Short answer
A congratulations card holds four parts: the person's name, the event, one detail about it, and a wish. Three to five sentences fill most cards. Write and mail the card within two weeks of the news.
Parts of the message
- Salutation. "Dear Maya," or "Maya,"
- Opening. "Congratulations on the new job."
- Detail. "The Tucson clinic opens in March."
- Wish. "Best wishes for the first week."
- Sign-off. "Love," "Best," or "From," then your name.
Lines by occasion
Graduation
"Congratulations on the degree. Four years of late nights paid off." Name the school or the field of study. Graduation cards go out in May and June, when commencement dates fall.
Wedding
"Congratulations to you both." Name the partner. The Emily Post Institute covers wedding correspondence in its etiquette guides. Send the card to the address printed on the invitation. Gifts go to a gift address in many cases.
New baby
"Congratulations on the arrival of your son, Ellis." Use the given name. Address the message to the parents. Comments about lost sleep appear in most baby cards on the shelf.
New job or promotion
"Congratulations on the promotion to team lead." Name the title. Leave out questions about pay.
Retirement
"Congratulations on 32 years at the library." Name the number of years. Retirement cards often carry signatures from a whole department.
New house or move
"Congratulations on the house on Elm Street." Name the street if you know it.
Length and format
Card panels vary. A standard 5 by 7 inch card holds about 40 to 60 words in handwriting. Print the message if your handwriting runs large. Volume in this category is high: the Greeting Card Association counts about 6.5 billion greeting cards bought in the United States each year, and congratulations cards sit inside that total.
Common mistakes
- Wrong name. Check the spelling on the invitation or the birth announcement.
- Mixed messages. Do not pair a congratulations line with a condolence line.
- No event named. "Congratulations" alone leaves the reader guessing.
- Inside jokes in a card that family members will read.
- Late delivery. Two weeks is the common window for a note.
What to leave out
Skip advice. Skip comparisons to siblings or coworkers. Skip jokes about age at a graduation or a milestone birthday. If you do not know the person well, sign the card with your full name and skip the pet names.