What to Write in a Birthday Card
There’s no need to fry your brain searching for the right words. Just take some inspiration—or maybe even some direct quotes—from our creative birthday messages.
There’s no need to fry your brain searching for the right words. Just take some inspiration—or maybe even some direct quotes—from our creative birthday messages.
Feeling stuck about what to write in a birthday card? You aren’t alone! Penning heartfelt messages isn’t a skill that comes naturally to most of us, and the last thing you want is for your thoughtful gift to be ruined by a note that sounds rushed, generic, or impersonal.
Achieving that heartfelt, warm-and-fuzzy feeling for your birthday card comes down to choosing the right tone. Start by thinking about your birthday card recipient and what your relationship is like, and then find a tone to match—whether that’s serious and sincere, goofy and irreverent, or cutesy and lighthearted.
Genuine messages like these will let the recipient know just how much you care, whether it’s a friend, family member, mentor, or colleague.
May all of your birthday wishes come true. No one deserves it more than you! Happy birthday.
Your special day isn’t nearly as special as you are. Happy birthday!
Sending you warmth and happy thoughts on your birthday!
Here’s to another year of sweet memories. Happy birthday!
May you enjoy a year of peace, joy, and comfort. Happy birthday!
Happy birthday! Although we’re celebrating you on this special day, I hope you know that you’re special every day.
Enjoy your day! I hope that every day this year brings you something to cherish.
The world is better and brighter because you’re in it. Congratulations on another year of spreading joy! Happy birthday.
Keep things cheery and friendly with these upbeat birthday wishes.
Happy birthday from a friend that knows your TRUE age! Don’t worry, I won’t tell.
You may be getting older, but you sure don’t act like it. Happy birthday!
Did you know that having a birthday is good for your health? They say that people who have more birthdays live longer! Congratulations.
Happy birthday to a friend who’s aging like a fine wine. Best wishes!
Birthday time is party time. Don’t celebrate without me!
It’s your birthday! Forget about adulting for a day and enjoy yourself.
All hail the Birthday Queen! I hope you’ll treat yourself like royalty on this special day.
You’ve aged better than a fine wine. Speaking of wine, let’s toast! Here’s to you on your birthday!
If you’ve got a friend who embraces the dark side, try out one of these more irreverent birthday messages. (Use with caution!)
They say you get wiser with each passing year, so I’m not sure what went wrong with you. Happy birthday all the same!
You’re now one year closer to your inevitable demise. Congratulations!
Have you considered that this might be your last birthday ever? Better go out with a bang!
Here’s to celebrating the day you were forced into this world by no choice of your own. Make it count!
Happy birthday! May your wishes be even more abundant than your extremely old age.
I’d crack a joke about your age, but even brutal honesty has its limits. Enjoy your day, old man!
You’re ___ years old and STILL failing to adult. Congratulations!
Happy birthday! I hope this day brings you a smile…because you’ll never look this young again!
Celebrating a boss or not-so-close coworker? These more formal messages are perfect for wishing an acquaintance well.
Have a wonderful birthday. You deserve it!
I’m glad to be on your team. Happy birthday!
It’s great seeing your friendly face around the office. I hope you enjoy your day!
Thanks for everything you do to help out. Have a great day!
Happy birthday to a great manager! I appreciate your insight and support. Enjoy your day.
Sincere birthday wishes to a great boss! Enjoy your day off.
Celebrating you on your birthday and wishing you many happy returns!
If your card will arrive late, it’s best to acknowledge it with some grace and humor. Hey, it happens to the best of us! Here are some examples of funny belated birthday wishes.
Birthdays are special, but you’re special every day! I guess that explains why I forgot to send the card on time. Happy late birthday!
This isn’t a late birthday wish…it’s a really early one for next year! Happy birthday!
Remember when you said that I should write things down to remember them? I guess I should’ve listened. Happy birthday!
I hope you’ll take joy in the fact that this birthday card is less belated than most of the birthday wishes I send. Happy birthday!
You’re one year older…and apparently so is my memory! I hope you’ll let this one slide. Happy late birthday!
Choosing the right tone is a great way to start crafting your birthday message, but why not make your note even more meaningful and personal? Go deeper than surface-level “best wishes” by throwing in some references to shared memories, inside jokes, or special experiences you’ve shared.
Of course, you’ll have a different set of experiences with every person in your life, so you’ll have to really think about what makes your relationship unique. Below are just a few possible ideas to jog your memory and get your creative juices flowing.
For example, maybe you could write about:
Even very brief birthday messages can still be personal, and little touches like these will show the recipient that you took the time to write a truly unique birthday wish—one that could only be written to them. Sure, it might take a minute to recall the perfect memory, but the smile and happiness that your card brings will be well worth the effort.
Just like your birthday message itself, your sign-off can be serious, silly, formal, casual, or any combination thereof. No matter the tone you adopt, try to choose a closing phrase that is heartfelt and sounds like something you would actually say.
Some good ideas include:
Pro tip—try not to get too repetitive when you write your closing. If you’ve already written something along the lines of “wishing you the best” in the main message, challenge yourself to be a little more creative with the sign-off. Bonus points if you can tie in another inside joke or memory here!
Okay, so you’ve thought about the right tone, brainstormed some memories, and chosen the perfect closing. Now it’s time to tie everything together with a neat little bow (metaphorically speaking, of course!).
To help put all the pieces together, here are three examples of genuine, well-thought-out birthday messages.
Lauren, Happy birthday! I can’t believe it’s been an ENTIRE year since we celebrated your last birthday in Napa. I’m so proud of everything you’ve accomplished this year (hello, Mrs. Brand-New Boss Lady!!) and can’t wait to see what this coming year has in store. Take the day off from adulting today—you deserve it. Lots of love,
Austin, Happy birthday! It’s been great working with you in the department, and I hope that you can take a break from the office stress to enjoy yourself. If I can help take a load off your plate on this special day, Slack me! All the best,
Dear mom, Every year that goes by, I appreciate you more and more. Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do to support me (especially when I do crazy things…like drop out of college with no notice). I hope you find something special to do on this special day! No one deserves it more than you. Love always,
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