Birthday Wishes for a Son

From a parent

1. 1 Happy birthday. I am proud of you, and I should say it more often than once a year.
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2. 2 Happy birthday to the best thing we ever did.
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3. 3 Another year of watching you become someone I would want to know anyway. Happy birthday.
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4. 4 Happy birthday. You are kinder than I was at your age and I notice it constantly.
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5. 5 Have a brilliant day. You have earned a good one.
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To a young son

1. 6 Happy birthday to our favourite person in the whole house.
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2. 7 Seven! You are getting extremely tall and extremely funny.
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3. 8 Happy birthday. You make every day louder and better.
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4. 9 Happy birthday, big man. Have the best day.
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To a grown son

1. 10 Happy birthday. Watching you build your own life has been the best part of mine.
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2. 11 Happy birthday. You have turned out well and I take almost no credit for it.
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3. 12 Another year. Still ringing you too often and not apologising for it.
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4. 13 Happy birthday. Whatever you need, you know where we are.
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When he is far away

1. 14 Happy birthday. The house is quieter and worse without you in it.
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2. 15 Happy birthday from three thousand miles away. Ring when you can.
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3. 16 Thinking of you today and missing you. Happy birthday.
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From a mother

1. 17 Happy birthday to the boy who made me a mother. I have never got over it.
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2. 18 You were the loudest baby on the ward and you have not changed. Happy birthday.
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3. 19 Happy birthday. I am proud of you every day and today I am allowed to say so in writing.
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From a father

1. 20 Happy birthday. I am proud of you. That is the whole card.
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2. 21 Happy birthday, son. You are better at this than I was and that is exactly how it should be.
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3. 22 Have a good one. Beer is on me when you are next back.
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Funny

1. 23 Happy birthday. You are now old enough to fix your own car and I am delighted about it.
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2. 24 Happy birthday to the reason we do not have nice things.
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3. 25 Another year. Still not doing your washing.
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If it has been a hard year for him

1. 26 Happy birthday. This year was rough and you got through it. That is worth marking.
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2. 27 Hoping this year is kinder to you. I am here for all of it either way.
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3. 28 Happy birthday. No pressure to enjoy it. Just know we are thinking of you.
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To a son-in-law or a stepson

1. 29 Happy birthday. We did not raise you and we are very glad we got you anyway.
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2. 30 Happy birthday. You have been family for years; the paperwork just caught up.
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3. 31 Happy birthday to the best thing that happened to our daughter.
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By age

What a son wants to read changes enormously between eight and thirty-eight.

1. 32 Young child: about him — what he is good at, what made you laugh this year.
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2. 33 Teenager: treat him as older than he is. It is the only thing that age wants.
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3. 34 Twenties: no advice, no questions about jobs or plans, one plain line of pride.
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4. 35 Thirties and beyond: about who he has become and what you admire, not about who he was.
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5. 36 At every age: say the sincere thing once, without a joke attached to soften it.
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From a stepparent

1. 37 Happy birthday. I did not raise you and I am glad I got you anyway.
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2. 38 Happy birthday. I am not trying to be anyone else. I am just here and on your side.
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3. 39 Happy birthday. Very glad you are part of my life.
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If the relationship is strained

1. 40 Happy birthday. Thinking of you today.
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2. 41 Happy birthday. The door is open, whenever.
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3. 42 Happy birthday. I hope this year is a good one for you.
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4. 43 Happy birthday. However things are, I am still your father and I still care how you are.
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For a son who is now a father himself

1. 44 Happy birthday. Watching you with your own children has been the best thing about this decade.
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2. 45 Happy birthday. You are a better father than I was and that is exactly what I hoped for.
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3. 46 Happy birthday. I understand you a great deal better since the grandchildren arrived.
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Short lines

1. 47 Happy birthday, son.
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2. 48 Proud of you. Happy birthday.
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3. 49 Best thing we ever did. Happy birthday.
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4. 50 Happy birthday. Beer is on me.
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Questions people actually ask