There's no better day than a birthday to take John Lennon's words to heart and show your dearest friends just how much you appreciate having them in your life.

Whether you're celebrating a buddy who lives nearby or a lifelong bestie who lives thousands of miles away, we've got the perfect birthday wishes for any friend. Get inspired in the lists below and then grab a birthday card to mail today.

Short and Sweet Birthday Messages to a Friend

Prefer to keep things simple? Try one of these friendly birthday messages that get straight to the point.

Happy birthday to my sweet, beautiful, and hilarious friend!

Happy birthday, friend! Let's party.

Today's all about you, friend. Happy birthday!

We raise a glass to you today, friend. Happy birthday!

May this birthday be the best ever.

Happy birthday! Today I'll toast to you.

Wishing you a year of joy and happiness. Happy birthday!

Happy birthday! I hope it's as wonderful as you are.

My lovely friend, happy birthday! I can't wait to celebrate.

Welcome to a new year, friend! Happy birthday.

Have an amazing, awesome, off-the-charts birthday!

Happy bday, my dude! Time to party.

Sending good vibes on your birthday!

It's your birthday. Treat yourself!

Happy birthday! Soon you're gonna need a bigger cake.

May your birthday bring health, happiness, and presents galore!

Lots of love to the birthday girl/boy!

You deserve the best on your birthday and every day. Happy birthday!

Happy birthday, beautiful! Thank you for your friendship.

Time to celebrate you! Happy, happy birthday.

You only get better with age. Happy birthday!

Cheers to you on your birthday!

Sweet Birthday Wishes for a Best Friend

Best friends have a special place in our lives, and they deserve to know it! These phrases shine a spotlight on just how important your BFF is—and always will be.

BFF, the best part of your birthday is getting to tell you just how much you mean to me. Thank you for listening to me vent and guiding me through life's challenging situations. I couldn't do life without you. Happy birthday!

Is there a better BFF than you? Nope! I'm so glad to have you in my life. Happy birthday!

Bestie, I love you to the moon and back! There's no one else I'd rather go through the ups and downs of life with. Thank you for being you—oh and happy birthday!

Happy birthday to the world's best partner in crime. I'm so grateful to have you through the good times and the bad. Love you, bestie!

Happy birthday to a friend who only gets more beautiful, caring, and intelligent as the years go by. I appreciate your encouragement and love!

Happy birthday to the person who knows me better than anyone and somehow still loves me. Can't wait to celebrate your big day together!

To my precious friend, my life is better for having you in it! I know that I can turn to you any time I need advice, guidance, or just a laugh. Happy birthday!

BFF, your friendship has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. I can't tell you how much it means to have you on my side. Love you and happy birthday!

Happy birthday to the only person I can hang out with 24/7/365. You're the best!

Happy birthday, bestie! I'm grateful that you know all my secrets and love me anyway. I hope your new year of life brings joy, growth, and adventure.

[Name], your friendship has been a bright spot in my life for years now, and I don't tell you that enough. I'm glad that we can celebrate you today. Happy birthday!

Happy, happy birthday to someone who has celebrated my successes and cheered me on in the hard times. I am so thankful to have an incredible best friend like you.

Funny Birthday Wishes for Friends

If you share a sense of humor with your guy or gal pal, then your friend's birthday card is an excellent opportunity for a joke at their (aging) expense.

They say that friends are the family you choose for yourself…so why did I choose you again?! Just kidding. A better question might be why did you choose ME? I'm so lucky to have you. Happy birthday!

Age is just a number…but yours is getting dangerously large, isn't it? It's hard to count that high. Happy birthday!

You know that best friends are forever, so good luck trying to escape me! Happy birthday.

A year older? Yes. A year wiser? Probably not. Happy birthday to the youngest 50-year-old I know.

The only thing more exciting than your birthday is mine—but yours will do! Happy birthday to a great friend.

Happy birthday! May your wrinkles always outnumber mine.

You're just like my favorite Thai restaurant around the corner: a little sweet, a little spicy, and never too far away. Happy birthday, [name]!

Another year, another party we might regret. But what would your birthday be without a few crazy stories, right? Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to the friend who somehow keeps me sane and drives me crazy all at once. Love you!

So you've survived another year on this crazy planet. Time for us all to light some wax on fire and sing totally out of key. Happy birthday!

It's your big day! Let's do something dumb and blame it on the birthday.

You may be a year older, but you don't have to be a year adult-er! (Yeah, that's definitely a word.) Happy birthday!

Happy birthday! Don't worry; I'll continue lying about your age.

Thoughtful Birthday Wishes for Any Friend

New or old, near or distant, any friend would be cheered by these simple but considerate birthday messages.

Like wine, cheese, or a classic movie, you only get better with age! Happy birthday to a dear friend.

I'm so glad to be able to celebrate your birthday with you, friend. Happy birthday!

Dear friend, I've cherished our friendship for years now. I'm so glad that we've stayed in touch after all these years. May your birthday bring you happiness and many more years of health!

We've been friends for many years, and I'm looking forward to many, many more. Sending you all the love in the world on your special day!

Happy birthday to a friend who feels more like family. Wishing you all the best in this new year to come.

Happy birthday, friend! One day really isn't enough to celebrate you, but it'll have to do for now.

We may be celebrating you today, but you deserve praise every day! Happy birthday to an amazing friend who's always been there for me.

Dear friend, I'm so lucky to have you! I'm sending you warm wishes and all the happiness in the world on your birthday.

Birthday Wishes for Work Friends

A lot of us spend more time with coworkers than we do with our own family. If a friend in the office is celebrating a birthday, feel free to swipe one of the funny or simple birthday messages below.

Happy birthday! I hope you can take a day off—you deserve it.

Happy birthday to my work BFF! I couldn't make it to Friday afternoons without you.

Happy birthday to the best cubicle mate around.

Happy birthday! We may be on Zoom all day for work…but I know your Zoom birthday party will be infinitely better. Looking forward to it!

I'm thankful to have such a friendly and helpful coworker like you. I hope you can take some time to yourself on your big day. Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to the only coworker whose email notifications don't fill me with dread. (Don't tell the boss I said that.) Enjoy your day!

May your birthday be as wonderful as the feeling of reaching 4:55 PM on a Friday afternoon.

Happy birthday from all of us in marketing! Wishing you all the best today and for the entire year ahead.

No matter what you write in your friend's birthday card, it really is the thought that counts. The simple act of sending a card with a brief but meaningful note can help keep your friendship strong year after year.

Need a picture-perfect birthday card for your friend? Then check out Foxdog's selection of birthday cards! Choose a card, type your own message, and let us send it right away.