Messages · Niece and nephew
Birthday wishes for a niece or nephew
46 messages in 7 groups. Free to use.
From an auntie
Warm, a bit playful. An auntie can say what a parent sometimes can't.
Happy birthday to my favourite niece. Auntie Clare loves you more than cake, and that's saying a lot.
Happy birthday, Jack. I'm so proud of the boy you're becoming. Love from Auntie Sarah.
To my niece on her birthday: you make every family party better. Love always, Auntie Em.
Happy birthday, Tom. Your auntie has a surprise for you, and it comes with sprinkles.
Happy birthday to my brilliant nephew. If you need a secret keeper, you know where I live.
Happy birthday, Lily. When you're sad, ring me. When you're happy, ring me. Love, Auntie Rach
Another year older and still the best niece in the world. Happy birthday, with a big hug from Auntie Kate.
From an uncle
Often shorter and funnier, and just as much kept.
Happy birthday, Finn. Your uncle owes you a go on the PlayStation, and he'll lose gracefully.
To my nephew on his birthday: I'm still teaching you everything my brother taught me, plus the good bits he didn't. Uncle Dan
Happy birthday, Poppy. Uncle Mike promises to behave at your party. He promises nothing else.
Happy birthday to my niece, who beats her uncle at every game and laughs when he says it's rigged.
Happy birthday, Alex. I'm very proud to be your uncle, and a little scared of how tall you've got.
Happy birthday, Ruby. Your uncle has been practising his dance moves for your party. Sorry in advance.
Happy birthday to my favourite nephew. You're my only nephew, so it's not a hard competition, but you win anyway.
For a small niece or nephew
A parent will read it out loud, so a few short, bright lines with the name in them.
Happy birthday, little Ella. You're two today! Auntie and Uncle send you a big, soft hug.
Happy birthday, Oscar. Three is a fine age to be. We'll bring the bubbles.
Happy birthday to our smallest superhero. Four looks brilliant on you.
Happy birthday, Maisie. You're five, which means you can officially boss us around.
Happy birthday, Noah. We can't wait to see you blow out the candles. Love, Auntie and Uncle
Hip hip hooray, it's your birthday today! Love from your auntie and uncle.
For a child at school
One thing they love right now, plus one compliment. Children remember a compliment for a long time.
Happy birthday, Aoife. I hear you've scored three goals this term. I'd like the full match report on Sunday.
Happy birthday, Sam. Eight looks great on you. I'm told you've finished all the Dog Man books. Impressive.
To my niece, the best drawer in her class: happy birthday. I've put your last picture on my fridge.
Happy birthday, Josh. You were so kind to your little cousin last week, and I noticed.
Happy birthday, Emily. Nine is a good year for a book and a bike ride. Maybe both.
Happy birthday, Callum. Ten already! Double figures at last. I want to hear all about Year Six.
For a teenager or young adult
Brief, honest and a little funny. Teenagers read the card, and they keep the one that doesn't preach.
Happy thirteenth, Hannah. Welcome to the teenage years. I promise not to say how you've grown.
Happy birthday, Ryan. Fifteen already. If you need someone who won't tell your parents, you know who I am.
Happy sixteenth, Grace. I'm really proud of who you are. Love, Auntie Jo
Happy birthday, Ellie. Eighteen. Wherever you head next, I'll be cheering from the sidelines.
Happy birthday to my nephew, who is officially taller than me. Please stop.
Happy twenty-first, Ben. I remember holding you when you weighed less than my handbag. Love, Auntie Lou
Happy birthday to my niece, the person I most hope to be like when I'm grown up. Love, Uncle Pete
From far away
For a card posted abroad, or for a message sent with a video call.
Happy birthday, Lily. We wish we could be there, so we've sent love in an envelope. Call us at teatime.
Happy birthday, Ethan. The oceans are wide, and our hugs are wider. See you in the summer.
Happy birthday, Zoe. It's already your birthday over here, so we've been celebrating for hours.
To my nephew on the other side of the world: happy birthday. I'm sending a very big hug and the first slice of cake.
Happy birthday, Chloe. I'm counting the days until I can see you. Your Uncle Rob is practically on the plane.
Happy birthday from your auntie in the other time zone. I'm up early so I can sing to you.
To write in a book
A book from an aunt or uncle is something the child keeps. Add the date, their age and your name.
For Ella, on your birthday. Auntie and Uncle chose this one, because it has a hero who reminds us of you.
Happy birthday, Jack. I read it first, to check it was good enough. It is.
To my nephew, on his eighth birthday. A story for a boy with a big imagination. Love, Uncle Dan
For my niece, who asks the best questions. This story has some answers and more questions. Auntie Clare
Dear Callum, here's a book for a boy who loves goals, from the auntie who loves him.
For you, Emily. Keep this one on the shelf and read it again when you're twenty.
Happy birthday from your auntie and uncle. We wrote our names in the front, so you'll always know where it came from.
Write your own message in four steps
Use their name and your title
“Love from Auntie Sarah” says who you are, and lets a child match the card to a face.
Pick up one thing they love
Football, drawing, a book series, a dog. One line about what they love now shows you pay attention.
Give one compliment
Something true and specific: kind, brave, funny, a good friend to a small cousin. Children remember a compliment for years.
Keep the length to the age
A small child needs one line a parent can read aloud. A teenager reads a few sentences, and it helps if they don't sound like a lecture.
Slips to avoid
Remarks about size or looks
“You've grown so much!” says more about the grown-up's surprise than about the child. What they do and who they are makes a better message.
Comparing with brothers, sisters or cousins
“As clever as your sister!” turns a birthday card into a competition. Write only about this child.
A gift voucher with no words
If you're putting money or a voucher in, add a line of your own. The words are what they keep.
Frequently asked questions
- What do you write in a birthday card for a niece or nephew?
- Their name and age, one thing they love, one compliment and your name as auntie or uncle. Keep it short and warm.
- What does an uncle write in a birthday card?
- Something short and a little funny, with one true compliment. A promise to see them soon goes down well.
- What do you write for a niece or nephew who lives far away?
- Say you wish you could be there, plan a call, and mention one detail from the last time you met. A card in the post feels special.
- What goes in an inscription in a birthday book from an auntie or uncle?
- The date, the child's age, who it's from and one sentence for later. The child may read it again in ten years.
All the messages on this page were written for Sagalino and are free to use, with no credit needed. Copy them, change them or print them on a card without asking.
So the message becomes a keepsake
A book in which the child is the hero is kept and reread for years. You read the whole story for free and only pay afterwards.
Also worth reading: messages for a new baby, messages for a christening, messages for a child's birthday, messages for a First Holy Communion, messages for Mother's Day, messages for Father's Day, messages for Christmas, messages for Easter, messages for a grandchild's birthday, messages for a colleague's birthday. Or see all occasions.