In choosing your birthday invitation messages, you need to keep in mind a number of considerations. Here are some of them.

Sources of messages

If you would like to go beyond the standard where, what and when in invitation wording, adding a few personal lines is just the thing. You can compose your own message, choose a song stanza that best describes you or the celebrant (if you are not him or her), pick a few lines from a favorite poem or use quotes. You can search the Internet if you're out of ideas or read old invites or cards. Books, magazines and other print materials are also good sources for quotes and poems.

Subjects of messages

Whatever form of message you prefer to use, they should always be chosen with the celebrant in mind. They could be chosen to convey what the celebrant feels about the special day or to represent the best aspects of his personality or to give a hint of his deeper characteristics that are not obvious to everyone who knew him. Messages in invitations can also be a way for the celebrant to express his gratitude to the friends being invited or to emphasize how important it is for him that the invitee joins him in his special day.

Guidelines for message etiquette

First thing to do - make it brief. Don't be tempted to write a novella or use the invitations to describe or promote yourself. If you are not the celebrant but is tasked to come up with the goods, make sure that your message will bring only the celebrant's good aspects to light. Avoid making tactless jokes. If you want the message to be humorous, exercise caution. Never make a joke pertaining to the celebrant or his guests. Don't make the celebrant's age the subject of your humor either, because humorous will be the last thing your message will be. Don't be overly dramatic either, birthdays are meant to be celebrated, not lamented.

Information for invitees

The guests should be informed about things like dress code, activities and the theme of the party. Be clear about instructions. If the venue is a bit complicated to get to, don't clog the invitations with details, just attach a simple map or call the invitees for additional details or directions. Don't ask for gifts through invitations, it is improper and in poor taste. If the party is only for adults or not for kids, don't include that information on the invites. Just call the guests and tell them in a subtle way that children might not appreciate the event. You could mention that it will start or end late so as to discourage those who are planning to bring any of their kids.

Birthday invitation messages are not that hard to compose as long as you know the celebrant quite well. If you are the celebrant and you decide to compose your own message, then do consider your guests and make sure that what you're going to say will not offend or bore any of them.