Whether you are writing birthday wishes in a card to a friend, relative, romantic partner or acquaintance, as long as you write something heartfelt and sincere, the recipient will be pleased. Before writing your message, decide on the tone you would like to convey. Think about whether the recipient might prefer a sweet message that is more lighthearted or one that is more sentimental. Consider including a meaningful poem or quote, especially if you use a blank greeting card.

A friend’s birthday is an occasion to tell her how much she means to you. Write a message that mentions both her birthday and her importance in your life. Include a few qualities you love and admire about her, and include a favorite memory from the time you have spent together. You can also include an appropriate quote from a famous person, such as Brigitte Bardot's "What could be more beautiful than a dear old lady growing wise with age? Every age can be enchanting, provided you live within it.” Or include Robert Browning's promise: "Grow old along with me the best is yet to be."

Young and old alike, any family member enjoys receiving a loving message on her birthday. Think about the special things she contributes to family traditions, mention your favorite things about her or tell a story about an important way she touched or inspired you. You can also include a meaningful quote from William Shakespeare such as "With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come." Or use this quote from Oprah Winfrey: "The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”

There are different romantic ways to sweetly wish someone a happy birthday. You can say something simple like “Happy birthday, sweetheart.” A birthday card is a sweet place to list the things you love about this person. You can also write something cute such as “You are my world, and today the world celebrates you” or “Happy birthday to my love. Today I can give gifts to the gift in my life.”

If you don’t know the birthday person very well, you can still write a sweet message. A card for an acquaintance can say something general and kind about the nature of birthdays. Some possible ideas include “A birthday is a special day, and I hope you enjoy it fully” or “Birthdays are a time for a new start and fresh beginnings."

You can also include quotes from well-known people, such as “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream” by C.S. Lewis; “Tomorrow is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one” by Brad Paisley, or "Our birthdays are feathers in the broad wing of time" by Jean Ritcher.