8 Ways to Wish Someone a Happy Birthday

The quickest way to send a happy birthday message looks like this:

Happy birthday [name]! 🎈🎁🎉 ❤️

Or even worse, like this:

HBD!

At this point, it seems so insincere that I’d rather not text anything than send that message. Even adding a few words like, “I hope you have a great day today!” or, “I miss you, let’s hang out soon!” is not enough to celebrate someone on their special day.

Here are a few ideas to try out instead:

1. Send them a video message. You can record yourself saying the same things that you would have typed (happy birthday, have a great day, etc.) It’s shorter than a FaceTime call, but a million times more genuine than a quick text.

2. Translate your birthday wishes into another language using Google Translate - maybe it's a language they've always wanted to learn, or maybe it's just a super complex language. At the beginning or end of the message, you can add "Copy and paste onto Google Translate for a surprise birthday message!" (in English or the language you usually communicate in).

3. Make a birthday post for them on Instagram using Animoto. You could also use the Instagram layout feature to post multiple photos at once (include some old throwbacks!), just make sure to add music, stickers, etc.

4. Venmo or CashApp them for their favorite birthday snack, e.g., send them $5 and caption it, "For your favorite tiramisu cupcake on your special day 🧁".

5. Send a Digital Touch message, a funny birthday GIF, or even a Memoji. If you’re using iMessage, it only takes a few seconds and will make your birthday message much more meaningful.

6. Mail them an actual letter. Even if you forget to do this until the day of, it’s always a nice surprise to receive a handwritten letter in the mail. Throw in some DIY confetti to make it even more fun.

7. Create a Spotify playlist dedicated to them - as short or as long as you wish. It can be a playlist with songs that you know you both love; songs that you recommend for them specifically; or songs that remind you of them. You can guarantee a smile on their face by sending a link to the playlist, along with “Happy birthday! Enjoy this playlist I made for you.”

8. Design something unique on Canva. You don't have to a be a graphic designer or have any previous design experience - simply choose a template and make it your own by changing the colors/words and adding photos/elements. Then download it as a PNG or JPG to easily send through text or email.

I hope this list inspires you to take a few extra minutes (or even seconds) to make someone's day!