Det korte svaret
A good greeting to the confirmand consists of three parts: a congratulation, one sentence about this person, and a wish for the road ahead. The middle sentence is the whole point – it’s what separates a personal confirmation card from one that could just as well have been written to anyone.
You don’t need to write much. Three sentences that ring true beat ten sentences taken from a template.
6 korte og varme hilsener
Use these when you don’t know the confirmand well, or when the card is small and space is tight.
- 1
Congratulations on your confirmation! Hope you have a day you’ll remember for a long time.
- 2
Big congratulations on your day. So proud of you – and so great to see who you’ve become.
- 3
Congratulations on your confirmation! Enjoy the day, and everything that comes after.
- 4
Heartfelt congratulations on your confirmation day. Enjoy every minute of it.
- 5
Happy birthday! Hope it’s just as lovely as you imagined.
- 6
Congratulations on your confirmation. You deserve a proper celebration day.
6 personlige hilsener til konfirmanten
These fit when you are close – as a parent, godparent, grandparent or aunt. Swap out the details for something that has actually happened between you, and they become much stronger.
- 1
I still remember when you were little enough to sleep on my shoulder. Now you’re standing there all dressed up and almost grown up. Congratulations on your confirmation – I love you so much.
- 2
Happy birthday! You have a way about you that cheers up those around you. Don’t lose it.
- 3
Today we mark that you’re on your way to adulthood. Take your time on that path – no one’s timing you. Congratulations.
- 4
There’s something special about watching someone you love grow up. Congratulations on your confirmation, and thank you for all the years that have led here.
- 5
Congratulations on your confirmation! Whatever you choose to become, I hope it’s something you look forward to on Mondays.
- 6
You’ve become a fine person. That’s not given, and it’s not by chance. Congratulations on your day.
3 morsomme hilsener
Humour works well in confirmation cards, but only if it comes in addition to something warm – not instead of it.
- 1
Congratulations on your confirmation! Now you’re old enough to do the washing up without being asked. Just so you know.
- 2
Congratulations on your day! From now on, “I forgot” unfortunately won’t count as an excuse anymore.
- 3
Congratulations! You’re officially too old for the children’s menu and too young to pay tax. Enjoy the window.
3 høytidelige hilsener
For church confirmation, or when you want a more serious tone.
- 1
May you always have someone to turn to, something to look forward to, and the belief that things will work out. Congratulations on your confirmation.
- 2
On this day we wish you all the best for the road ahead – with security at your back and curiosity in your eyes.
- 3
God bless you and the path you will walk. Congratulations on your confirmation day.
Slik gjør du hilsenen personlig
The templates above get you started, but it’s the details that make the card treasured. Four things that work:
- Mention one specific memory. “I’ll never forget when you insisted on carrying my bag all the way up” beats “you’ve always been helpful”.
- Say something about who they are, not just what they do. Character lasts longer than achievements.
- Write about the future without giving advice. Confirmands receive a lot of advice on this day. A wish resonates better than a reprimand.
- Write to them about ten years from now. Confirmation cards often stay in drawers for a long time. Write something nice to find again.
This is what you should avoid
- Kommentarer om utseende eller kropp – heller ikke som kompliment.
- “Now the seriousness begins” and other variants that childhood is over.
- Jokes about money in the gift, especially if you’re giving money.
- Writing the same to all the confirmands in the family. They compare.
Hva gir man i konfirmasjonsgave?
Money and gift cards dominate, and there’s a reason for that: fourteen-year-olds have specific wishes and changing interests. The confirmation gift that hits the mark is usually the one that lets the confirmand decide for themselves.
The downside is that an envelope with money feels impersonal. The solution isn’t to give something else, but to put more effort into the greeting – or to send a Send a gift card where the card and the amount are connected instead of lying loose in the same envelope.
If you’re wondering how much to give, the usual amounts – depending on how close you are to the confirmand – are listed in how much to give for a confirmation gift. And if you want a poem in the card instead of prose, there are 14 originals in poems for the confirmand.