Getty Happy Birthday Harry Potter & J.K. Rowling!
Happy birthday wishes are flooding Twitter for two beloved people today – one fictional, one real. Both J.K. Rowling and her iconic fictional wizard Harry Potter celebrate birthdays on July 31, with Harry turning 38 and Rowling turning 53.
Twitter is celebrating both birthdays with tributes to Harry Potter and Rowling, flooding the social media platform with shout-outs, memes and tributes to both. Many fans are remembering the adorable misspelled cake that half-giant Hagrid gave Harry on his 11th birthday in the movie adaptation. The cake is shown with green icing over pink frosting reading “Happee birthdae Harry.”
HAPPEE BIRTHDAE @jk_rowling and Harry Potter!!! You’re a wizard Harry… #HappyBirthdayHarryPotter #youreawizardharry
Not only is the Twitter-sphere lit up with tributes from fans young and old, several stores and businesses are doing Harry Potter related sales in honor of the 38-year-old wizard.
According to Comic Book, Hot Topic and the store’s sister site Box Lunch released some Harry Potter-related fashion lines, which are on sale today. You can shop the entire Hot Topic Harry Potter lineup here and the entire BoxLunch lineup here. Some of the highlights in the lineup of new releases include a Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes dress, Hogwarts and Quidditch jerseys, and a Knockturn Alley button-up shirt.
ThinkGeek is also offering a big sale, offering up to 80% off on dozens of toys, fashions, housewares, and more. You can shop the sale here. The official Warner Bros. shop is also offering discounts on hundreds of Harry Potter items, as well as accepting pre-orders on the newest Trivial Pursuit World of Harry Potter Ultimate Edition, which comes out early August.
Twitter is flooded with tributes to the iconic wizard and the woman who brought him to life. The University of Glasgow in Scotland even used Harry’s birthday as a pitch to bring in more students. It shared a photo of its Gothic Revival main building with the caption “We’re basically Hogwarts! #HappyBirthdayHarryPotter”
We’re basically Hogwarts! ⚡️#HappyBirthdayHarryPotter
Some of the best memes involved Harry flying into a birthday cupcake with his mouth wide open, Dumbledore and Snape dancing with the caption “everyday I’m Dumblin'” and gif of the epic “Harry Potter Puppet Pals” YouTube skit that aired 11 years ago.
#HappyBirthdayHarryPotter ⚡️Who could ever forget the theme song that will forever be in everyone’s head! The Hedwig’s Theme created by John Williams! #JohnWilliams
Thousands of users wrote short tributes to Rowling, explaining how the series changed their lives and reminiscing about the first time they picked up the series.
Vee wrote: “Happy birthday to the boy who lived and the boy who changed my life 20 years ago.”
Another user wrote: “Harry Potter was the first book I read for pleasure & the only book I’ve re-read. I grew up with him & learned lessons with him. I’m forever grateful to [J.K. Rowling] for creating this magical world to escape to.”
Harry Potter was the first book I read for pleasure & the only book I’ve re-read. I grew up with him & learned lessons with him. I’m forever grateful to @jk_rowling for creating this magical world to escape to. ❤️⚡️🤓 #HappyBirthdayHarryPotter
happy birthday to the boy who lived #HappyBirthdayHarryPotter and the boy who changed my life 20 years ago 💞
#HappyBirthdayHarryPotter! I’ll never forget that magical night when I tucked up the kids in bed, their faces bright with anticipation, and before they could say anything, switched off the lights so I could finally go downstairs and read The Philosopher’s Stone for the first time
Dictionary.com commemorated the day by acknowledging Hermione Granger, one of Harry’s best friends: “Hermione: The feminine form of Hermes, the messenger god. Hermione Granger: The girl who delivers Ron and Harry from danger (again and again and again).”
Hermione: The feminine form of Hermes, the messenger god.
Hermione Granger: The girl who delivers Ron and Harry from danger (again and again and again).
Warner Bros. Studio Tour London shared a series of messages from fans expressing what Harry Potter means to them. One person wrote, “Harry Potter helped me believe that anything is possible. It gave me a family even though I’m halfway across the world from mine.”
“What does Harry Potter mean to you?”⚡️ Our visitors shared their answers to this question – tell us yours in your reply! #HappyBirthdayHarryPotter
And the woman who created the universe to which millions of people tribute to changing their lives tweeted her thanks to fans around the world.
“I’m a long way out of my usual time zone and have just woken up to hundreds of early birthday greetings! Thank you,” Rowling tweeted Tuesday morning.
I’m a long way out of my usual time zone and have just woken up to hundreds of early birthday greetings! Thank you 💝