Invitations for the birthday party

Every year in Britain, millions of birthday parties are organised — from a quiet tea to a soft-play centre for little ones, all the way to fortieths and fiftieths held in style at a restaurant. A birthday is one of the most common reasons to gather, and the online invitation has become, for many people, the standard way to let guests know — especially for the milestone years.

The format depends on age. Children of four to ten: a soft-play centre, the cinema, or a party at home with an entertainer. Teenagers: bowling, an escape room, a pizza night with friends. Thirties and forties: a restaurant or a barbecue in the garden, 15 to 40 guests. Fiftieths and other milestones: often a hall, 40 to 80 people, sometimes a DJ. In our experience, adults invited to a milestone birthday want to know whether there is a dress code and whether everyone is chipping in on a joint gift — so it is worth saying so in the invitation.

A good invitation carries the name of the birthday boy or girl, the age if it is a milestone, the date, the time, the venue, an outline of the day, the dress code and an RSVP form. Some add their preferences on gifts ('no presents, please' or 'a whip-round for something specific'). For children, give the pick-up time, any allergies guests should know about for the catering, and the contact for the organising parent. An invitation with a photo of the birthday person in the header always goes down well for the milestone years.

The digital format is practical: children receive the link via their parents on the class WhatsApp group, adults by Messenger or an Instagram DM. Replies count themselves, and a Google map guides everyone to the venue. A shared Spotify playlist is a nice touch, especially for the milestone birthdays with a DJ.