The History of Funny Birthday Cards... We Think

Written by Chris Weightman on 2nd April 2025.

Let’s rewind a bit... Long before you were laughing at a birthday card that said “You're old enough to remember VHS… and erectile dysfunction”, people were actually sending cards to each other with no jokes at all.

The earliest birthday cards go back centuries. Think scrolls, letters, and maybe the odd passive-aggressive smoke signal. But they were all painfully serious. No swearing. No sarcasm. Just long-winded messages about “good health” and “blessings” or other boring rubbish.

Then came the Victorians... They were trying to be funny. Kind of. Their idea of humour was a dancing cat in a bonnet or a pun so polite it barely registered. It was… sweet, we guess. But no one's belly-laughing at “Wishing you a purr-fect birthday” in 1856.

Enter the 20th century and finally people started to realise that birthdays were the perfect time to roast your mates. Humour crept into cards thanks to the golden age of print and, let’s be honest, the universal joy of watching your friends squirm while reading something mildly offensive in front of their nan.

By the 1980s, funny cards were everywhere. They were filled with pop culture references, crude jokes, and stupid innuendo. Big brands started churning them out. But here's the catch: they also started charging you a small fortune for what was essentially a bit of paper with a fart joke on it.

At Wickedly Funny, we honour the sacred tradition of roasting your best friend on their birthday. We just do it better... funnier, ruder, cheaper. Because while history gave us the blueprint, we’re here to give it the middle finger and make it modern.

So the next time you buy one of our cards, just know: you’re taking part in a rich, slightly unhinged legacy... and making history. With fart jokes.

Looking for cheap Moonpig cards, discount Funky Pigeon cards, or just a good laugh?

Check out our store here.