Washington:
US President Barack Obama, who turned 49 on Wednesday, was serenaded with a rendition of 'Happy Birthday' after a ceremony honouring the "2010 Citizens Medal" recipients in the East Room of the White House.
After the crowd sang to the president, Obama was due to head back to Chicago for a birthday dinner with friends.
He will spend the night alone in his own house in the city's Hyde Park neighbourhood as First Lady Michelle Obama and youngest daughter Sasha are on a short vacation in Spain, while oldest daughter Malia is away at summer camp.
Earlier on Wednesday, during remarks at a meeting with labour union leaders, Obama joked that he was disappointed that there wasn't a cake.
But there was a present even better than cake awaiting Obama on his birthday - news on Wednesday that efforts to plug the blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico are succeeding, prompting officials to suggest that no more oil is likely to leak into the water.
Meanwhile, the president's birthday - though a year shy of half a century - is being used in this election year as a prime fundraising opportunity for Democratic candidates and party organisations, through mailings, e-mails, parties and other birthday-themed outreach.
On Thursday, Obama will tour a car plant in Chicago and attend Democratic fund-raisers before returning to Washington.
Meanwhile in southern Spain, security was tight at the Hotel Villa Padierna as Michelle Obama and her nine-year-old daughter Sasha arrived for a summer vacation.
Mrs. Obama and her daughter were to visit La Alhambra fortress in the Andalusian city of Granada on Thursday.
The first lady will also to pay an official visit on Sunday to King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia at their summer home on the Mediterranean island of Mallorca.