How to Create Custom Birthday Greeting Cards
When you send a holiday card, it’s as much about fulfilling your own experience of the celebration as it is about sending warm wishes. But when you send a birthday card it’s generally about one individual (unless you know lots of twins and triplets, of course), and sending a thoughtful card is for the sole purpose of brightening his or her special day. Birthdays are truly unique in that way, as even anniversaries are shared. Think of every friend’s or family member’s birthday as your one chance a year to do something special just for them. And while Facebook is an awesome vehicle for basking in the glow of very public birthday love, there’s something about that exposed forum that makes personal and private expressions of heartfelt wishes that much more meaningful.
So leave the delightfully-surprising-but-generic-nonetheless notes-from-long-lost-friends to social media, and make printed birthday cards for the inner circle that much more special. Here’s how to do it for each of your most favorite people:
For Grandpa If you pop into your standard card shop, you’ll find three types of birthday cards for grandpas. The first is of the golf variety, with some bad pun about how it’s time to par-tee. The second is of the fishing variety, with a bad hook and a bigger sinker. And the third just features an offensive depiction of a cartoonish old man, which I can’t imagine anyone would appreciate. Your grandfather (or your child’s grandfather) has been around the block and done some really cool things in his life that go way beyond golf, fishing or looking crotchety. Pay him some honest respect with a card that’s made just for him. Drop in a great photograph or two, and add a message that includes a special nickname and a heartfelt message.
For Mom or Grandma Moms and grandmas do it all for their kids and grandkids. So once a year it goes without saying that yours should get a card dreamed up just for her. Add a few portraits of her awesomeness in action, along with her favorite sidekicks, of course. And make sure it’s clear that she’s the best mom or grandma ever. And because she’s detail oriented, make sure you give her the numbers to prove it.
For Dad The dad-cards in your standard card shop are almost as bad as the grandpa cards, and perhaps even more off putting. They’re likely to center on the following three themes: bad ties (why, I have no idea), being a lovable couch potato, or dad dressed as a superhero, which starts off great except that he’s always an overweight, out-of-shape and – disturbingly – sporting Spandex and a cape. Nothing against bigger dads, but that stereotype is, well, it’s just unnecessary when you can customize your birthday card for dad! If you choose to depict your dad as a superhero, at least make it look like him, chubby or not. HINT: Mixbook has a cape sticker you can use on any card! Then again, you might just want to tell it like it is…say thanks for always being there and show some shots of him being: there.
Milestone Birthday for a Sibling or Friend A little on the corny side, sure. But then again, there really isn’t anything corny about wine – and damn if it doesn’t get better with age. For a milestone birthday wish to someone who’s aging gracefully, give him or her the ultimate compliment with the wine metaphor. Make it even more personal by dropping in a photo of the two of you together sharing a great bottle. Or, better yet, send this personalized card with a bottle that’s of the same, ahem, fabulous vintage.
For Your BFF If you’re too young to remember actual mixtapes, they represent a vanished-forever format that’s as cool as it is obsolete. And if you DO remember mixtapes, well, you surely have a deep nostalgia for all the grainy recordings of Peter Gabriel, Yaz, Crowded House and countless others. Either way, there’s something awesomely custom, totally personal and bursting with affection about a mixtape. No wonder they were such a phenomenon. Make a birthday card that’s just as unique as your BFF. Better yet, print this custom card and gift it along with a custom playlist.
For Your Favorite Princess (or Queen) Keep calm and party on, indeed. Even the Queen Mother might break character were she donning a crown as fabulous as this one. In short, anyone you put inside this precious pink frame – a genuinely sweet little girl, your trusted lapdog, or a markedly macho colleague – will go crazy with adoration.
For Your Favorite Dude’s Dude Sometimes it’s just fun to own the bromance. Show your best bud how you really feel with a card that declares the ultimate in affection: first brew’s on me.
For Your Favorite Little Girl How ever many years she’s turning, say she’s that many types of sweet. Extra credit if you actually pack up that many kinds of candy.
For Your Favorite Little Boy For the same reason it was once fun to deface photos with wicked mustaches and beards – if you are (or were once) a little boy – doctoring photos with some well-groomed whiskers is a legitimately amusing pastime. Personalize the Moustache Birthday card by waxing on about how dapper they are, then add a photo and drop a moustache (or three) sticker on top to curl out the theme. Bonus points for including a tin of mustache wax.
Check out all Mixbook’s customizable birthday greeting cards to get ideas for how to make your wishes special. And remember that with Mixbook’s birthday greeting cards, it’s easy to plan ahead by ordering cards for all your favorite folks for a few months or even a year in advance!
Happy birthday-planning! Happy Mixbooking!
