Greeting Card Tips: 14 Heart-Touching Birthday Wishes for Friends
Greeting cards add a touch of personality and fondness to your birthday wishes. However, finding the right words that capture your feelings and appreciation can sometimes be challenging — especially for close friends who mean the world to you.
Continue reading to learn how to write heartfelt birthday wishes for friends.
Why Write Personalized Messages in Greeting Cards?
Sending your friend a birthday card with a handwritten message is a great way to show that you care, adding an extra layer of personalization to your happy birthday wishes. It tells them that their birthday isn't just another Facebook post to you. Instead, you've put time, thought, and effort into their card because you are their friend.
You shouldn't grab these cards off the shelf at a dollar store. Instead, search for custom and handmade greeting cards that, combined with personalized messages, will make the celebrant's (birth)day.
14 Heart-Touching Birthday Wishes for Friends' Cards
Many birthday cards blend different themes, including comedic, congratulatory, religious, and sentimental. So, just because your birthday wish is heartfelt doesn't mean it can't include a little humor — or some funny photos from your last trip together tucked inside.
Pairing different greetings and themes may help you find the right message for your friend. Consider many of these birthday greetings only as jumping-off points. For the most sincere birthday wishes for friends, the words and graphics you put into your cards should be uniquely yours.
1. "One year older means one year wiser."
Birthday wishes about getting older can be sweet and complimentary when done right. For many people, experience, wisdom, and love never stop growing as they age. Using this opener is a great way to share with your friend how much their life experience means to you.
2. "Enjoy your big day and help the world celebrate you."
If you know how your friend is celebrating their birthday, highlight the special day in your card's message. For example, if they're celebrating during a beach trip, you could write, "Enjoy your big day — just don't forget the sunscreen!"
3. "I hope your birthday was as spectacular as you!"
While some might find this specific message a little corny, many people write past-tense birthday greetings if the big day has already passed. It tells your friend that, even if their birthday is over, you still want to celebrate with them here and now.
4. "Here's to you — hoping all of your birthday dreams come true."
Light-hearted greetings like this one maintain birthdays' festive and nostalgic vibes. They can easily be combined with longer messages or used alone for a short and sweet birthday wish.
5. "Your cake has so many candles that it's becoming a fire hazard."
When done in good taste, jokes about getting older almost always lead to a good laugh. There are endless ways to write these types of jokes depending on the audience, so we'll leave the specific joke-writing to you. Keep your friend's sense of humor in mind, and avoid making the joke at their expense — it is their birthday, after all.
6. "Happy 26th birthday — for the 16th time!"
For many of us, the humor found in lying about our age never gets old. Again, remarks about age should be used in good taste. But as long as your friend has made these types of jokes in the past, you usually can't go wrong.
7. "Birthdays are the start of the new year. May this one bring adventures, success, and happiness."
Rather than only celebrating the day itself, this type of greeting celebrates the year ahead. As we age, we should be becoming our best selves. Birthdays are a great time to discuss these themes with those close to us.
8. "I'm thankful to spend another year with you."
Most years are filled with countless faces and memories. So, whether you've known your friend your whole life or less than a year, their birthday is a great time to tell them how much you appreciate their companionship.
9. "'Youth has no age.' -Pablo Picasso"
While you don't need to use this specific Picasso quote, a quote or song lyric is a great way to add personalization to your card while keeping it on theme. So, if your friend is a Taylor Swift fan, consider a line from "22" or "It's Nice to Have a Friend."
10. "No celebration could be as wild as __, but let's make this birthday come close!"
Writing about specific memories or birthdays past is a special way to commemorate your friendship and reflect on your best moments together. Of course, memories should never be at the expense of the present day, so remember to circle your message back to their current birthday.
11. "May this birthday bring you a moment of peace and pride for being as strong and wonderful as you are."
These types of greetings are especially ideal for your busiest friends. They invite the reader to give themselves a moment to relax, which may be essential if they're hosting their own party.
12. "No matter the year, I'm happy you are here."
Simple messages appreciating your friends' existence take your greetings to the root of birthdays — celebrating people's births. If your friends weren't born, they wouldn't be in your life. So, even if it sounds weird and existential, take a moment to thank your friends for being in your life.
13. "I'm glad to have someone as great as you on my team."
Greetings that highlight camaraderie are great for coworkers and close friends alike. You can discuss a specific way they've helped you or share the things that make them unique.
14. "Happy birthday!'
Simple, recognizable, yet never overdone, "Happy Birthday" is a greeting that works like a charm — especially when paired with eye-catching designs. Less is more, after all. Plus, writing a short greeting leaves more room for other people to sign and write their own messages if the card is a group effort.
What Else To Consider in Your Birthday Greeting Cards for Friends
Many of the best birthday cards are personalized from cover to signature. As such, there's a lot to consider in your greeting card beyond your message.
What's the Relationship or Tone?
Various birthday greetings require different tones and themes. So, consider your friends and the contexts of your relationships when crafting your cards. For example, the card you give a coworker should be quite different from the card you give a family friend's three-year-old.
Consider these types of relationships when choosing your friend's birthday card:
Close or best friends: Take these birthday messages up a notch by personalizing them with specific details and inside jokes unique to your friendship.
New friends or acquaintances: Cards for people new in your life should typically follow traditional themes with simple messages and designs.
Childhood friends: These greetings are usually sentimental, though the specifics vary by relationship.
Long-distance friends: These messages are often sent digitally but can still be customized as e-cards or unique GIFs to add some personalization.
Children: Whether they're for a friend's kid or your kid's friend, these greeting cards are generally like any children's cards — bright, colorful, and exciting!
Family friends: Depending on your relationship, these cards can range from humorous to deeply sentimental.
Coworkers or boss: Greetings for your colleagues can be funny, traditional yet thoughtful, or mostly blank, leaving enough room for everyone on the team to sign.
Cards for That Specific Friend
Taking an extra moment to consider your friends' interests will help you write more magnetic openers. For instance, is the card for that friend who loves to be swept off their feet with big, friendly gestures — or the one who can't stop binge-watching Grey's Anatomy? In some cases, you can even use your personalized message to lead into their gift.
Consider the following types of interests when writing birthday greetings for "that" specific friend:
Pets and favorite animals
Hobbies
Music
Books
Movies and TV shows
Food and drinks
Favorite vacation destinations
Their roles in the friend group, such as the planner or the one who always brings desserts
The Aesthetic
An essential aspect of heartfelt greeting cards is making sure the design and details match the tone you're going for. A touching message about your years of friendship won't land the same way if the backdrop features trains, cars, and building blocks.
Cards featuring wide, beautiful landscapes or dazzling floral patterns are some of the best options for heart-touching birthday wishes. Plus, if they are blank inside, they're versatile for different occasions, framing your unique greetings within poignant visuals.
Craft Personalized Greeting Cards With Pirozzi Print
Some of the most heartfelt and stirring birthday messages are written on handmade greeting cards. These types of cards contain unique designs while leaving plenty of space for you to write a message your friend will love.
At Pirozzi Print, our handmade cards include floral, cloudy mountainscape, and holiday designs, each unique from the other. Explore our collection today and start writing warm birthday wishes for your friends.