The words, sorted.
A blank card is the hardest part. Here are real example messages and quick tips for every occasion — then make yours personal in under a minute.
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Pick the occasion and who it's for — hand-written messages for exactly that person, no typing.
Open the message finder →Or read the guide for your occasion
Birthday
A birthday message only needs to do one thing: make them feel seen. Here's how to write one that sounds like you and not like the back of a shop card.
Read the guide →Thank you
A good thank-you doesn't just say 'thanks' - it shows them you noticed exactly what they did and that it mattered. Here's how to write one that lands.
Read the guide →Anniversary
What to write in an anniversary card: one memory that belongs to the two of you, one plain line about what they still mean to you, and a wish for the years ahead. Below are 42 messages - short, funny, milestone and from afar - for a partner or for a couple you love.
Read the guide →Congratulations
Big news deserves more than a thumbs-up. Here's how to write a congratulations card that actually makes them feel how proud you are.
Read the guide →Love & romance
You don't need an occasion to tell someone you love them - just the right words. Here's how to write a love card that says it the way you actually feel it.
Read the guide →Just because
The cards people remember most are the ones that arrive for no reason at all. Here's how to write a 'just because' message that quietly makes someone's day.
Read the guide →Valentine's Day
A shop-bought Valentine says what everyone says. Here's how to write one that says what you mean - and sounds like nobody but you.
Read the guide →Mother's Day
Mums keep everything you make them, so make this one worth keeping. Here's how to write a Mother's Day message that says more than 'thanks for everything'.
Read the guide →Father's Day
Dads are easy to under-thank and often a little awkward about praise. Here's how to write a Father's Day card that says the thing he doesn't always hear.
Read the guide →Christmas
Christmas cards are lovely; writing fifty identical ones is not. Here's how to make each one feel warm and personal without spending all of December at the kitchen table.
Read the guide →Wedding
A wedding card is a chance to say something the couple will keep for years. Here's how to write one that speaks to the two of them and rises above a signature in a group card.
Read the guide →New baby
A new-baby card has two jobs: welcome the little one and cheer on the exhausted, delighted new parents. Here's how to write one that does both warmly.
Read the guide →Graduation
What to write in a graduation card: say congratulations, name the work that got them here, and tell them you believe in what comes next - 'You did the hard part, and the rest is yours to choose' is a card in one line. Below are 42 messages for school and university graduates, from parents, friends and colleagues.
Read the guide →Sympathy
When someone is grieving, there's rarely a perfect thing to say - and that's alright. What matters is that you reach out gently and let them know they're not alone.
Read the guide →Get well
Recovering is dull, and a kind word breaks up the day better than almost anything. Here's how to write a get-well card that lifts someone's spirits without crowding them.
Read the guide →New Year
A new year is a clean page, and there's no better moment to tell someone what you hope for them. Here's how to write a New Year card that's warm and genuinely forward-looking.
Read the guide →Engagement
Write to both of them, say how happy you are, and wish them well for the marriage as much as the wedding - 'Congratulations on your engagement, here's to a lifetime of it, you two' is all a card needs. Below are 42 messages, from one-liners to the parents' card, and how to sign off.
Read the guide →New job
A new-job card is a chance to mark a real achievement and send someone into it with confidence. Here's how to write one that's proud, specific, and forward-looking.
Read the guide →Retirement
A retirement card marks the end of a whole career and the start of a long-earned freedom. Here's how to write one that's grateful, warm, and looking forward.
Read the guide →Leaving
A leaving card is a proper goodbye — for a colleague moving on, a friend moving away, or someone off to something new. Here's how to write one that's heartfelt, not just a hurried signature.
Read the guide →Housewarming
A housewarming card welcomes someone into a new chapter as much as a new building. Here's how to write one that's warm, hopeful, and a little bit fun.
Read the guide →Baptism
A baptism or christening card marks a gentle, joyful family milestone. Here's how to write one that's heartfelt and warm, whether or not you're religious.
Read the guide →Halloween
Halloween cards are meant to be fun, so don't overthink them. Here's how to write one that raises a smile — whether it's for a trick-or-treating five-year-old or a friend who lives for the spooky season.
Read the guide →Thanksgiving
A Thanksgiving card has one job: say thank you to a specific person for a specific thing. Here's how to write one that sounds like you — for the family table, the office, or a client you'd like to keep.
Read the guide →Curious what actually works? Read our study of 1318 real card messages →
Or start with the length: how long should a card message be? →
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