Some people are party people, and others plead for their birthdays to go unnoticed. While some people are party planning gurus, others feel tempted to skip the shindigs altogether. Party people are our kind of people – and if you need help becoming one, we’ve got lots of ideas!
With intentionality and a little birthday magic, you can turn a taco dinner into a Fabulous Fifty fiesta. You can make a backyard birthday BBQ feel just like the Wild West for your six-year-old and his friends. A few extra touches will make you feel like the fairy godmother of birthday parties. Bippity boppity boo!
Planning celebrations shows people you care and creates long-lasting memories. To help, we want to give you lots of ideas for celebrating loved ones of every age. You will also find endearing messages for your BFF, words of adoration for your mama, and toddler birthday cake messages that will make your guests laugh out loud.
First Birthday Party Ideas
Families go crazy celebrating their tiniest members with special outfits, toddler-sized cakes, and timeline photo collages. Parties don’t have to be Pinterest-perfect. Here are some simple and adorable ideas:
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Number One: Knock it out of the park with a sports-themed birthday. Set up a concession stand and provide tiny basketballs or soccer balls. Order a sports-tastic activity center as a first birthday gift and entertainment for the party.
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Royal Extravaganza: Transition from crayons to crowns for the party! Order a castle cake or crown-shaped cookies. Provide dress-up clothes, wands, and crowns for a tiny photo (booth) op. Give bubble wands as party favors, and don’t forget a card fit for royalty.
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Character Parties: At one, many little ones have a favorite cartoon character. Decorate with characters like Mickey Mouse, Elmo, or Daniel Tiger. Your toddler will be delighted by decorations and a card featuring their favorite character.
Funny Birthday Cake Messages for Your 1-Year-Old
Funny cakes give the grown-ups a laugh and make for really cute pictures. Try one of these:
A funny food pun:
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You’re One-in-a-Melon
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We’re Nuts About You
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You’re Our Main Squeeze
Or, one of these silly messages:
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Feed Me and Tell Me I’m Pretty
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Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
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I May be Small, but I’m the Boss
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Go Shorty, It’s Your Birthday
Cute Outfit Ideas for the Birthday Baby
Now it’s time to decide what your birthday baby is going to wear for the big event:
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Outfit your baby girl for her princess party in a sparkly set, complete with tutu and hair bow.
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For a “wild one” theme, grab: a super cute romper or a leopard print tutu set.
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For a sports-themed party, a personalized baseball tee is a perfect uniform.
Teen Birthday Party Ideas
Teen parties are all about making memories with friends. Here are some popular ideas:
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Scavenger hunt parties: Variations include a scavenger hunt at the mall, Snapchat photo scavenger hunt, or a flashlight scavenger hunt in nature.
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Glow-in-the-dark dance parties are the ultimate party vibe. Provide temporary tattoos and glow sticks to make bracelets and necklaces. Create a dance floor with a disco ball and play their favorite playlist.
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Hotel slumber parties are great for a few close friends. Order pizza, swim, and make your own mini bar with store-bought treats. Bonus: your house will stay perfectly clean during the party!
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Thirteenth birthday parties are a big deal! Welcome the teenage years with a super special celebration: create a home spa, host a video game tournament, or go with a favorite color theme – for the decor, the clothing, the cake, everything!
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Sixteenth birthday bashes can be huge to-dos like a masquerade ball, boho garden party, or limo party. Low-key options include a weekend away with friends, around-the-town scavenger hunt, or backyard campout sleepover!
Birthday Gifts for Teenagers
The perfect gifts for teen girls are stylish and mature. Tech gifts for teen boys are super popular. Ideas include:
- Teens love to personalize their spaces with LED lights, mini refrigerators for beauty products, and other fun aesthetic decor like artificial plants. For teens who love plants, be sure to include this vibey Plants Pop-Up Card.
- Order new shoes, an outfit, or an accessory they’ve been eyeing like a new bag or sunglasses.
- Splurge on a fancy tech gift, like a Macbook Air, Nintendo Switch, or AirPods.
The gifts (and sentiments) that mean the most to teenagers are the ones that affirm your respect and love for exactly who they are.
20th Birthday Party Ideas
Birthdays in your twenties are so much fun. Whether you prefer a quiet night at home or the party of the year, there are lots of ways to celebrate. Here are a few:
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Throw a Roaring 20s party. Rent a local space and invite a dozen of your closest friends to wear flapper dresses, drink mocktails, and enjoy a formal dinner.
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Take a camping trip with your best friends. Hike, kayak, play card games, and enjoy a grounding trip in nature.
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Get a tattoo with a couple of your besties, then head home for a sleepover filled with movies, chips and queso, and your favorite board games.
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Celebrate with a semiformal candlelit dinner with your closest friends. Add fairy lights, a balloon arch, or dreamy florals for extra ambiance.
Touching Birthday Messages for Best Friends
Close friendships in early adulthood are unique because you are confidants, chosen family, and valuable encouragers through life’s peaks and valleys.
Celebrating your best friend can look like planning a world class party or sound like heartfelt words accompanying a Birthday Flower Bouquet or a silly Happy Birthday Cats Pop-Up Card. These thoughtful messages mean the world:
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I love you more than words can say, and I hope you feel loved and celebrated today. Happy Birthday, bestie!
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Today we celebrate the anniversary of the best day ever… the day you were born. Let’s celebrate all the ways you make the world better!
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Friends are the family we choose for ourselves, and I’m so thankful we chose each other. Cheers to another year of adventures. Happy Birthday!
30th-40th Birthday Party Ideas
At 30 and 40, some people will start joking about old age. Science reveals that the decade between thirty and forty is notoriously awesome. Birthday celebrations at this stage of life provide fun, adventure, and a welcome break from demanding careers and early family life.
Here are a few ideas for planning a celebration as amazing as your age:
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Plan a camping & hiking trip in Colorado with a few close friends – even those who live far away could meet in the middle to reconnect.
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Throw a Superhero Party for a friend who does it all! Give an Amazing Spiderman card or Marvel Comic Book Cake card.
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Take a road trip! Spend a week or two on the road enjoying the best scenic views in the U.S.
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Host a wine and cheese night. Invite friends to taste new wines & cheese for the camera with themed photo booth props!
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Plan a throwback party and celebrate some of your favorite things from the past 40 years. Reminisce with video games, karaoke, and costumes.
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Spend a weekend at a fancy hotel or spa – alone or with friends. It’s your party!
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Throw a surprise Office-themed party, complete with partially inflated balloons and an “It is your birthday” sign. Don’t forget the card or even better – give them their very own Dundie! Best gift ever!
Funny Birthday Quotes
Friends treasure playful messages and heartfelt sentiments. Add a funny quote to your birthday message:
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“Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most live the longest.” –Larry Lorenzoni
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“Age is an issue of mind over matter; if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” –Mark Twain
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“Middle age is when you’re sitting at home on a Saturday night and the telephone rings and you hope it isn’t for you.” –Ogden Nash
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“You can live to be a hundred if you give up all the things that make you want to live to be a hundred.” –Woody Allen
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“The older you get, the better you get, unless you are a banana.” –Betty White
50th and More Birthday Party Ideas
Celebrating 50th birthdays and beyond are super special. Your loved one has touched so many lives over the years. Celebrate the many candles on the cake & all of the light they have brought to the world around them:
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Throw a Golden 50th party. Decorate with gold balloons, and create a video montage to share 50 memories with the star of the evening. A Fabulous Fifty Fiesta would be a casual alternative – enjoy tacos, cocktails, and write a meaningful note inside this adorable piñata card.
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For a 60th birthday party, celebrate with a Favorite Things theme. Include the birthday guy/gal’s favorite colors, snacks, drinks, games, and of course…people! Or, throw a Soulful Sixties shindig. Have a blast with a groovy 60’s playlist, costumes, and peace signs all over! Don’t forget a Beatles birthday card – include their favorite lyrics in your message.
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Celebrate their 70th with a classic car theme.You’re not old, you’re a classic! Write a note celebrating seventy amazing years in this super cool classic car-d! A floral theme with notes written on handmade tissue paper flowers is a beautiful tribute, too!
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To commemorate 80 years, plan a Photo Storytelling Party. Guests bring a favorite photo of the honoree and take turns sharing memories. Photos are saved in an album as a keepsake. A similar alternative for 80-year-olds who love to laugh – a Roast & Toast event. Partygoers share jokes about the guest of honor, but keep it clean and kind so you don’t ruin grandma or grandpa’s birthday!
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A 90th birthday is a momentous occasion. Create an intimate atmosphere by setting up beautiful flowers for a Garden Tea Party or fairy lights for a Family Birthday Dinner. Invite close family and friends to share special memories and spend time with the honoree.
Birthday Messages for Mom
Birthday parties are the perfect occasion to celebrate the most special people. The written sentiments you share with your mom mean so much. She has shared so many special moments in your life, and it’s your turn to make her day the best it can be. She will be touched by these kind words:
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You have been with me since the beginning of my life, and I am grateful to celebrate so many wonderful years of yours! I love you, Mom. Happy Birthday!
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Many people love and admire you, Mom. I am one of your greatest admirers because you’ve always been a hero to me. Happy Birthday!
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You are a priceless friend, a beloved community member, a fantastic grandmother, and a beautiful soul. Not to mention the best mom ever! Happy Birthday!
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Your life and presence are as radiant as the candles on your cake. Happy Birthday to my mom, the brightest light I’ve ever known!
The Best Birthday Wishes
The very best birthday wishes are warm, heartfelt, and fun. Love and laughter unite us with loved ones and build them up:
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You have made the world better & brighter since the day you were born. May you feel the same measure of warmth from the heat of all those candles & the love that surrounds you. Happy Birthday!
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Celebrating you is a piece of cake – in fact, I think I’ll have two! Thanks for being so easy to celebrate. Happy Birthday!
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How lucky we all are that you have been given the best gift of all – another year of life! Here’s to many more. Happy Birthday!
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Planning an unforgettable party & sharing words that make your loved one feel valued are two of the greatest gifts you can give. Take the time this spring to plan a special event and let them know how wonderful they are!
And for the icing on the birthday cake, order a Lovepop pop-up birthday card ahead of time. Your loved one will cherish your thoughtfulness in party-planning and birthday-wishing.
