Special birthday greetings

[Indiana Gardener]

Hi,

A Japanese friend whom I write (with the help of another very good friend) is having a very special birthday early this coming year. She is turning 88 years of age in Feb. and I'm getting a head start on this card.

I've read that the color red is special on special birthdays like 88. So I have chosen a photo of red quince flowers for the front of the card.

Did I add 米寿 (88th b.day) at the correct place in this greeting?
お米寿誕生日おめでとうございます。
健康で穏やかな日々が末永く続きますように！

And is there anything more special that I could / should say?
Thanks!

 

[diceke]

Just one example:
http://www.letter-g.com/example/celebrate13.html
拝啓
灯火親しむ候、ますます御清祥のこととお慶び申し上げ ます。
このたび先生には、めでたく米寿のお祝いをお迎えにな られますとのこと、心よりお祝い申し上げます。
日ごろより若々しくお健やかなお姿に、そのような御高 齢とは少しも存じ上げませんでした。いまだに壮者をし のぐご活躍で、悠々自適の毎日をお過ごしと伺い、まこ とにおめでたく存じます。どうぞ、今後とも変わらぬお 元気さで、私ども教え子に御教導賜り、いつまでも長寿 を保たれますよう心から念じております。
末筆ではございますが、御家庭の皆様にはよろしくお伝 えいただけますよう願います。お祝いの席には、必ず参 上させていただきますが、とりあえず書面にて、お祝い 申し上げます。
御自愛のほど、お祈り申し上げます。
敬具

 

[Indiana Gardener]

Thanks! That has it all; well wishes, congratulations, etc.

 

[Elizabeth]

Thanks! That has it all; well wishes, congratulations, etc.

Just don't say you're going to visit her if that isn't an event you're planning to mark the celebrations.

 

[Indiana Gardener]

I'm not fluent to have caught that was in there :-( I would like to visit, but I'm not that well off financially to do that.

 

[epigene]

お米寿誕生日おめでとうございます。

You can just say: 米寿おめでとうございます。
Or: 米寿のお祝い申し上げます。
Then, follow it with your: 健康で穏やかな日々が末永く続きますように！

HTH!

 

[Indiana Gardener]

Thanks, Epigene! That does help a lot and it makes sense to me too (based on what little I know), because it's closer to the original phrase before I goofed up.

米寿おめでとうございます。

The original was お誕生日おめでとうございます。

So 米寿 cancels out 誕生日 since 米寿 means "88th b.day". That I understand... at least I think I do

But I don't understand why the order of お changed from before the noun to after?
Thanks!