How to write the perfect birthday card in English
You are writing a birthday card for a friend, colleague, or family member. However, you are not sure where to start or what to include. Then this article is for you.
This article will provide an easy step-by-step guide on how to write an appropriate and meaningful birthday card.
Of course, the content of your birthday card will vary, depending on who you are writing it to. Therefore, you should evaluate if it should have a more formal or informal tone.
How to write a birthday card
Buy a birthday card
The first step is buying a birthday gift card. It is by far the easiest step.
Naturally the most common birthday card is one that says “Happy birthday” on the front. Apart from those, you can also choose one with an appealing print or pattern.
For a classier card, choose a plain black card and use a silver or gold pen to write. Ideally, the envelope should match the card inside.
Pro tip: For a friend or sibling, choose the card based on their interests. For example, for someone who likes dinosaurs, choose a birthday card with a dinosaur print. Or, if they are a fan of a specific celebrity, choose a photo of them and write your message on the back.
Introduction
Like in letters, your birthday card will begin with a greeting. Here are a few examples:
Formal:
Dear Mr._/Ms._/Mrs._Informal:
- Dear birthday boy/girl fan
- Dear *grandma/ grandpa/ uncle*
- Dear *first name*
Main part
Now comes the interesting part, which is the actual content. Start by congratulating them. For example:
- Wishing you a wonderful happy birthday.
- Best wishes for your special day.
- Wishing you a Happy Birthday and many more to come.
- Wishing you the best for your birthday.
- Best wishes on your birthday for happiness and health
Formal
A formal birthday card doesn’t have to be very long. In most cases, two sentences are enough.
Follow up with something such as:
- We hope you have a wonderful year of health and happiness.
- We hope your year is filled with joy and happiness.
If the birthday card is for a colleague, you can also write:
- I look forward to working with you in the future.
- It has been great working with you. I look forward to continuing to do so in the future.
Informal
Birthday cards for friends and family can be however long you would like. The length mainly depends on how close you are to the person.
In a birthday card to your friend you can write:
- Looking forward to having fun and spending time together.
For a close friend or family member, it’s best to be more personal. Write about fun experiences, incorporate insider jokes or tell them how grateful you are to have them as a friend.
Here is an example:
“I am truly grateful that we met. Backing cakes and going on evening walks with you is so much fun. If it had’nt been for you, I probably would have never survived college. I hope we stay friends for a long, long time.”
Closing
End the massage with an appropriate closing and your name.- Wishing you all the best
- Best wishes
- See you soon
- To another happy year
- Love
Examples of finished birthday cards
A formal birthday card:
An informal birthday card:
Tips on layout
- Leave a thick border to make the card look more clean.
- Use another sheet of paper or a ruler when writing. This helps you write in a straight line.
- Use paragraphs to emphasise the structure of the text.
- Consider writing a draft on a seperate sheet of paper to avoid mistakes.
Published: July 28th 2022