Family milestones guides

First birthdays, wedding anniversaries, graduations and the milestones families mark. There are 8 guides in this section, all free to read and copy from.

Every one is written for a specific moment rather than in general, so pick the closest fit and take the lines you need.

• First birthday party ideas
  A realistic plan for a first birthday party: timings around the nap, food that works, simple themes and honest UK costs.
• What to write in a first birthday card
  Messages for a first birthday card, including lines aimed at the parents and keepsake wording the child can read years later.
• Wedding anniversary years and gifts
  Every wedding anniversary year and its traditional gift, from paper at one to platinum at seventy, with practical UK gift ideas.
• Silver wedding anniversary ideas
  How to mark a 25th wedding anniversary: gift ideas, party options, card wording and realistic UK budgets.
• Ruby wedding anniversary ideas
  Ideas for a 40th wedding anniversary: ruby gifts, low-effort celebrations, card wording and honest UK costs.
• What to write in a graduation card
  Graduation card wording for every relationship, from short congratulations to funny lines and proud parent messages.
• Graduation gift ideas
  What to buy a graduate, split by budget, plus how much UK friends and family typically spend.
• Family milestones by age
  The milestones UK families mark, from a first birthday to a diamond wedding, and how much fuss each one usually gets.

Other guide topics

• Best of: cards and gifts
• What to write in a card
• Messages by recipient
• Sorry, etiquette and awkward moments
• How much to spend
• Jokes and humour
• Puns and wordplay
• Rhymes, poems and quotes
• Riddles and quizzes
• Games and activities
• Party planning
• Decorations and how-to
• Fancy dress and themes
• Celebrations
• Work and colleagues
• Speeches and toasts
• Cheering someone up
• Feel-good reading
• Christmas and seasonal
• Secret Santa
• Festivals and world celebrations
• Christenings and faith milestones
• Charity and fundraising
• Badges and pins
• Card design and how cards work

Back to all guides

Where to shop next

• All guides
• Card ideas
• Gift shop: anniversary cards, gifts and party games
• Browse all cards
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• Birthday badges & party pins
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Party bag ideas for adults
• How much helium do you need for balloons?
• Gifts to make someone smile
• Thinking of you gifts

Frequently asked questions

How many family milestones guides are there?

There are 8 in this section, and the full directory has 275 guides across 26 topics.

Are these free to use?

Yes. Copy any message, joke or checklist straight into a card or a party plan. You do not need to buy anything.