More than “Happy Birthday”

A birthday greeting is a line of text; a scratch card makes it something the person does. The card works for the wish alone, but it is at its best when what is under the foil is news: what the present is, where dinner is, where in the house they should go and look.

Making the card

1. Start from “Birthday”: glitter foil in a circle, bunting and balloons printed on the card, playful lettering, and balloons rising across the screen when it is revealed.
2. Type the message, or tap one of the ideas under the box. Put their age in if they would enjoy that — “Happy 30th Birthday!”.
3. Pick their favourite colour; the foil, the balloons and the lettering follow it.
4. Sign it with your name.

Arriving at midnight

The lock is made for birthdays. Set it to 12:00 a.m. on the day and send the link the evening before: the card opens to a countdown, and the foil only scratches once the day has begun. It goes by the clock on their phone, so it is midnight where they are, wherever you are. The “Remind me” button on the locked card saves a calendar entry for the moment.

A present in parts

A link can hold up to five cards, scratched in order — which turns a present into a small game:

• Card 1: “Pack a bag.”
• Card 2: “Bring your passport.”
• Card 3: “We're going to Sri Lanka!”

Each card has its own heading, message and emoji. Only the last one sets off the balloons.

From all of you

For a card from a group — the office, the class, the cousins — put the group's name where yours would go, and use the longer note for everyone's names or a message from all of you. It holds up to 600 characters.

At the party

If the present is too big to wrap, or is not a thing at all, reveal it in front of everyone: open the link on your own phone, tap “Party mode” and hand it to the birthday person, or use the countdown button and let the whole room watch on the television.