Aussie Living Overseas Embarrasses Herself By Throwing In A Hip Hip After Birthday Song

MONTY BENFICA | Amusements | CONTACT

An Aussie living in America for the last two years has once again embarrassed herself by letting out a loud “HIP HIP” after everyone else fell silent at the end of a Happy Birthday song.

Abby Grace (38), who only discovered that “hip hip hoorays” at birthday parties are mostly an Australian, New Zealand, and British thing after moving to Chicago for a teaching job, still struggles to stop herself from calling out the familiar cheer when at a birthday.

Witnesses say the incident occurred at a colleague’s house in the suburbs, moments after a group of Americans finished singing Happy Birthday in their usual over excited fashion.

As the final “you” rang out, Abby reportedly jumped in with a cheerful “HIP HIP” before realising no one else was following her lead.

“She just stood there smiling awkwardly” said one guest, recalling the awkward few moments.

“Everyone sort of looked around like they were waiting for a punchline.”

Abby says the habit is almost impossible to break, as she has spent her entire life ending birthday songs with the ritual of three hip hips.

“It just comes out automatically” she explained.

“It doesn’t feel like a birthday unless someone does it.”

Since then, Abby says she has learned to keep the words in her head, quietly whispering them to herself while everyone else moves on to the cake.