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Personalizing Your Birthday Greeting
Creating a Memorable Experience
Help Wishing Someone a Happy Birthday in Different Languages
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Wishing someone "Happy birthday" can entail so much more than just saying those specific words. Someone’s birthday is a wonderful time to show them how much they mean to you—whether they are a friend or a loved one. Getting creative with the ways in which you can celebrate someone—from crafting a personalized birthday message to baking them a cake or getting them a thoughtful gift—goes a long way in expressing just how much you care for and appreciate that person.
Steps
Method of 2:
Personalizing Your Birthday GreetingSay "Happy birthday" in a different way to make it special. The traditional greeting can sometimes feel overplayed, so try something different for a more unique greeting. Amidst the flood of "Happy birthday" greetings, let yours be one that stands out. Some phrases you can try out are:
• Have a wonderful birthday!
• Hope your special day is amazing!
• Hope you have an enjoyable birthday! You deserve it.
• I’m so glad to know you and hope you have an amazing day.
• Enjoy your next trip around the sun! X Research source
Craft a unique greeting based on the person’s age and experiences. Take into consideration any milestones that have happened in the past year and incorporate those into your birthday greeting. Acknowledge what the person has accomplished to show that you are invested in their life. X Research source
• For example, you could say something like, "This past year you succeeded at starting your own business, and I look forward to seeing all that you accomplish in the year to come. Happy birthday!"
• Examples of milestones include learning how to drive, graduating from high school or a higher education program, buying a home, growing a family, getting a new job, getting married, moving, starting a new business, and meeting a personal goal, like running a marathon or reading 50 books in a year.
Write out a personal message for a more specific birthday wish. Get a birthday card or stationery and sit down for 10 minutes and write a short letter to your friend or family member. Think about the ways in which they have positively impacted your life, what makes them special, and what you hope will be true for them in the coming year. X Research source
• Taking the time to handwrite a message is a gift in and of itself. Most communication happens quickly via the Internet or the phone, so a handwritten note will be something the birthday person can hold onto for a long time.
Share what you love about your significant other on their birthday. What a great time to share your appreciation of your loved one! Think about what it is that makes you happy to be in a committed relationship with them and what you have enjoyed learning about them in the past year. It can also be fun to reference inside jokes or ideas about what you look forward to celebrating with them in the coming year. X Research source
• Try saying something like, "Just when I think it can’t get any better, you surprise me with the amazing way you love me. Happy birthday." Or "Wishing my love a birthday that is just as beautiful and wonderful as you are!"
Express gratitude if you're wishing your parent a happy birthday. Take time to either call or see your parent in person on their birthday to give them a warm birthday wish. Express your gratitude for their role in your life and be sincere in what you say. If you have a strained relationship with a parent, it’s okay—try to remember that you have them and that their birthday is a special opportunity to say "Thank you" or simply, "Happy birthday." X Research source
• You can say something like, "Words just don’t come close to saying how thankful I am that you’re my parent. Happy birthday!" Or try something like, "I know who I am today is because of who you have been in my life, thank you—and I hope you have the happiest birthday!"
• If you have a parent who has passed, their birthday can be a painful reminder of that loss. You can take time to remember them, visit a spot that was special to them, or look at old photographs to honor their memory.
Celebrate what makes your best friend unique on their birthday. From sentimental to funny or weird or casual, find something to say to your best friend that epitomizes the relationship you have with them. Make it personal, and be honest and sincere about your gratitude for them to help make them feel special on their birthday. X Research source
• "I hope your birthday is as sweet as the cake and that the year to follow is filled with as much joy as you bring your friends!" and "Be who you are, because who you are is amazing—happy birthday to my best friend!" are both great examples of something you can say that is short and sweet. X Research source
Express birthday wishes to a coworker with a personalized greeting. When cards get passed around at work for everyone to sign, take a minute to write out something a little longer than just "Happy birthday." Depending on how well you know the person, you could write something like "All the best in the year to come" or something more personal like "Looking forward to working on more projects together in the next year." X Research source
• Make sure to sign your name beneath your greeting to make it more personal.
Cheeky Kid is a cybernaut who spends a lot of time browsing the web, grasping infinite information, and reveling in entertainment and fun.
Why wish someone something a little more creative than "happy birthday" this year?
Rebecca Wiggins, CC0, via Unsplash
We all know people are tired of hearing age-related jokes on their birthday, but I think it’s equally tiring to hear the old adage “happy birthday” every single year. While there’s nothing wrong with this classic phrase, we can always do better.
The intention of this list is to help you get creative with your wishes! There are countless ways to deliver birthday greetings. All we have to do is tap into the stream of ingenuity. We can be inventive, funny, witty, or clever about it. What’s important is that the message remains intact.
So, help yourself to this collection of alternative ways to say “happy birthday!” Break the norm and add some spark to the celebration.
New and Different Ways to Say “Happy Birthday”
• A million magic wishes to you!
• A remarkable year to come!
• All the best to you and the years to come.
• Blow the candle and make a wish.
• Haberday!
• Happy anni-birth-sary!
• Happy anniversary with life.
• Happy Beerday!
• Happy birthday you. Did you know that you’re one of the few people in the world that I can actually tolerate?
• Happy day of birth to you!
• Happy level-up day!
• Happy oldieth birthday.
• Have a blast!
• Have a smashing birthday.
• Have a spectacular time.
• Have an awesome day.
• HBD!
• Here’s a bouquet of happiness for you.
• How old are you again? 63?!
• I wish you never stop enjoying all the happy, little moments in your life.
• I’m happy that you were born on this day.
• It’s another year, and it’s still the same old you.
• It's time to celebrate!
• Let’s party!
• Let’s raise a toast to you and your life.
• Many more days, months, and years to come for you.
• May this day be as special as you are.
• The more candles you blow, the merrier. Blow them all away and wish for the best!
• May your day be filled with sweet things and cake.
• Sending laughter and joy on your way.
• To your good health.
• To your happiness.
• Wishing you a day that is overflowing with beer and happiness.
A million magic wishes to you!
Delaney Dawson, CC0, via Unsplash
How to Say “Happy Birthday” in Different Languages
• Alles Gute zum Geburtstag – German.
• Bon Anniversaire – French.
• Buon Compleanno – Italian.
• Charoúmena Genéthlia – Greek.
• Eyd Mawlid Saeid – Arabic.
• Feliz Aniversario – Portugese.
• Feliz Cumpleaños – Spanish.
• Furaha ya Kuzaliwa – Swahili.
• Gefeliciteerd Met Je Verjaardag – Dutch.
• Gratulerer Med Dagen – Norwegian.
• Hauʻoli lā hānau – Hawaiian.
• La Multi Ani – Romanian.
• Maligayang Kaarawan – Filipino.
• Otanjoubi Omedetou – Japanese.
• Saeng-il Chugha – Korean.
• Selamat Hari Lahir – Malaysian.
• Selamat Ulang Tahun – Indonesian.
• Sheng Ri Kuai Le – Chinese.
• Veels Geluk Met Jou Verjaarsdag – Afrikaans.
Funny Birthday Messages and Wishes
• Another step to the grave.
• Call me if you need help disposing of a body. Since it’s your birthday, the first one is free of charge.
• Cheers, you just went from b*tch to old b*tch!
• Congratulations, you’re another year closer to death.
• Don’t mind the past for you can’t change it. Stop thinking about the future for you can’t anticipate it. Pay no heed about the present for I didn’t get you one.
• Enjoy the dash between the two dates on your tombstone.
• Here’s to aging and wrinkles.
• Hmmm...didn’t we celebrate this just a year ago?
• Hooray, you just survived another year.
• I know it’s your special day but please take it slow. Too many birthdays can kill you.
• I know you’re old but I still got you a toy, so enjoy!
• I salute you for not being dead till this day.
• I see you’re still alive. Congratulations!
• I’m greeting you first so that I can feel superior to the rest of your well-wishers. Hence, happy birthday!
• Isn’t it weird that we’re celebrating at regular intervals as your life runs out? Anyway, cheers to you!
• It’s your day. Take it as a chance to do something stupid.
• May this special day of yours be absolutely terrific, and your hangover be compassionately negligible.
• May you be as fabulous as me on this special day of yours.
• Merry Christmas! Don’t ask.
• Now, now, don’t get all weird about getting older, you hear me.
• Oh, come on! Quit being younger than me!
• Okay, happy birthday. Now get back to work!
• Remember that I will always be there to pick you up when you fall. But only after I stop laughing. Happy birthday, my friend!
• This is the perfect day to thank me for remembering your birthday.
• Today’s a great excuse for you to make some bad decisions. Let’s party!
• Well, at least you’re not as old as you will be next year.
• Woah, you made it to another year without dying. Congratulations!
• Wow, you made another 365-day revolution around the sun! I hope you always enjoy your trips.
• Let’s eat cake, drink booze, and party all day and night. After all, it’s your birthday!
• You should feel like a newborn baby.
• You’re adopted.
• You’re a year closer to getting that senior citizen’s discount. Keep at it!
Here's to aging and wrinkles!
Jorge Ibanez, CC0, via Unsplash
Creative and Witty Ways to Say "Happy Birthday"
• Be happy because you will never be as young as you are today.
• Birthday hugs and kisses incoming!
• Congratulations on the new wrinkle on your face.
• Happy level-up day! I see you’ve gained a lot of XP in your life already.
• Happy independence day from the womb.
• Happy womb eviction day!
• How’s the cruel world treating you? I hope you’re all good.
• Just because it’s your birthday today doesn’t mean you’re special. You see, you are always special no matter what day it is.
• I can’t help but imagine how you would look like with a cake stuffed on your face. Happy birthday!
• I commend you and your ability to evade death. Your survival skills are the real deal!
• I don’t have the power to manipulate the wind direction. However, I wish to change the direction of happiness and point it all towards you.
• I know many people, but you’re one of the few whose birthday is today.
• I’m looking forward to more of your shenanigans in the future. More mischief to come!
• I’m just here for the cake.
• If you were Jesus, today would be Christmas.
• Please enjoy your nth trip around the sun!
• Savor this happy day for you will be dead soon.
• Smile while you still have teeth.
• The older you get, the finer you become—just like wine.
• What else could you wish for? I’m the best thing that’s ever happened to you.
• Wow, you survived another trip around the sun.
• Youth may be fleeting, but you can stay immature forever.
• You are way close to becoming a classic!
• Yours is one of the few birthdays I approve of.
May your day be as sweet as your birthday cake.
Joyce Adams, CC0, via Unsplash
Other Ways to Say "Happy Birthday"
• Do you know what I got for you? It’s the most precious gift I can ever give to you—the gift of friendship!
• Don’t count your candles. Just enjoy the glow.
• Don’t think about anything else today. Yours meals are on me!
• Happy Birthday! Be good, but not too good.
• I know it’s against the rules, but I wish you to have many more wishes granted on your special day.
• I see you’ve got a lot of experience in life.
• I wish you a happier birthday than anyone else has wished you.
• I’m sending you smiles and laughs to make your special day brighter.
• Know that I will forever keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
• Let’s celebrate this epic day with an extravagant celebration.
• Make all of your years count!
• May everything you wish for be granted to you.
• May each candle you blow today grant you a wish.
• May your day be as sweet as your birthday cake.
• No matter how old you get, you seem to be forever young.
• No one holds a candle to you. Nope, not even the candles on your birthday cake.
• The best things in life are yet to come for you.
• The best way to count your life is not by the number of years you lived, but by the number of friends you have.
• The key to living a happy life is to always live it like you’re a child.
• You always make me happy, so I plan to make you even more happy on today’s occasion.
• You can’t escape growing old. You can, however, always grow up in meaningful ways.
• You yourself are a gift to Earth.
• You’re older now, but you never seem to get old.
Tqu on August 24, 2022:
Haha just love it full of creative enjoy to read this blog
antoinette on August 22, 2022:
Funny and creative
Idongesit Sunday on August 07, 2022:
I love dis webpage
ANDREW SAYAN on July 29, 2022:
Happy birthday wish
bernice on July 13, 2022:
good jobs
David B Katague on November 09, 2022:
Enjoy reading this blog! It reminded me on my article on how to send congratulatory messages and compliments with more personality and warmth, instead of just the one word-CONGRATULATIONS !
Belated birthday wishes for a friend
• Happy Little-Bit-Late Birthday! Sorry I forgot, but I wanted to send you belated birthday wishes all the same!
• Wishing you a belated happy birthday, pal! Sorry I missed the big day, but thought I’d extend your birthday a little longer.
• A belated happy birthday to you. May all the good things that life has to offer always find their way to your doorstep (hopefully quicker than this card!)
• Despite my wishes being a little late, you know they are straight from the bottom of my heart. I wish you success in all your endeavors. Happy belated birthday, my friend.
• It’s never too late to wish a wonderful friend like you happy birthday. May your life be full of peace, joy, happiness and success. Happy belated birthday friend.
Belated birthday wishes for your cousin
• Good things come to those who wait! Happy belated birthday Cousin!
• We all know that birthdays are special, but someone like you is special everyday! Happy belated birthday Cousin!
• I didn’t forget your birthday, I just wanted to prolong the celebration! Happy happy birthday cuz!
• In another part of the world it’s custom to send birthday wishes the day after someone’s birthday. I don’t know where, but I’m there! Happy belated birthday to my favourite cousin.
• I know it seems like I forgot your birthday, but actually I was just waiting for a quiet moment to tell you how special you are. Happy belated birthday cousin!
• Wishing my dear cousin a happy belated birthday! You will always be more like a sibling to me. Sending lots of love to you.
• Sorry this card is a bit late. I remembered your birthday, just not the date! Happy belated birthday cousin!
Belated birthday wishes for your niece
• Even though this is late, it’s never too late to wish you the best of everything! Happy birthday niece!
• Your birthday came, and then it went. Here’s the message I should have sent. Belated happy birthday my beautiful niece! Sorry this message is late, but I thought I’d include a small poem to make it up to you.
• May you always be as wise as the old oaks, as graceful as the falling leaves and more punctual than this birthday card. Happy birthday my dear niece. Sorry for the late wishes!
• Since you were born I’ve been wishing you only the best. It’s been a pleasure to watch you grow into the incredible woman you are today, and I am so sorry to have missed this momentous occasion. Sending you much love and the heartiest belated birthday wishes.
• You are an absolute joy in our lives and not a day goes past that I don’t think of you. Sorry to have missed your birthday, but I celebrate the woman you have become every day! Happy belated birthday niece!
Belated birthday wishes for your aunt
• This wish is late so that you can celebrate longer! Happy belated birthday aunt!
• To my favourite Auntie, happy happy belated birthday! I’m so sorry that I missed the special day, but, to me, you are special every day!
• Thank you for always being like a second mother to me. I appreciate all you do and wish you only the best for the next chapter in your life! Apologies for the belated birthday wishes!
• I’m so sorry I forgot your birthday, but how do you expect me to remember when you don’t look any older! Belated happy birthday to my beautiful aunt!
• Now that everyone else’s wishes have worn off, you can have a great big one from me! Happy belated birthday sweet Aunty!
• I’m so incredibly sorry for missing your special day Auntie! Please forgive me and accept my sincerest wishes in celebration of your birthday. I know that you will succeed in all that you set out to achieve.
Belated birthday wishes for your uncle
• The world is made up of two types of people. Meticulously punctual types and the awesome fun people like me who don’t own calendars. Happy belated birthday uncle!
• Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about you. Apparently very ‘lately’! Happy belated birthday uncle! Sorry I missed it! Will be sure to catch the next one. Wishing you all the best.
• Sorry I missed the beginning of this new chapter, glad to see that it's off to a roaring start! Happy happy belated birthday to you, Uncle!
• Sorry for the belated wishes but today, I’ll raise a toast to you and hope you enjoy all the finer things in life. You’ll always be the coolest uncle around. Happy belated birthday uncle!
Belated birthday wishes for your dog
• In my eyes, every day with you is worth celebrating! Sorry I missed your birthday my special pooch.
• Happy belated birthday dog! Sorry for the late wishes, but the treats will make up for it I’m sure.
• Thanks for being happy to see me when I come home, even when I miss your birthday! Happy belated birthday dog friend!
• Even though you had no idea, I feel terrible for missing your birthday! Happy belated birthday dog. Wishing you a happy future filled with walks, tennis balls and treats! Thanks for being my best friend.
• Sorry I missed your birthday, bud. It was the cat’s fault! Your belated birthday wishes come complete with a fancy cooked dinner and your favourite back rub. All the best for the dog years head!
Belated happy birthday in French
The French express their belated birthday wishes by saying ‘Joyeux anniversaire avec un peu de retard’.
Belated happy birthday in Spanish
In Spanish, they say ‘Feliz cumpleaños atrasado!’.
Belated happy birthday in Chinese
The way to wish someone a belated happy birthday in Chinese is ‘请接受我迟到的生日祝福’.
Belated happy birthday in Italian
In Italian, to wish someone a belated birthday you say ‘Auguri in ritardo’.
If you’ve missed a loved one's birthday don’t fret! These things happen and now you’ve got some ideas of how to make it up to them. Just remember that it really is the thought that counts. Even if it’s a little late.