answers.input_text: short
answers.span_text: a salutation to offer the hope that a happy day being marked would recur many more times
questions: many many happy returns of the day meaning
name: Many happy returns (greeting)
contexts: `` Many happy returns '' is a greeting which is used by some on birthdays , and by others in response to `` Merry Christmas '' and `` Happy New Year '' . Since the 18th century this has been used as a salutation to offer the hope that a happy day being marked would recur many more times . It is now primarily used , by some , on birthdays . Prior to the mid-19th century , it was used at any celebratory or festive event . The phrase is more common in British English , Indian English , Hiberno English and to some degree in Canadian English than in American English .