Birthday invitations: first birthdays, milestone years, and what to write
Birthday invitations look like the easiest thing to write, and then you sit down to write one and realise you do not know whether to put an end time, whether to mention gifts, or how to say that it is adults only without sounding cold.
This page covers the practical decisions, and the Indian milestone birthdays that are genuinely ceremonies rather than parties.
First birthdays
The first birthday carries real weight in most Indian families, and it is often a larger function than any birthday that follows. In many households it is combined with a ritual: an Annaprashan if the naming and first feeding have not already happened, a Mundan in families that hold the first haircut at one year, or a temple visit.
If your first birthday includes a ceremony, say so on the invitation and give it its own time. Guests who arrive at four for a party will feel out of place walking into a puja, and guests who wanted to be at the puja will be upset to have missed it.
- Keep it short. Two hours is plenty for a room with a one year old in it.
- State the time precisely, because naps decide everything.
- Say whether siblings and other children are invited. Parents will ask.
- If you would rather not have gifts, say so plainly.
Milestone birthdays that are ceremonies
In South Indian families particularly, certain birthdays are marked with a formal ceremony rather than a party, and the invitation should reflect that.
| Age | Name | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | Sashtiabdapoorthi or Shashtipoorthi | The completion of sixty years, a full cycle of the Hindu calendar. The couple is often remarried in a formal ceremony, with the same rituals as the original wedding. |
| 70 | Bhimaratha Shanti | Marked at seventy years and seven months in many traditions, with a puja for continued health. |
| 80 | Sadabhishekam | Held when the person has seen a thousand full moons, which falls at around eighty years and eight months. |
The practical questions
- End time. Put one on any children's party. Nobody minds and everybody is grateful.
- Adults only. Say it warmly and directly. Something like we are keeping this one to grown ups is enough.
- Food. Say whether it is a meal or snacks, so people know whether to eat first.
- Gifts. No gifts please works. So does asking for a book instead of a toy, or a contribution to something.
- A theme, if there is one, and whether guests are expected to dress for it.
Birthday invitation wording you can copy
Copy any of these and change the names, dates and places. They are written to be read out loud, so they sound right on a phone screen too.
Our little one turns one.
[Name]
[Day, Date] · [Time] to [Time]
[Venue]
Cake, chaos and a very short attention span.
No gifts please, just come.
Shree Ganeshaya Namah
[Name] completes one year.
Puja at [Time]
Lunch from [Time]
[Day, Date]
[Venue]
Your blessings would mean everything to us.
[Name] is turning [age]!
[Day, Date] · [Time] to [Time]
[Venue]
There will be cake, games and a great deal of noise.
Siblings welcome. Please let us know by [date].
Shree Ganeshaya Namah
On the auspicious occasion of the Sashtiabdapoorthi of
[Name] and [Name]
We request the honour of your presence.
[Day, Date] · Muhurat [Time]
[Venue]
Lunch will follow.
[Name] is turning [age] and would like to celebrate it properly.
[Day, Date] · [Time] onwards
[Venue]
Dinner and drinks. We are keeping this one to grown ups.
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Questions people actually ask
What should a first birthday invitation include?
The date, a precise start and end time, the venue, whether there is a ceremony as well as a party, whether other children are invited, and gift guidance if you have any.
What is Sashtiabdapoorthi?
The sixtieth birthday ceremony in South Indian tradition, marking the completion of a full sixty year cycle of the Hindu calendar. The couple is often ceremonially remarried, using the same rituals as their original wedding.
What is Sadabhishekam?
The ceremony held when a person has seen a thousand full moons, which falls at around eighty years and eight months. It is a formal puja with a muhurat, not an evening party.
How do I say adults only without being rude?
Say it plainly and warmly on the invitation. We are keeping this one to grown ups is clear and nobody takes offence. Leaving it unsaid is what causes the awkwardness.
Should I put an end time on a birthday invitation?
For a children's party, always. Parents plan around it and are grateful for it. For an adult party it is optional.