Claret Tiled Happy Birthday Greeting Card

“Many happy returns” deserves a comeback.

This birthday card takes the slightly old-fashioned phrase and gives it a very good new outfit. Deep burgundy fills most of the card, meeting a chunky cream check at the bottom, with the tiny birthday message sitting neatly between the two.

It’s simple, beautifully unfussy and has just enough retro about it without looking like you’ve unearthed it from somebody’s stationery drawer in 1974. The dark red and cream palette is particularly good too — warm and rich without falling into obvious birthday-card colours.

There are no candles, balloons, presents or declarations about being fabulous at forty. Which makes it brilliantly useful for the people who are notoriously difficult to buy cards for. Friends, parents, partners, colleagues, men, women — basically anyone having a birthday who appreciates good design.

Many happy returns. Turns out Grandma was onto something.