If you’re anything like us, you probably stall as soon as you’ve written the person’s name. Do you go all cutesy and profess your undying love? Or do you keep it short and sweet with just the basic niceties?
Some people have no problem picking up a pen to create a heartfelt message, but if you’re one to struggle, we’ve put together some handy tips that might help you with what to write in a birthday card.
One of the first things you’re likely to look for when shopping for a birthday card, is the message inside. If you’re buying one for close friends or family, you’ll probably want to go for something a little more personal. If on the other hand you’re buying a birthday card for an acquaintance, you may wish to steer clear of a message that could be misconstrued.
You might wish to stick with the tone of the original message with your own. So, here are our suggestions for what to write in a birthday card:
What to write in a birthday card for a friend
Your friends are probably the ones that you have the most banter with. So keeping it lighthearted and personal is sure to hit the right spot. Sometimes you might just want to say thank you for being such a good friend and to remind them how much they mean to you. Here’s some examples of what you might say:
“This getting older thing isn’t for wimps! Glad I have you to go first!”
“It just occurred to me that we really are becoming OLD friends. So glad we are.”
What to write in a birthday card for your dad
If your dad is one of those that comes out with the worst jokes of all time, then there’s only one way to repay the favour. Supplying your dad with some new material can only be a good thing. But don’t forget to remind him how much you love him too! Here’s a dad joke that we think is perfect for his birthday card.
“As I handed my Dad his 50th birthday card, he looked at me, with tears in his eyes and said, "You know, one would have been enough!"
What to write in a birthday card for your mum
If there’s one thing that mums love to hear, it’s how much their kids adore them. Letting your mum know how much she means to you on her birthday is one of the best gifts she’s likely to receive. Leave her a heartfelt message such as the following and she’ll be filled with all the pride in the world:
“Happy Birthday, Mum. I hope everything about today reminds you how loved and cherished you are.”
What to write in a birthday card for your brother or sister
Your siblings are often the first friends that you have, but they can also drive you super nuts at the same time. So what better way to get them back for all the torment and rivalry over the years than a cute and mushy message in their birthday card? When we say cute and mush, we mean something like this…
“You get to be the center of attention today! Tomorrow it’s back to me.”
What to write in a birthday card for your son or daughter
Your kids are likely your most prized possession, they might cause you trouble and strife but they own your heart. Regardless of how old they are, if there’s one thing kids love to hear, it’s how proud their parents are of them, so don’t be afraid to shout about it in their birthday card. Our suggestion would be something like this:
“I am so proud and amazed by the person you have become. Happy birthday my lovely, for now and always.”
What to write in a birthday card for your best friend
Your best friend is that one person you share every minute detail of your life with, all of the ups and the downs. They can often feel more like family than actual family. Showing them how much gratitude you have for them and the support they give you is so important, so why not let that flow in your message? Here’s an example of what you might put…
“It just occurred to me that we really are becoming OLD friends. So glad it’s you I get to do that with!”
What to write in a birthday card for a colleague
Often, birthday cards to colleagues are done at company level and everyone will leave a message in a group card. To that end, you’ll probably want to keep a certain level of professionalism (depending on how formal your workplace is). If you’re not particularly close to your colleague, it’s probably best to avoid a message that could offend. Stick to a polite message that will give the reader that warm, fuzzy feeling. Something like this:
“You make work a lot less like work. Thanks for all you do and have an amazing birthday!”
What to write in a birthday card for your husband or wife
Your husband or wife should be one of the most important people to you, that partner in crime who you’ve chosen to share your life with. Not all married couples are lovey dovey, but it usually runs a lot deeper than that, putting that across in your birthday message will really make their day. Here’s an example of the sort of message you could write:
Happy birthday to the love of my life. Thank you for letting me share this crazy world with you.”
What to write in a birthday card for your boyfriend or girlfriend
If you’re not married yet, but you still want to gush about how much your significant other means to you, then their birthday card is most certainly the place to do it. No matter how long you’ve been together, that connection to one another is worth shouting about. Here’s how we’d do it:
“Happy Birthday to my darling. You really are too good to be true. Love you always!”
Some birthdays are traditionally noted as being particularly specially, especially those in the early years of someones life. So if you’re struggling to come up with some ideas for what to write for a milestone birthday, here are our suggestions:
If sentimentality isn’t really for you, then you probably want to write something quirky and funny instead. If however you’re struggling with what to put, here are some ideas for funny birthday messages that will hopefully inspire you…
“To quote Shakespeare: ‘Party thine ass off!’”
“Sorry there’s no money in here.”
“You’re a really hard individual to shop for… so I didn’t get you anything. Happy birthday!
If you think the person celebrating would prefer something cute rather than funny, then we’ve got some birthday messages for that too:
“I hope today is the beginning of another wonderful year for you. Happy birthday!”
“May you be gifted with life’s biggest joys and never-ending bliss. After all, you yourself are a gift to earth, so you deserve the best. Happy birthday.”
If you’ve been finding it difficult to put something together, we hope we’ve inspired you with our selection of birthday message examples. Happy writing!