Happy Birthday Wishes For Your Loved Ones

Whether it’s shouting out “HBD” on social media or buying a special cake, birthdays are a time to celebrate our friends and loved ones. They remind us that we’re all connected and that life is worth living. It’s also a great time to show the people around you that you care about them, especially those who may be struggling in life or seem isolated.

Here at The Atlantic, we’ve rounded up our best birthday wishes for your loved ones. From sweet and inspirational to funny and heartfelt, you’ll find something that will make their day.

It’s hard to trace the earliest examples of birthday celebrations because they were typically reserved for royals, such as Egyptian pharaohs or powerful members of an upper class. For a long time, the same pattern held in the United States: Only rich people and national heroes had their special days honored.

But in the mid-19th century, the tradition started to spread. A German party known as Kinderfeste was perhaps the closest to today’s style of birthday parties: Kids were given one candle on their cake for every year they had been alive, plus a candle for hope that they would live to see another. And as more families celebrated their children’s birthdays, they grew more common and eventually became the norm.

While many of these traditions have since waned, birthdays remain an important day to honor the people in our lives who mean so much to us. In addition to spending time with those close to you, it’s a good opportunity to do some self-reflection and focus on what’s important in your own life. You might even decide to make some big changes on your birthday.

The word “birthday” actually comes from the Greek word bthdia, which means “day of birth.” It’s also possible that the word is derived from the Latin term natalis, which means “nativity.” The latter date refers to when an individual entered the world. It’s often used in reference to pets, such as dogs and cats, and racehorses, with the latter achieving their birthday on January 1 in the Northern Hemisphere or July 1 in the Southern Hemisphere.

As for the first of these occurrences, a number of cultures have their own special ways of marking a person’s arrival into the world. In fact, many of them have their own names for the day, and some even include a gift-giving ritual.

While many people prefer to celebrate their own birthdays quietly, others enjoy a large gathering with family and friends. Regardless of how you choose to spend your day, we wish you the best in health and happiness. Whether you’re celebrating with a small group or a larger crowd, make your party memorable with decorations from Shutterfly. Add our photo birthday cards, calendars of family photos or a custom photo album and you’ll have a gift your loved one will cherish for years to come. Just be sure to blow out all those candles!