Be honest. When your own birthday rolls around, does a preformatted digital card in your inbox actually make you feel special? Didn’t think so. This year, do your friends, family, and coworkers one better by delivering a personalized birthday video instead.
Birthday videos are a unique and memorable way to make anyone in your life feel special. And best of all, making a birthday video is surprisingly easy.
To jump-start your creativity, we rounded up 22 of the best birthday video ideas, plus a ton of templates to get you started.
Pro tip: Make a birthday video the easy way with Biteable, the world’s simplest video maker.
Use Biteable’s record feature to easily request video clips from family and friends and compile them into an awe-inspiring birthday video in minutes. Need a b-day video for the office? Select a workplace-ready video template to make a slick, professional b-day shoutout in no time.
Create videos that drive action
Activate your audience with impactful, on-brand videos. Create them simply and collaboratively with Biteable.
Tips for making a highly watchable birthday video
Before we dive into the birthday video ideas, let’s talk for a minute about what makes a great video in the first place. After all, you want the recipient to enjoy watching your video as much as you enjoyed making it.
Follow these simple tips for birthday video magic.
Rely on family and friends:
Ask friends and loved ones to comb their camera rolls for photos and video clips. Or better yet: send them a Record request with Biteable. Using a simple link, they can record a new video message for the bday superstar. The message automatically uploads to your Biteable account so you can easily add it to your bday video.
Start with a template:
If your creativity is stuck, start with a birthday video template. You can edit the template as much or as little as you like using Biteable’s intuitive, easy-to-use editing tools.
Don’t worry if you only have static pictures:
Turn your images into a video with simple effects, transitions, and animated text.
Remember the music:
A spot-on soundtrack turns a ho hum video into a birthday masterpiece.
Personalize, personalize, personalize:
A successful birthday video speaks to the recipient’s unique personality. Think about colors, font styles, and animation themes when you design yours.
Birthday video ideas for the office
We’ll start at the office since, let’s face it, staff and coworkers are some of the hardest people to gift. (How well do you really know Rick from accounting?) Birthday video ideas for the office are tough to come by, but we’ve got you covered.
It’s okay to be short and sweet for an office birthday video, especially if you have a big staff. Save time with a video template, but personalize the template for each birthday by adding new music, pictures, and animations. That way, staff won’t think you’re just dialing it in.
1. Animation nation
Gathering pictures and video clips for every office birthday isn’t realistic. But a thoughtful, personalized animation is easy. Use the opportunity to tell the recipient why they are such an amazing team member. Or, make it even more special with a tasteful anecdote.
“Remember that time you dressed up as a burrito for Halloween? Jim, you make office life fun.”
Fit the animation style to match your office culture, or the personality of the recipient, and you have yourself a winner.
2. Pass the prop
This is a fun birthday video idea for a smaller office or an individual team.
Find a wacky prop, like a stuffed artichoke or an outrageous wig. Have each person snap a five-second video of themselves, with prop, giving a happy birthday greeting. Do it at their desks or around town during their lunch break and viola! You have yourself a thoughtful birthday video and a team-building exercise all in one.
3. Go in for the team
If you work in HR or as the leader of a large team, it isn’t always feasible to knock out a birthday video for every staff member. Instead, group birthdays together and send out a monthly video card.
Make sure to change the skin tone and hair color to fit each staff member, and further personalize it with a one-liner about the birthday boy or girl. These small details let recipients know you put thought into their birthday greeting.
Classic birthday video ideas
These birthday video ideas are classics for a reason. They are simple, but they work well for just about anyone in your life.
4. Share a favorite memory
Sharing a favorite memory is a great way to make a person feel appreciated on their birthday. It shows that you value your relationship and took the time to put thought into your birthday video greeting.
Ask friends and loved ones to film themselves sharing a memory or anecdote. Using Biteable’s suite of tools, trim off any video footage you don’t need then compile it all into a sure-to-please masterpiece.
5. Video gift reveal
Remember that time your parents got you a trip to Disneyland for your birthday? Okay, maybe not. But if they did, chances are you were both excited and (at least in the moment) a little disappointed.
People love experience-based gifts, but there is also something gratifying about opening a tangible object. A video gift reveal bridges this gap. Add stock footage to give the recipient a sensory experience and pump them up about the fun ahead.
(Biteable has over 24 million stock clips, images, and animations. No matter what birthday gift you’re revealing, you’re guaranteed to find something that fits to a tee.)
Create videos that drive action
Activate your audience with impactful, on-brand videos. Create them simply and collaboratively with Biteable.
6. Take your gift on a journey
This one is similar to the “pass the prop” video idea, except now your birthday gift hits the road.
Shoot footage of your wrapped gift in creative locations. These could be wacky places, like riding in the toddler seat of your grocery cart, or places with sentimental value. At the end of the video, feature a shot of your birthday gift on the recipient’s front door. Good times to be had.
7. Happy birthday sing along
Just like the “share a memory” video, ask friends and loved ones to record themselves singing the birthday song. Take the best cuts from each and compile them all into one epic birthday song mashup.
Bonus points if anyone dances. Or sings in an operatic voice (you know at least one person will try it).
Video ideas for milestone birthdays
Milestone birthdays warrant a special touch. If the recipient is the sentimental type, one of these video ideas is sure to do the trick.
8. A trip down memory lane
Dig deep into your photo archives and make a birthday video slideshow that spans the years. Go chronologically or group pictures by theme.
The key to success here is all in the details. Think a killer soundtrack and witty captions. Take it one step further with movement effects that turn your static images into instant videos.
9. Birthday wishes video montage
This is similar to the “share a favorite memory” video, but with a milestone birthday spin. Send a Biteable Record request asking folks to share a birthday wish for the year (or decade) to come.
Coming-of-age birthdays are a great fit for the birthday wishes montage. But whether it’s 18, 40, or 80, you’re guaranteed to draw out a few tears with this one.
10. Birthday quotes compilation
Why think of something new to say when the brightest minds have already said it better?
Pass the proverbial mic to the poets of the world and compile a series of heartfelt quotes about friendship, aging gracefully, seizing the moment, or living life to the fullest. Pull it all together with animated text effects, a soundtrack, and maybe even stock footage in the background.
11. Life story video
If the family matriarch turns 90 years young this year, she probably doesn’t need much in the way of gifts. But the gift of sharing her story with the next generation is priceless.
Gather together pictures or video clips from the key moments in her life, then turn it into a story with short-but-sweet text overlays. Make the gift extra special by showing it to her in the presence of her grandchildren. Trust us, it will make her whole year.
Ideas for funny birthday videos
Not every birthday girl or guy is the sentimental type. Sometimes, offbeat is the way to go. In this case, try one of these funny birthday video ideas on for size.
12. Surprise party reveal
Look behind you…
If your party guests can manage to stay quiet, this one is a surefire hit. Start off the video with a clip of yourself standing in the party room. Open with a standard birthday greeting, then show a pre-recorded clip of the party guests jumping out from their hiding spots. A beat later, hit them with the real thing.
Mini-heart attack? Maybe. Memorable? Definitely.
13. Favorite song dance along
This idea takes the classic happy birthday singalong to a whole new level of awesome.
It’s simple: grab a track of the recipient’s favorite song and dance, dance, dance. Ask friends and family to film themselves dancing solo or in a group. Lip sync, sing along, do the moonwalk, strut your stuff. Any way you slice it, this video is fun.
14. How well do you know the birthday boy?
Okay, so we repurposed this from a classic wedding shower game. But why not?
Choose four or five friends who know the birthday boy or girl really well. Give them each a set of obscure questions about the recipient. (When in doubt, pick mom or dad’s brains for early childhood facts.)
Ask each participant to record themselves answering the questions. Sometimes, they’ll get it right. But when they get it wrong, it is often hilariously so. Compile the best answers (some wrong, some right) into a birthday quiz show that will have the recipient rolling with laughter.
Pro tip: Using Biteable’s Record feature, you can send multiple prompts in one request. Each prompt will be recorded as a separate video clip for easy compilation and editing.
15. Random person birthday greeting
This birthday video idea is a little out there, but totally hilarious. Instead of sharing a birthday greeting from a loved one, why not share a greeting from a random guy standing outside the supermarket? It’s so bizarre, it just might be awesome.
16. The joke’s on you
Everyone appreciates a good over-the-hill joke now and again. Take that joke off the page and turn it into a video card instead. Just like the “birthday quotes” idea, build this out with text effects and lively backgrounds.
Birthday videos for that special someone
Whether it’s your significant other, your BFF, or your favorite sister, some people in your life are so special they deserve a little extra somethin’-somethin’ for their birthday video. These birthday video ideas take a little more time to pull off. But your effort will be well worth it.
17. Remember when?
Think through the major moments in your relationship, then rustle up pictures and videos to match. If your special someone has a good sense of humor, don’t be afraid to include a few embarrassing throwbacks like your first junior high school dance or a picture from “the year of the mullet.”
Add animated captions and a soundtrack that depicts your relationship. Press play and enjoy.
18. Man-on-the-street
If your special someone’s family and friends are close at hand, why not pull off a man-on-the-street style birthday video? Film yourself interviewing each person with questions like: What do you appreciate most about Johnny? or What is your first memory of the two of you together?
This works long-distance as well. Jump onto a video call or have them do their own videos, answering each question after they read that question aloud. Tastefully crop each clip into a video montage worthy of the best Tonight Show host.
19. Year in review
You were there for all the highs and lows, but let’s focus on the highs for this one. It’s a celebration, after all.
Start by brainstorming the milestones of the past year. This includes moments unique to the recipient as well as the ones you shared. It doesn’t have to be anything major like college graduation or an early retirement. Think about all of those little moments that make up a good life, like attending a baseball game together or the release of a new album you both loved.
No worries if you don’t have pictures to fit each moment. Draw heavily on stock video footage if you have to. The sentiment will still ring true.
20. On location birthday greeting
A birthday greeting is nice. But a birthday greeting on location is twice as memorable. This video borrows from idea #6 (take your birthday gift on a journey). But instead of a wrapped present, you are the gift.
Don’t forget the birthday invite video
Celebrating in person this year? Rally the troops by making a birthday invitation video.
21. Birthday invitation videos for kids
Raise your hand if your child ever lost a paper invitation in the depths of their backpack, only to unearth it mere minutes before the birthday party is set to start.
Don’t be that mom. Send an invite video straight to the grownups’ inboxes instead.
22. Birthday invitation videos for all ages
Static digital invitations are, well, static. Go big and go bold with a birthday video invite as lively as your party. Keep it simple with text and animated graphics, or personalize it with pictures and video footage depicting all the fun to be had.
Send your birthday video into the world
Now that your head is full of birthday video ideas, it’s time to focus on delivery. This step deserves nearly as much thought as the video itself.
Your video delivery method is like the wrapping paper on your present. A sloppy wrap job shows a lack of effort. The same is true here.
Think through the context of your relationship with the recipient, as well as how that person usually consumes their information. Is he or she a social media junkie? Do the two of you Whatsapp back and forth constantly? Or is the recipient special enough that only an in-person video reveal will do.
Also, does the video include anything personal or embarrassing that is best kept between friends? In that case, social media probably isn’t the way to go.
Here are the most popular options for sending out birthday videos:
Embed it in an email: This is a top choice for office birthday videos (although Slack works, too). Do it right by embedding the video in your email. Just sending a naked link looks sloppy, so definitely take this extra step.
Immortalize it on social media: Email trains come and go, but a Facebook post lasts forever. Easily match your video to the specs of any social platform with Biteable’s video resizer tool.
Turn it into a story: If you live your life on Instagram Stories, this is a fun option as well. Break your video up into bite-sized bits that slowly reveal themselves like layers of wrapping paper.
- Make your video the center of the party: Sometimes an epic birthday video warrants an epic reveal. An in-person reveal during the party works especially well if this birthday is a milestone.
A video made with Biteable is icing on the cake
Take your birthday video idea from so-so to amazing with the Biteable video maker. Begin with one of hundreds of brandable templates and video scenes or start from scratch and let your creativity soar.
With 24 million stock clips, images, and animations to choose from, one thing is for sure: your Biteable-made birthday video will be the icing on the cake.