40th Birthday Wishes

Forty is fabulous, whatever the jokes say. These messages celebrate the wisdom, the confidence and the excellent reading glasses that come with it.

25 messages · free to copy

  1. 01

    Happy 40th! You're not over the hill, you're just at the top enjoying the view.

  2. 02

    Forty and fabulous. Happy birthday!

  3. 03

    Happy 40th birthday! You've never looked better or laughed louder.

  4. 04

    Welcome to 40, where you finally stop caring what anyone thinks. Enjoy it!

  5. 05

    Happy 40th! May this decade be full of adventure and very comfortable shoes.

  6. 06

    Happy 40th birthday! Forty years of being wonderful is quite an achievement.

  7. 07

    Life begins at 40, and yours is looking pretty great. Happy birthday!

  8. 08

    Happy 40th! Wiser, bolder and still the most fun person in the room.

  9. 09

    Happy 40th birthday! Here's to the next forty, at least.

  10. 10

    Forty candles and a fire extinguisher, just in case. Happy birthday!

  11. 11

    Happy 40th! Your forties are going to be your finest years yet.

  12. 12

    Happy 40th birthday! Age is just a number, and yours is very impressive.

  13. 13

    Happy 40th! May your coffee be strong and your back stay cooperative.

  14. 14

    Cheers to 40 years of laughter, love and learning. Happy birthday!

  15. 15

    Happy 40th birthday! You make forty look effortless.

  16. 16

    Happy 40th! The best things in life get better with time, and so do you.

  17. 17

    Happy 40th birthday! Here's to confidence, calm and a lot more fun.

  18. 18

    Forty is the new thirty, with better taste and better stories. Happy birthday!

  19. 19

    Happy 40th! I'm so lucky to have shared so many of these years with you.

  20. 20

    Happy 40th birthday! May this be the decade you do everything you've been putting off.

  21. 21

    Happy 40th! You're aging like a fine wine, or at least a very good cheese.

  22. 22

    Happy 40th birthday! Thank you for four decades of being you.

  23. 23

    Happy 40th! Grab your reading glasses, this card is full of love.

  24. 24

    Happy 40th birthday! Forty looks amazing on you.

  25. 25

    Happy 40th! The view from here is wonderful, and it's only getting better.

How to write 40th birthday wishes

By forty, most people have stopped pretending and started enjoying themselves. That's the energy to bring to a 40th birthday card: celebrate who they've become, not just how many years have passed. A little teasing about reading glasses or early bedtimes is welcome, as long as the card ends with genuine warmth.

Partners can look back at the life you've built together, the kids, homes or adventures along the way. Friends can bring up the old days and promise more ahead. For a coworker or boss, keep it upbeat and avoid "over the hill" jokes; celebrate their experience instead.

Questions people ask

What do you write in a 40th birthday card?
Congratulate them on the milestone, add a friendly joke if it suits them, and say something sincere about the person they've become and the decade ahead.
What's a funny 40th birthday wish?
"Happy 40th! You're not over the hill, you're just at the top enjoying the view." Friendly beats savage.
What should I write for my husband's 40th birthday?
Look back at a favorite memory together, tell him he's even better at forty, and mention something you're looking forward to in the years ahead.

Send it as a card they'll actually open

Bun holds their name on a little sign, your message types itself in, and a soft tune plays. Free to make.

Make a birthday card

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