As a South African citizen I must admit [...]]]>

Ok, tonight I was actually going to tell you about a new “Frequently Questions and Answers”  service I am going to start on my kids-theme-parties site, but this morning I realised that for the readers in America it is also the celebration of Independence Day on Sunday.

As a South African citizen I must admit I am not really so up to date with the history of Independence Day. What I DO KNOW HOWEVER, is that the 4th of July has been for as long as I can remember,  the celebration of my mother’s birthday and also while my father was still alive, the celebration of their wedding anniversary.

Sadly my father passed away on the 19th of June 2006, a few weeks before my mother’s birthday and before their 53rd wedding anniversary.

On Sunday, 4th of July of this year 2010, my mother will celebrate her 80th birthday and I am happy to say that she is, apart from the normal ailments that one experience at this great age, still in good health and sound mind, and honestly, sometimes when I look at her, she looks better than me…

Maybe this  photo is not really “normal” for a kid’s birthday party site, but grandparents play such a great role in a child’s life and in helping and sharing their birthday parties, I think it is quite appropriate to add this photo of my mother and father on their wedding day in 1953 to my site.

In the mean while,  since the 4th of July also has so many good memories for the people in America and of course for parents all over the world whose children have  been born on this day and even if you celebrate your own birthday on the 4th of July, is to enjoy this day no matter where you are and have lots of fun!

Update: Time caught up with me on Friday night while I was busy writing this post. Mom’s birthday is nearly over but everything went so well today. Even nature played along and gave us a lovely warm winter’s day.  Mom had lots of friends visiting and they had a good time. However, the highlight of the day was definitely the visit from her three grandsons and their mother from Qatar who are back for their annual holiday here in South Africa. A lovely 80th birthday surprise and gift.

Happy Birthday Mom.  We love you!

Did you enjoy this video? I actually enjoyed the delight on my granddaughter Mia’s face more when she watched the video and started to sing along with the Chipmunks.

“Happy Birthday to You”, also known more simply as “Happy Birthday”, is a traditional song that is sung to [...]]]>

Did you enjoy this video? I actually enjoyed the delight on my granddaughter Mia’s face more when she watched the video and started to sing along with the Chipmunks.

“Happy Birthday to You”, also known more simply as “Happy Birthday”, is a traditional song that is sung to celebrate the anniversary of a person’s birth.

As long as I can remember, my mother (now 79 years old) used to sing this song to my brothers and me on our birthdays. Even after we moved out of the house, she would sometimes sing it over the phone to us.  When our kids celebrated their birthdays, she sang it too them as well and since Mia was born three years ago, she also sang it to her.

I will have my birthday in a few weeks and I know she and Mia will sing this song to me even before I have my first cup of coffee.

According to the 1998 Guinness Book of World Records, “Happy Birthday to You” is the most well recognized song in the English language and the song’s base lyrics have been translated into at least 18 languages^.

The song has quite an interesting history. In the late 1800′s, two sisters, Patty and Mildred J. Hill, both kindergarten school teachers, created a little song that consisted of only 4 lines (three of which are identical) and 16 words and this song “Good Morning to You” was sung every day at the school.  In 1893, they published the tune in their songbook Song Stories for the Kindergarten.

Apparently the Hill Sisters’ students enjoyed it so much to sing this song that they also began singing it at birthday parties but they changed the lyrics to “Happy Birthday” and today this song is sung all over the world when somebody has a birthday.

Robert Coleman included “Good Morning to All” in a songbook with the birthday lyrics as a second verse in 1924. The song was also published in 1928 in Children’s Praise and Worship. In 1933 it was again published by Coleman in The American Hymnal.

Not many people are aware that “Happy Birthday to You” was actually copyrighted as a “work for hire” in 1935 and technically it is illegal to publicly perform the song unless royalties are paid to the Summy Company and its owner, Warner Chappell who bought the company in 1990.

In 2008, Warner Chappel  collected about $5000 per day ($2 million per year) in royalties for the song. This includes, and I quote, ” use in film, television, radio, anywhere open to the public, or even among a group where a substantial number of those in attendance are not family or friend to whoever is performing the song”.

Apparently the copyright will only expire in the year 2030 and if you take into consideration that the value  of “Happy Birthday” is estimated at US$5 million,  it is enough to stop you dead in your tracks before you allow the guests at your kid’s theme party to start singing the song.

Don’t worry, you are not paying them to perform this song and what would a birthday be without it. Wake up your kid (or spouse/friend) on his or her birthday with “Happy Birthday to You” and know that after reading this article, you will not only have brought joy to their day but will also be able to share in an age old tradition – and if you tell this story at your kid’s theme party, you will also share the origin of  the song with everybody.

Clever Mom!

This article was adapted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Birthday_to_You

You can also listen to the original “Good Morning to You” by clicking on the above-mentioned link.

One last little tidbit about this song:

One of the most famous performances of “Happy Birthday to You” was Marilyn Monroe‘s rendition to U.S. President John F. Kennedy in May 1962.