For an 80th birthday

Their oldest friends have stories nobody else has.

Grandchildren, children and the friends they've had since school each record a message for their 80th. They'll hear voices they haven't heard in years.

Start collecting, free See it working

Gathering is free. You won't need a card.

Hear it
Their voice plays from the page.
Read it
Every message is written out on its page.
Hold it
We deliver the printed book to your door.

The world gets better when people hear the good things we say about them.

We are enabling over 1 million people to say it. Share the stories, love and gratitude. Your voice is what makes the world's greatest gift.

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Watch it

Here's how Dad's 80th birthday book was made.

9:41
An older man and his grown-up son looking at a photo album at a wooden table
How it works

Bring everyone's stories together with one link!

Start the book

Tell us who it's for

Put in their name and send the link to the grandchildren first. They'll get it to the old friends.

Share one link

Everyone adds their story

Friends and family can capture a memory by voice, video, writing or photos, wherever they are in the world. It's easy on any phone and nobody needs an account!

We put it together

Hear it, read it, hold it

We write out every voice note and gather it all into a podcast you can play and a beautiful book you can hold.

The three questions for an 80th

  1. What's a day with them you remember from when you were young?
  2. What did they show you how to do?
  3. What would you like to say to them for their 80th?
Who's in an 80th book

Anyone can write their message instead of speaking it!

Older friends who'd rather not use a phone can write a few lines, and you type them in as their message.

1

The grandchildren

The older grandchildren can film a video, and the small great-grandchildren can sing.

2

The club and the neighbours

The Men's Shed, the bowls club and the neighbours each know a different side of them.

3

Old photos

Ask the old friends for a photo from school. The class photo from 1952 goes on the page with their message.

What people say

What to say in an 80th birthday message

Name one person or place from back then, and talk to them as you would on a visit.

"Dad, it's Cáit. You worked nights in the hospital for thirty years so the five of us could go to college. Happy eightieth."
CCáithis daughter
"Mick, it's Flannán from across the road. You helped me put the roof on the shed in 1987. Happy birthday."
FFlannánhis neighbour
"Grandad, it's Eunan. You taught me to tie a fishing fly at your kitchen table when I was eight. I'm bringing the kids out to the lake this summer."
EEunanhis grandson
"Mick, it's Cronan from the bowls. You've been our captain since 2009. Happy birthday from all of us."
CCronanhis friend from the bowls club
When to start

Close it three weeks before the 80th

The printed book takes about three weeks to arrive. Leave an extra week before that for the older friends. The podcast link and the book online are ready the day you order.

In their words
A Christmas gift
We gave a book of stories about Mam to her for Christmas and she said it was the best gift she had received. There were some stories she had never heard! She felt really surrounded by love.
K
Kathleen's family
gave her the book at Christmas
What it costs

Gathering the voices is free. You only pay when the book is ready.

The gathering
Free
Send one link and collect the voices.
  • Every voice and every photo
  • Download every recording
  • Start as many books as you like
Start free
The voices
$45
Voice editing, and a personal podcast link.
  • Each recording tidied as it comes in
  • The original kept exactly as it was made
  • One link that plays every voice straight through
Choose the voices
The book
$99
Everything in the voices, plus the finished book to read online.
  • The finished book laid out to read online
  • Every message playable from its page
  • Every message written out beside its voice
Choose the book
The keepsake
$115
The book, printed and posted to you.
  • One printed hardcover copy
  • Posted to you
  • Everything in the book option
Choose the keepsake

Want to write your own questions? Start a blank book

Questions people ask

What do you write in an 80th birthday message?

One memory and a wish for the year ahead. Say it as a voice note if you'd rather, and Chorus writes it out for the book.

What is a good 80th birthday gift from the grandchildren?

A message from each of them, with a photo of the two of them together if they have one.

How do older friends record if they don't have a smartphone?

A grandchild can bring a phone when they visit and record them with the same link.

Can everyone chip in?

Yes, if you turn chip-in on. Everyone who records can put money towards the book and saves their card. Their cards are charged when you go to pay, and it comes off what you pay. If you don’t finish paying, their money goes back within a week.

More books like this

A 70th birthday A 90th birthday From the grandchildren A golden wedding anniversary A life story Grandparents

Is there an 80th in the family soon?

Start the book now and invite people whenever you're ready.

Start collecting, free
Start collecting, free