Skip to main content
birthday.video

Free · made on your device

Happy birthday, Grandma: wishes and a video for her TV

Lines the grandchildren can put their names to, then a video of their faces, photos from her life and a tune she can hum along to, big enough to enjoy from her armchair.

Free · no sign-up · no watermark

Ready-made GIFs to send

Download one as it is, or press Add their name to open it in the editor and make it theirs.

A birthday video for Grandma is about faces: grandchildren saying happy birthday, photos from her life and a familiar tune, shown large enough to enjoy from her armchair. Choose a wish below, type what the family calls her in Name, add the clips and photos, and export an Video (MP4) to play on her television or tablet.

This page opens the editor on the family templates in Landscape 16:9, which fills a television. For a big number, see the 80th and 90th birthday pages; the granddaughter and grandson pages work the other way round.

The editor runs in your browser, so the family photos stay on your device and the video has no watermark.

Start from one of these

Happy birthday wishes for Grandma

Short lines read best on a television. Paste one into Message, and change “Grandma” to Nan, Nana, Granny or whatever she is called.

  • Happy birthday, Grandma. You make every visit feel like coming home.

  • To the best cook, the best hugger and the best listener: happy birthday.

  • We love you to bits, Nan. Happy birthday from all your grandchildren.

  • Thank you for the stories, the biscuits and all the love.

  • Happy birthday to the heart of our family.

  • Grandma, you taught us that there is always room for one more at the table.

  • Another year of you being wonderful. Happy birthday, Granny.

  • Wishing you a day full of tea, cake and phone calls from everyone who loves you.

  • Happy birthday to the only person allowed to call us by our full names.

  • You’re the reason Sundays are the best day of the week.

  • Happy birthday, Nana. The garden, the jokes and the cuddles are all thanks to you.

  • From the smallest grandchild to the tallest: happy birthday, we love you.

  • Thank you for knitting this family together.

  • Happy birthday, Grandma. Put your feet up today; we’ll do the washing-up.

How to make a birthday video for your grandma

  1. Choose a family template

    Press Make a video for Grandma. The editor opens in Landscape for the TV; pick a card from Templates.

  2. Call her what the family calls her

    Type Grandma, Nan, Granny, Nana or her name in Name, and a short Message from everyone.

  3. Add the grandchildren

    Press Add photos and clips and add a short clip from each grandchild, then a few photos from her life.

  4. Add a tune

    Press Add music and choose one of the Happy Birthday arrangements, or a song file from her wedding or her youth.

  5. Export and play it for her

    Press Export video and Download video, then play it on her TV or send it to whoever will be with her on the day.

Making it easy for her to watch

Older eyes and ears appreciate a video that takes its time. A few choices make a big difference:

  • Big screen. Landscape 16:9 fills a television or a tablet held sideways, so faces are life-sized.
  • Short words. Keep each line on the card brief, so it can be read before it moves on.
  • Clear voices. Ask the grandchildren to film somewhere quiet and speak towards the phone.
  • No hurry. Fewer photos, each on screen longer, are easier to enjoy than a fast run of pictures.

Not every grandmother has a smartphone. Play the file on her television from a laptop with an HDMI cable or from a USB stick if her TV plays MP4 files, bring a tablet to the birthday tea, or send it to whoever lives with her or visits on the day.

Photos from her life

Grandma’s own story is part of the gift: her wedding day, the house she grew up in, her children when they were small. Photograph old prints flat, in daylight and without flash. A photo of her at the same age as one of the grandchildren, side by side, often starts a conversation that lasts all afternoon.

Grandchildren far away

Clips from grandchildren abroad are often the part she loves most. Ask each family to film a short clip, phone held sideways, and send it to you; you add them all with Add photos and clips. If someone can’t send a clip, a photo of them holding a handmade “Happy birthday Nan” sign works just as well.

Happy birthday, Grandpa

The same family templates suit Grandpa or Grandad, in Landscape for his television. The happy birthday Grandpa page has his own wishes and ideas for the photos only he seems to have.

Birthday videos for Grandma and Grandpa: questions

What should I put in a birthday video for my grandma?

Clips of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren, photos from her life, a tune she knows and a simple message from the whole family.

Which format is best for a grandparent?

Landscape 16:9 for a television or a tablet held sideways. Choose Square 1:1 or Story 9:16 under Format if she will watch on her phone.

Can the video say Nan or Granny?

Yes. Type whatever the family calls her in Name; every word on the template can be changed.

How do I play the video on her TV?

Use Download video to save the MP4, then play it from a laptop connected to the television, a USB stick, or by casting from your phone.

Can cousins in other countries take part?

Yes. Ask them to send you their clips, then add them with Add photos and clips. One person puts the video together; there is no shared upload link.

Can I make one for Grandpa too?

Yes. The same templates work; type his name in Name. There are lines for grandads in the section above.

Is it free?

Yes. No account, no watermark and nothing to install.