serving them each a slice of cake after they finish singing would be nice”. I always thought it was the birthday person who was supposed to cut the cake. After the birthday song, everyone hangs around, waiting for the birthday person to cut the cake, don’t they.

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      • Yes, you are right. They way it usually works is the birthday person cuts the first piece, and then someone will usually take the knife and divide up the rest.

        I think it is common for the birthday person to help hand out the slices, and to make sure they chat briefly with everyone there to express their thanks, especially in small to medium gatherings.

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        • “…then someone will usually take the knife…” Yes, that’s the way it rolls. I suppose since it’s the person’s birthday, they aren’t obliged to do all the work at their party. Hopefully no birthday person has been so focused on handing out the slices and didn’t save one for themselves.

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  39. Hey Miss Mabel, happy Tuesday my friend. Hope you have been enjoying your week so far. 🙂

    I love birthdays, like a ridiculous amount. I start planning months in advance for loved ones and have a marketing plan to promote my own birthday. LOL! Last year was the best yet, it was the year of my little pony, a friend made me a pony cake, pony balloons were delivered and my work even designed a birthday pony/unicorn themed cocktail that went off at the bar. So I love when people sing happy birthday to me, and I love singing happy birthday too. Its fun! 🙂

    The guy I am kinda seeing at the moment does not like birthdays at all, when I wished him a happy day, he said… enough of that. By the end of his day, he said that I had ruined a 15 year bad birthday run he was on, and that he had never met anyone as crazy as me. With a big smile, even got hugs. So that’s kinda cool.

    What is the date of your birthday, lady? Where can I send you a gift? Tell me, tell me, tell meeeeeeee!

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    • I am not surprised you like birthdays, Miss Anna. Right up your alley and what you always do in the hospitality industry 😉 Pony cake *sniff* Such a good gesture by your friend to make your birthday cake. It must have been massive but I’m sure you all finished it in a jiffy!

      You really must be a good birthday planner person – convincing the guy you like to think birthdays are cool, that is certainly an achievement. And I’m sure he’ll be celebrating more birthdays with you ❤

      My birthday is this Friday, May Day. How special is that. Haha, thank you Miss Anna but you don't have to send me anything, I haven't gotten any presents for the last five or so years anyway. My birthday is just a normal day. But if you want to, you know where to hit me up on Insta. Always happy to chat 😉

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  42. First of all in advance lots of cake and chocolates from my side…I am sure you will have enough of them from all your friends.
    You are birthday celebration is not the same across the culture, it changes and has its own flavors and traditions, as in Chinese they eat noodles. I always say birthday should be celebrating the way the birthday boy or girl feel would like it to be and that is always something special for the person…many people as rightly said don’t like to be celebrated in a big way and they prefer to be a small and small affair but there are others who want it be large and loud. I prefer to have it to small and special rather than large and loud…the choice matters and makes a difference to the taste of birthday celebration.
    cheers to you one for the completion of one more lovely year…
    😀

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    • “there are others who want it be large and loud.” You are so right, Nihar. I do wonder why some people like to have a big party to celebrate their birthdays. Maybe they want to spread some cheer around and make merry. A time to unwind and catch up with everyone.

      Small and intimate birthdays are also very meaningful. I suppose these occasions are times we, the birthday person, reflect on who is important in our lives.

      Thank you for the well-wishes, Nihar. My birthday will be spent as usual at work doing usual work things. No special goodies or celebrations. Just will be making a donation to a charity of my choice on my birthday like I do every year. Some might call this way of celebrating but that’s how I roll 😀

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      • I strongly belief and do in the power of giving and trying to help the needed in what ever way and how small it may be, but the gesture of doing it in your given scope is such a wonderful thing and feeling needs to be experienced and cannot always be put in words.

        Very true, birthdays are time to reflect on who is important in life. I think people may have the choice of celebrating the way they want to be but if each of us reflect what is that good things small or big we are able to give back to society on a special day like this makes a huge difference in our life.

        Mabel, my best wishes are with you and small request when you cut the cake, have small piece for me and remember to have a small piece only, otherwise you will blame me for eating too much cake.
        😀

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        • Very wise words from you, Nihar. Feelings “…cannot always be put into words”. I think that’s the case with a lot of us when it’s our birthdays and people celebrate it with us. When they do, more often than not we feel touched…and warm and fuzzy inside, knowing that people think of us.

          On a special day like our birthday, we have choices: to celebrate or not to celebrate, to think of ourselves or think of others. All of the options is possible, though.

          Thank you, Nihar. When I got home from work today, my parents surprised me with cake and song…didn’t get away with it this year. I haven’t had a slice of cake yet…maybe soon later when I’m hungry 😀

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          • Parents can only give such pleasure. It is always the parents who thinks a step ahead of us and keep surprises us and we can never give enough and it this special feeling that keeps us so strongly bonded to our parents…no words can put that relationship in perspective, it is to be experienced and felt.
            It is our choice, how we should celebrate our birthday and this very choice is what we celebrate through our birthday…
            have a lovely weekend and wonderful birthday…
            😀

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            • I felt that my choice of birthday celebrations was violated in some way when I saw my parents and the cake 😀 Then again, I am very appreciative of the thought and love behind surprises. Always, always, it’s the thought that counts, the heartfelt emotions and wonderful memories that come with each celebration. You know it, Nihar 😀

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  43. Dear mabel:
    Belated birthday wishes to you, I hope you every day is very happy,
    Do not be afraid of their own to grow up, time will become brave man for you.

    You homepage logo is terrific, I love it. 🙂

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    • Thank you, Meihsiu. My birthday is in a few hours, tomorrow. So you are not too late to wish me Happy Birthday. You are very kind.

      An artist called Pinodesk helped me illustrate the header. She is very talented. Glad you like it 🙂

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  44. My birthdays in last few years, have been quite. Just with my partner which is lovely and that’s enough. Rest of my family and friends live thousands of km. away. A good friend in town doesn’t know my birthday yet. I just haven’t gotten around to telling her. She knows how old I am but for some reason, she refuses to tell me her age. Weird because I bet she’s just abit younger and in her early 40’s.

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    • Low-key birthdays with your partner. Sounds very relaxing actually. One of the reasons why I don’t like throwing big birthday parties and parties in general is the cleaning up afterwards. I think as we grow older, we realise age is just a number and there are more important things to worry about a number. However, health and age sort of go hand-in-hand, so that’s something to think about.

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    • I guessed you were referring to quiet birthdays, so I was right. A talented illustrator called Pinodesk (or Anna) illustrated my header for me. I put a link to her stuff at the bottom of my blog’s sidebar. She’s an amazing artist.

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  46. Mabel i so agree that as we age we realize that each birthday and life itself is a gift. I’m not so keen on the song, I always seem embarrassed. However I have been known to encourage big parties on big birthdays. At this point in life sometimes it is great to gather those you care about together and tell stories and share time together. So often the gatherings happen at the end of life. Birthdays give an excuse for it to happen when we can enjoy it. 🙂

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    • “I have been known to encourage big parties on big birthdays” I’m not surprised, Sue. You are very adventurous and I can certainly see you bustling around putting together a party for those you care about. Birthdays are also good excuses to catch up and see how everyone’s doing and reminding ourselves how lucky we are to have certain people in our lives 🙂

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  49. Well think some people may not like birthday songs if they dont like being the center of attention.

    Birthday parties, it is just part of life, doing something different every year, organizing some gatherings, parties, etc. it takes very hard work too. but the memories that counts.

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    • True. If we’re not used to being in the spotlight, then we might feel like running away from our own birthday party.

      “…the memories that counts.” Spot on. Memories and the presence of people that mean the most to you at your birthday – I guess that’s what important to many of us.

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  50. I’m back just in time for the party? 🙂 when is your b-day, Mabel? do I start sining the Happy Birthday song? 🙂
    love, love, love the new header on your blog 🙂

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    • My birthday was on 1st May, Friday. So yes, you are back in time for the party, but no, you really don’t have to sing be a birthday song *blush*

      Thank you, the lovely header was illustrated by a talented illustrator called Anna, also known as Pinodesk 🙂

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