Janna Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 I see, all too regularly, the words happy and birthday capitalized. Is this correct? A birthday is not a holiday, nor is happy birthday a title. So my assumption was that if I wrote "Happy birthday, Sally!", then I would only be capitalizing "happy" because it's at the beginning of the sentence. However, cards will capitalize both words (Happy Birthday!). So which is correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 It depends. The way you are writing it, you would only capitalize Happy. If you were writing it on a cake or card, though, you would probably capitalize both, as it is more of a title then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BamaTanya Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 I think the way I use/mean it, the birthday IS a holiday/proper noun to that person. JMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 It depends. The way you are writing it, you would only capitalize Happy. If you were writing it on a cake or card, though, you would probably capitalize both, as it is more of a title then. :iagree: Ex 1: Happy birthday, Mom. I love you. Ex 2: HAPPY BIRTHDAY! (on a card, cake, etc.) All caps, cap the words, whatever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted February 6, 2010 Share Posted February 6, 2010 I guess I think of it as the title of a personal holiday and would call it a proper noun phrase. I capitalize both words. Examples of how I would write it. Happy Birthday, Jean! Occasionally it isn't used that way in which case I wouldn't capitalize it. Did you have a happy (pleasant) birthday, Jean? Though to be honest, I rarely say the above because it does sound too much like a cliche. I'd be more likely to use the word pleasant instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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