Best Birthday Messages for 18th, 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th & 60th

Last updated: February 28th, 2023 Published on: May 28, 2019

Whether a big birthday surprise or a casual gathering is being organised to celebrate his/her milestone birthday, write something great in your card message. To help you find the right words, we have compiled a few funny, emotional, or motivational ideas. Feel free to amend or combine them to make your message more personal.

18th Birthday Messages

Adulthood at last! Whether they’re excited to get go out for a drink, get a tattoo or just to finally escape their teenage years, their 18th birthday is a special one that calls for a celebration. So, here are our expert top picks for the best funny and creative ideas to write in their 18th birthday card.

  1. If you don’t do wild things while you’re young, you’ll have nothing to smile about when you’re old. Happy 18th birthday!
  2. Happy 18th birthday. Live life to the fullest & start with today!
  3. Happy 18th birthday! Now you’re an adult you can do everything legally you were doing illegally before…
  4. Happy adulthood! Whatever the future holds, enjoy the journey…
  5. Set the world on fire, dream BIG, and make your life as exciting to live than it is to remember.
  6. Wishing you a happy birthday. Keep your sparkle shining bright, because you’re a true rising star. Happy birthday!
  7. Remember, just because its legal now, doesn’t mean it’s a good idea… Happy 21st!
  8. Be adventurous, try new things and experience everything! Have an awesome journey through your adult life.
  9. Can you believe you’re an actual “adult” now? I can’t! Happy birthday!
  10. Hope this year will inspire you to start anything you’ve always wanted! Have the best birthday xxx

Feeling inspired but haven’t sorted a card yet? Check out our personalised 18th birthday cards to find a funny, thoughtful or cheeky card that they’ll love..

21st Birthday Messages

Ah, turning 21! The last of the milestone birthdays before your 30s… but let’s not think about that yet! Celebrate them turning 21 with our top picks for funny and sentimental message to write in their 21st birthday card.

  1. 9 Years till you’re thirty, let the countdown begin.
  2. Happy 21st birthday! Live for today, laugh ‘till it hurts and celebrate like you’ve never celebrated!
  3. I hope you enjoy this birthday because after 21 there’s no other fun birthday numbers to look forward to! Happy Birthday!
  4. Congrats on hitting another milestone! First shot’s on me, then another 20 to go! Happy birthday!
  5. To the most sexy, funny, and brilliant person I know besides me. Happy 21st birthday!
  6. Have fun legally losing money to alcohol and gambling. Happy birthday!
  7. Live life to the fullest, laugh until it hurts, and love like there’s no tomorrow. You’ve only got one life – make the most of it!
  8. Cheers to you buddy and to an awesome 21 years of great fun, memories, and new challenges ahead!
  9. Getting closer and closer to the big 3-0 and when your responsibilities and choices will matter! Enjoy these nice and easy years ahead of you!
  10. Happy birthday! If you still don’t feel like an adult yet…. You’re in the same boat as the rest of us.

Choose from some of our favourite 21st birthday cards below to match your message or explore the full range to find a special card for their big day.

30th Birthday Messages

Turning 30 is big milestone in each life, on one hand you’re a real adult now (or so they say), but you also have to start worrying about your back hurting when you sit down too long. So, to help them celebrate their 30th with style, here’s our favourite messages for their card to welcome in their 30s.

  1. Your thirties are no different from your twenties. You just look 10 years older and things aren’t fun anymore…
  2. When you turn thirty, a whole new thing happens: you see yourself acting like your parents.
  3. Happy 30th! You don’t look at day over 29.
  4. 30 is a perfect age. You’re old enough to recognise your mistakes but young enough to make some more. Happy birthday!
  5. Happy 30th birthday. Don’t worry, you’re still an 18-year-old… now with 12 years added experience!
  6. “Everything I know I learned after I was 30”- Georges Clemenceau
  7. “At 30 you finally start to catch up on those dreams you’ve been chasing for the last 10 plus years” – Bonidette Lanz
  8. “The only time you really live fully is from thirty to sixty. The young are slaves to dreams; the old servants of regrets. Only the middle-aged have all their five senses in the keeping of their wits.” – Hervey Allen
  9. For 30 beautiful years, you have made this world a more pleasant place for all who love you.
  10. Congratulations on turning 30! At this age, you can never ever die young. Happy 30th birthday!

Luckily for you, we’ve got loads of brilliantly funny birthday cards for people turning 30, so you can find the perfect card to take pride of place on their mantlepiece.

40th Birthday Messages

Some people say that life begins at 40, and 40 is the new 20. Unfortunately those people are normally just trying to make you feel better, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a cause for celebration! Turning 40 is a fantastic milestone, so let’s focus on the positives and raise a glass to many more amazing years with our top messages to write in their 40th birthday card.

  1. 40, the age you get your head together, but your body starts to fall apart.
  2. Happy 40th birthday to a wonderful man/woman who belongs to the generation whose baby pictures were never taken on phones.
  3. Spring chicken or not, you’re still the most fabulous of us all! Here’s to having the energy of a kitten, the senses of a shark, and the wisdom of an owl. Happy 40th birthday!
  4. While you may not believe it, 40 marks the prime of your life. You are well established in life, most things you can get, and you have learned most of what you need. So relax, 40 is a great age, if not the best one!
  5. Turning 40 doesn’t mean you have to act like your age – here’s to another decade of fun, and childlike banter.
  6. Here’s to being old enough to know better, young enough to do it, and too old to care whether you should or should not! Happy 40th bday!
  7. Only 20 more years until that sweet pension!
  8. Your mid-life crisis can officially began… obviously it started a while ago, but now you don’t have to pretend anymore ?
  9. You’re a collection of experiences, a jarful of wonder and strength, an album of happy memories… you are such a pillar in my life, a support I can always rely on. Many thanks for being YOU! Happy 40th bday xxx
  10. You are really 40?? You look 10 years younger! You’re way too lucky in life – it’s disgusting!

Explore some of our top cards for people turning 40 below or dive in and find the perfect card with our full range of funny and personalised 40th birthday cards.

50th Birthday Messages

Celebrate your loved one reaching half a century with some heartfelt and funny quotes from our greeting card experts about reaching 50. From commemorating their years of love and success to a not-so-gentle reminder about how they aren’t getting any younger, here’s some inspiration for what to write in their 50th birthday card.

  1. 50!? I demand a recount! Happy birthday…
  2. 5 decades, 18,250 days, 438,000 hours. Big numbers! I think that deserves an even bigger celebration!
  3. You’re proof that 50 is fierce and fabulous!
  4. Hope you realise what an amazing life you’ve already created – and are looking forward to more smiles and adventures to come!
  5. It’s not the number of candles on your cake…it’s the smiles you bring. And you bring even more than you know.
  6. Here’s to 50 years of an incredible you…and an incredible 50 more!
  7. Whoever says 50 is the new 30, let’s hang out with them!
  8. Let’s see…50 in dog years would make you…famous! For being the oldest dog EVER.
  9. Buy the sports car, get the tattoo, take a trip, start your business, go bungee jumping, try paragliding. Let the midlife crisis ADVENTURE begin!
  10. Fifty is the new “Who cares?” Relax, enjoy and have fun!

Explore an incredible selection of traditional and unique 50th birthday cards for everyone with a huge range of ideas to choose from.

60th Birthday Messages

Celebrating the 60th birthday of someone you love is an incredibly special occasion, so crack out that nice bottle of wine you’ve been saving for something special and choose from our best messages to write in their 60th birthday card to make the recipient feel special and maybe even a bit younger (if only in spirit!)

  1. Let’s crack open a bottle… of prune juice. Happy birthday wrinkly!
  2. Keep calm it’s only a number, happy 60th!
  3. You’re 60 — time to trade in your jeans for elastic waist pants!
  4. The advantage of old age is that you get to spread your love to many others.
  5. My birthday wish for you is to continue to love life and never stop dreaming. May beauty & happiness surround you, not only today but always.
  6. To someone who is forever young, have a great day!
  7. I wish you the best 60th birthday and hope that this important occasion finds you happy and well!
  8. Happy 60th birthday! May it be tremendous and overflow with warmth and goodness!
  9. Remember it’s never too late to achieve your dreams – now that you have time and money, just make it happen!
  10. Remembering you on your 60th birthday because, let’s face it, you probably won’t! Happy birthday!

Mark the big 6-0 with a card as unique as they are, from traditional cards to personalised, rude and cheeky designs. Explore a few below or dive into our full range of 60th birthday cards.

70th Birthday Messages

Whether it’s your parent, grandparent, good friend, partner or just a friendly face, celebrate 70 years and say thank you for the joy and wisdom they’ve shared with you with a heartfelt or humorous card.

  1. Time seems unfair. It has aged most of us, though seems to not want to touch you. Happy 70th birthday!
  2. Best birthday wishes to you! Let’s celebrate with happy tears for your fantastic years and the great amount of experience that has been seen through your eyes.
  3. Happy 70th birthday, may you continue to inspire us all!
  4. Lucky for you, vintage is in! It all depends on how you look at it ?
  5. Keep on being the funny and energetic person you’ve always been. Here’s to many more years!
  6. May your birthday be filled with the warm sunshine of love. Happy birthday!
  7. You’re not getting older, you’re increasing in value!
  8. A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey. Enjoy life and embrace the trip!
  9. You truly are one of the best gifts that I have ever received. I wouldn’t want any other grandma in the world – you’re the best! Thanks for all the great advice, and for always being there for me. Wishing you the best birthday!
  10. Everything your heart desires is what I wish for you. Not only on your birthday, but throughout the whole year too!

Find a card to celebrate their 70th birthday with a selection of sincere, traditional and personalised cards to send love on this special occasion.

80th Birthday Messages

Celebrate 80 years of love, life and adventure with a unique birthday card honouring the incredible experiences and memories you’ve shared together. From our greeting card experts to you, here are some of our favourite heart-warming and light-hearted messages for their 80th birthday card.

  1. You’re not old, you’re a classic! It’s just a matter of perspective ?
  2. No matter how old you get, you still have the youngest soul of us all! Happy birthday!
  3. You’ve learned so much in 80 years – the important thing now is to try remembering it all!
  4. Our age is simply the number of years the world has been enjoying us.
  5. Remember – don’t feel sad about growing older. Everybody else is going through it!
  6. Thinking about getting a tattoo for your 80th birthday? The best bet would be your name and address…
  7. With age comes new skills. Now that you’re 80, you can laugh, cough, sneeze and pee all at the same time!
  8. Don’t let turning 80 get you down…because it’s too hard to get you back up again!
  9. Birthdays are like glazed donuts. Sometimes it’s better not to remember how many you’ve had!
  10. Happy 80th birthday! A little tip… age and glasses of wine should never be counted.

Capture your favourite memories together with a lovely personalised 80th birthday card. Perfect for marking an incredible achievement in your loved ones life and expressing your gratitude for a range of wonderful memories.

If you’re looking for something to write in their card that perfectly captures their sense of humour, look no further! We’ve put together a whole article of funny birthday messages for you to check out! Take a look and find the perfect funny message for their birthday card. Plus, if you’re stuck trying to find the perfect present, why not think outside the box and create your own personalised gift?