Having a birthday during Covid-19 is less than ideal for those who like to celebrate. With social distancing measures in place, it can end up being a lonely birthday. Thankfully, people are getting creative with ways you can reach out to a friend to wish them a Happy Birthday in quarantine. And of course, birthday ecards are always a great option.
If you’re not quite sure what to say in your card besides the requisite “Happy Birthday,” we have plenty of creative and thoughtful quarantine birthday greetings and “thinking of you” messages to get you started. No matter what you send, we bet the birthday honoree will appreciate the well wishes.
How do you say Happy Birthday in quarantine?
A text or social media shoutout is always nice, but with no celebration happening this year, send a Happy Birthday ecard! Our quarantine birthday cards arrive instantly and the recipient can send you a message back in response. The great part of virtual greetings? No stamps required (unless you opt for the digital kind). And chances are, you know someone’s email address over their physical address.
If you’re not sure what to say, we have your back with pre-formatted text so you don’t have to worry about starting quarantine birthday greetings from scratch. Whether you go for something lighthearted and humorous, or sentimental and serious, there’s something to capture the birthday person’s (and your) personality.
Quarantine birthday greetings
If you’re totally stumped regarding how to wish someone a Happy Birthday during quarantine, our collection of Covid greeting cards can help you discover thoughtful quarantine birthday greetings and quotes to use. If there’s ever been a time to couple Happy Birthday messages with thinking of you messages, this year is it.
Don’t forget, you can customize any of our cards to say what you think is just right. That means you can also easily make any of our Covid greetings into a birthday greeting card. From the punny and humorous to the uplifting and supportive, these quarantine greetings are the perfect intro to your personal message of well wishes for your friend’s or loved one’s birthday.
Of course, don’t forget to add a little personal message at the end, even if it’s just a line about how you can’t wait to see them again.
Covid birthday cards
1. Send a virtual birthday hug, “quill you meet again” with this cute Hello!Lucky card “Hedgehug”
2. Celebrating another quarantine birthday? Wish your loved ones an unprecedented, healthy, and happy quarantine birthday with this incredible card from stationer Cheree Berry.
3. Don’t let the pandemic get you down. Featuring a twinkling birthday cake with a nod to early Covids toilet paper panic, this card wishes the recipient a great birthday and encourages them to keep their head up.
4. Let them know that when the world sorts itself out, they’re your first stop (with cake and bubbly in hand).
5. Tell them you can’t wait to celebrate with a birthday brunch (in public!).
6. Celebrate another pandemic birthday behind you, and share your Covid birthday wishes with this cute Hello!Lucky card “Little Pup”.
7. What’s better (or sillier) than birthday wishes and a bouquet? Birthday wishes with a virtual bouquet of hand sanitizer.
8. Wish them health and happiness in the new year.
9. Acknowledge what a year it has been with a big ‘WOW’!
10. Give thanks for their birth (and hand sanitizer, and toilet paper). 
11. Wish them good fortune: that is, a better year than the last one.
12. Send them digital fan mail, in lieu of being able to be together.
13. Send them good vibes. Because honestly, we could all use them right now.
14. If your friend happens to work in the medical field, consider combining their covid birthday wishes with a “thank you essential worker” for all they do, especially during these hard times. 
15. Similar to the above, this card for a masked hero (aka any essential worker) can do double duty as a covid birthday card and thank you greeting.
How do I make my friend’s birthday special in quarantine?
Our blog has a variety of ideas for how to make a birthday special during Covid. Whether you want to do something with just your household or host a socially distanced outdoor gathering or a festive Zoom party, there are fun ways to safely celebrate birthdays of kids and adults alike.
— Quarantine birthday ideas: socially distant outdoor events are a safe way to celebrate a birthday during COVID.
— Virtual office holiday party ideas: Many virtual holiday office party ideas work just as well for virtual birthday parties. Toast your team, take a yoga class or a cooking class, or send the birthday person a cake or bottle of bubbly that arrives by the time of the virtual party.
— Virtual bar and bat mitzvah ideas: Drive-by celebrations and socially distant driveway or backyard gatherings are just some of the ways you can safely celebrate the young man or woman of the hour.
— How to host an online party: there are many types of virtual parties so you can celebrate safely, including game nights, movie watch parties, wine nights, etc. There are many platforms for getting people together, including Zoom, Google Hangouts, Group FaceTime, or Netflix Party.
Virtual birthday party invitations
Socially distanced and virtual parties can have cool and cute invitations, too! Plus, all of our virtual invitations let you include a Zoom link. Specify in your virtual party invitation that each guest should have a cupcake or treat and a candle on hand. That way, everyone can participate in singing to the lucky birthday guy or girl.
— Virtual party ideas for kids’ birthdays: Celebrate the birthday girl or birthday boy with a birthday car parade or a virtual party.
— Art while apart: Kids and adults will both love a virtual drawing, sculpting, or painting class with friends.
— A birthday toast: Send a link and specify a time that friends and loved ones can get online and toast to the birthday person.
— A virtual movie night: Netflix has a special feature just for this!
— For a drive-by birthday: There’s nothing like a festive car parade to let everyone know it’s someone’s special day.
Covid greeting cards
During this time of social distancing, many of us have been apart from loved ones, friends, and colleagues for quite a while. Send Covid greeting cards with heartfelt sentiment, and a little bit of humor, that let people know you’re thinking of them. Many of these social distancing greetings can also be used as birthday greetings, particularly if you haven’t seen the birthday person in a long time because of Covid.
16. Greetings from Quarantine. Customize this vintage postcard-inspired card with your own social distancing update. Perfect for your friends, family, your college roommates, or the parents of your kids’ classroom community.
17. Show them that you miss the old days of hanging with friends and loved ones in person, when birthday parties meant you could go out to dinner and dancing.
18. We are all in this together. Wish your loved ones well in this crazy time, and offer up a time to catch up over the phone.
19. Can’t wait to hug. Let your friend know that you hope they are healthy, and that you are sending your best to them and their family.
20. Here’s to strong drinks, and even stronger wifi. Suggest a virtual happy hour or birthday celebration—or just express gratitude for being able to connect in these weird times.
21. Let them know life is unbearable without them. Give them warm fuzzies by letting them know you’re thinking of them.
22. For the gram. Send a virtual telegram letting your fellow parents know you’re in it together—struggling with tutoring duties, parent duties, and regular life duties (like keeping the bar stocked).
23. Thinking of you (for 20 seconds or more). Send them and their family a punny note, letting them know you’re thinking of them, and washing your hands. 🙂
24. Good job staying inside. As a birthday greeting, give them a little pat on the back for being responsible, even if it means forgoing the usual birthday festivities.
25. We’re in this together. Let them know you’re only a phone call, text, or FaceTime away, and you can’t wait to see and celebrate them again.
26. Distancing makes the heart grow fonder. In the meantime, suggest connecting sometime soon! For a birthday greeting, suggest the anticipation for a belated celebration will continue to grow.
Whether the birthday person of honor is near or far, or in your quarantine pod, our online birthday cards and COVID greeting cards are perfect little reminders that you’re thinking of them and can’t wait to reconnect (hopefully in person and hopefully soon). Send any of these creative options and make plans to connect over the phone soon!