According to data from personalised card specialist Lookalikey.com, film and television-inspired personalities are now the UK's most popular birthday card theme, with more people choosing designs that transform friends and family into stars of their own story.
The company analysed over 25,000 personalised birthday card purchases and found that over a quarter (25.3%) featured film and television-inspired personalities, making screen stars the nation's favourite birthday character type.
From beloved movie moments to larger-than-life television personalities, Britons appear to be embracing what social media has dubbed "main character energy" when celebrating loved ones.
One classic cinematic favourite stood out from the crowd. Cards inspired by the iconic dance lift from the movie Dirty Dancing accounted for 5% of all birthday purchases, proving that some film moments never go out of style.
The data also revealed the UK's top personality themes for birthdays. Alongside film and television characters, historic and period-inspired personalities ranked highly, followed by fashion and style icons, sports stars and comedy-themed characters.
Among the most popular individual card designs were the Ballroom Lift Dance Scene, Birthday Girl Action Figure, Fashion Cover Star, Supersonic Fighter Pilot and the tongue-in-cheek "00 OLD Licence To Grumble" card.
Interestingly, the findings suggest that birthday shoppers are increasingly choosing cards that make recipients feel fabulous rather than simply making them laugh. Aspirational and glamorous designs accounted for 33.7% of purchases, slightly ahead of humorous cards at 31.5%.
For Christmas enthusiasts, the trend may sound familiar. Much like personalised Christmas stockings, bespoke tree decorations and customised festive gifts, birthday cards are becoming another way to celebrate someone's individuality and create a memorable experience.
Spencer Herron, co-founder of Lookalikey.com, said the popularity of film and television-inspired cards shows that people enjoy seeing loved ones transformed into famous characters or scenes.
Meanwhile, relationship expert Dr Lisa Palmer believes personalised cards carry a deeper meaning than many people realise.
"A card is hardly ever about the card," she explained to That's Christmas 365. "It's a way to say something we find hard to say out loud."
Whether it's a glamorous fashion icon, an action hero or a beloved movie character, it seems Britain's birthday cards are becoming less about the message inside and more about making someone feel truly special, something Christmas lovers can certainly appreciate.