Happy Birthday! Here are some ideas for writing a thoughtful birthday card that will make your friend smile.
You don’t have to be an expert writer to send a thoughtful birthday message. Just follow these tips and you’ll be on your way to crafting a memorable card and know just what to write in a birthday card to a friend.
A good friend can be hard to come by, so let our friends know how special they are to you by giving them a card that fills their hearts! Your card doesn’t have to be big and flashy to be wonderful and heartfelt. Remember that your friend will be happy just to receive a card that you took time out of your day to make just for them. Let’s get to work!

In this article
Start with a Greeting
“Happy Birthday!” is a simple yet effective way to start a birthday card. It’s also a good idea to use a greeting that reflects the occasion. If you’re sending a birthday card to a child, for instance, you might write something like, “I hope you have a wonderful day.” Or, if you’re sending a birthday greeting to a parent, you might say, “I wish I were there to celebrate with you.”
Picture the greeting of your card like the first line in a play; it sets the tone for the rest of the card. If you’re looking to have more of a sentimental card, try writing something along the lines of, “A day to celebrate one of the most wonderful people I’ve ever met,”. Or, if you want to have a light-hearted and more fun tone to your friend’s birthday card, try writing a greeting like, “Today is [Friend’s birthday date], you know what that means … time to party it up!”
Here are a few sample Happy Birthday Greeting you can write in your friend’s birthday card:
- Happy birthday, BFF!
- Today is such a perfect day to celebrate a wonderful person like you; happy birthday!
- It’s my best friend in the entire world’s birthday (That’s YOU)!
- Someone get the birthday boy/girl some cake, stat!
- Next to Christmas, the best day of the year is celebrating YOU- happy birthday!
- Happy birthday to one of the best people I know!
- Who’s got cool friends, is fabulous, and celebrating a birthday today; I’ll give you a hint, they’re reading this card right now!
- Happy birthday to my truest and best friend in the whole world!
- Whoop whoop! Look out, world! Birthday girl/guy coming through!
- Happy birthday to a friend that feels more like family; let’s celebrate!

Share Something About Yourself
If you’re writing a card for a friend’s birthday, there’s no need to go overboard with details. Instead, focus on telling them what they mean to YOU. It might sound cheesy, but it works!
Everyone needs a cute little reminder of what they mean to their loved ones; one of the best days to express that kind of gratitude and love is on a birthday. Think back to when you read a heartfelt message from someone, and they expressed how much you meant to them. Didn’t that make your heart sing? You can bring that soaring feeling straight to your friend on their birthday!
If it’s challenging for you to think of sweet or sentimental things to sprinkle into a card, here are some ideas to get the ball rolling. Remember to put your own personal touch on it; that’s what makes it special!
- Share a time when your friend did something for you that meant an awful lot.
- Write about an inside joke you both have and how much joy they bring to your life.
- Express how your life has changed for the better since they’ve been in your life.
- Did your friend teach you something valuable? Share that gratitude with them!
- If you and your friend have traveled somewhere together and you had a positive experience, talk about those good times.
- Thank your friend for all the memories you two share together, and express how you can’t wait to create more!
- Has your friend helped you through a challenging time in your life? Write about how thankful you are to have a friend like them and you couldn’t have gotten through that season of life without them.
- Bring up a favorite memory you have with your friend!
- Does your friend feel more like a sibling than a BFF? Let them know that and share details of why you feel that way.
- Is there a show or movie that means a lot to both of you? Express how close the two of you are by throwing in a playful analogy! Let’s say you both love the TV show Spongebob, and you could say: You’re my best friend; you’re the Spongebob to my Patrick.

End With a Wish for Their Happiness
Don’t forget to end your card with a simple “Happy Birthday” or “Have a wonderful day.” This will make sure your friend knows exactly how much you care about them. And it’s a pleasant way to wrap your card up in a nice little word bow; leave things on a positive and happy note!
Take a look through these sample Birthday wishes for some inspiration:
- Have a terrific Birthday!
- You deserve the best Birthday!
- Happy Birthday best pal!
- Go out and celebrate, you deserve it!
- Now stop reading and go party!
- Have a lovely rest of your day!
- Life is short, go enjoy your birthday!
- Best Birthday wishes for my best friend!
- You worth celebrating every single day!
- I hope you have the greatest day!

Don’t Forget to Sign It!
If you’re sending a card as a gift, consider writing something personal. It’s not necessary to write a poem or quote, but try to think of something unique that only you would say.
This could be an inside joke or a sentimental sign-off, whatever fits the language and style of your friendship best. Cruise through these signing birthday card messages to see what sounds perfect for your friend’s card!
- Love your BFF,
- From your biggest fan,
- Here’s to celebrating YOU,
- Sincerely your dearest friend,
- Love you, #1 birthday pal,
- Let’s go make some birthday memories,
- I’m so happy to celebrate the awesome person you are,
- Love your wild bestie,
- I love ya birthday bestie,
- Sending you all the good birthday vibes,
How you decide to sign your friend’s birthday card will be like the ending notes to a feel-good song; you want it to leave a good lasting feeling! So, writing something sweet or lighthearted is the perfect way to go.
Your friend deserves a birthday card that shows them how much they mean and how they are loved and celebrated, and now, you can deliver just that!