What to write on the card of a flower bouquet

The card is the only part of the delivery that can be kept for years. And it is what almost everyone fills in on the last field of checkout, in a hurry, with a stock phrase.

Four rules

1. Short. Two or three lines. The card is physical and small: a long text arrives cramped and illegible.
2. Specific. This is what changes the result the most. "Thanks for everything" is a formula; "thanks for coming over on Tuesday at eleven at night" is a message.
3. Sign clearly. If there is any chance of confusion, use your first and last name or the team's name. A card without a clear signature creates awkward situations.
4. Write it yourself. An imperfect line of your own is worth more than a perfect copied phrase.

Examples by occasion

Birthday

• "Happy birthday. May this year look a lot like you."
• "One more year of putting up with me. Thank you for that."
• "Happy birthday. I owe you a coffee, and this time it's on me."

Anniversary

• "Five years. I would choose it all again."
• "For everything that happened this year, and for what's coming."

Thank you

• "Thanks for Thursday. I don't know what we would have done."
• "This isn't nearly enough, but it's what I have at hand. Thank you."

Get well

• "Get better, no rush. We're here."
• "A little color for that room. A big hug."

New baby

• "Welcome, Lucía. A hug to all three of you."
• "For the mom, who did all the work."

Apology

• "Sorry about yesterday. I was wrong."
• "I'm not trying to close the subject. I just wanted you to know that I know."

We go deeper in what flowers to send to say sorry.

What to avoid

• Phrases copied word for word from the internet. It shows.
• Jokes about age on a card the person is going to keep.
• Texts that demand a reply, especially if the person is going through a hard time.
• Emojis. They don't work on paper.
• Sending it unsigned out of shyness, if you expect the person to know who you are. If it is on purpose, that is something else: it is covered in sending flowers anonymously.

If nothing comes to mind

Write what made you think of that person today. Literally that: "I walked past the bar on Costa Rica Street and thought of you." It is not an elegant dedication, and it is exactly what gets remembered.