Birthday Wisher

Automated Birthday Email Sender Using Python

Hey everyone,

I recently completed a project that automatically sends out birthday emails using Python, Pandas, and SMTP. This project reads a CSV file of birthdays, checks for any matches with today's date, and then sends a personalized email to each person whose birthday falls on the current day. It’s a fun and practical way to stay connected with friends and family.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to how I built this project.

Project Overview

The goal of this project is to automate birthday emails by cross-referencing a CSV file of birthdays with the current date. The project uses Python's pandas library to handle CSV data, and smtplib to send emails via Gmail.

Key Features

CSV Data Management with Pandas: The project utilizes a CSV file to store and retrieve birthday information like names, emails, and birth dates.

Randomized Email Templates: Multiple email templates are used, and one is randomly selected for each birthday, adding a personalized touch to each message.

Email Sending via SMTP: The project uses Gmail's SMTP server to send the birthday emails, ensuring secure and fast delivery.

Step-by-Step Breakdown

1. Setting Up the CSV File

The CSV file birthdays.csv contains columns for name, email, year, month, and day. This file is loaded using pandas, and the script checks each entry to find birthdays matching the current date.

2. Matching Today's Date with the CSV File

Python's datetime library is used to get the current date. The script iterates through the CSV file, comparing the month and day with today's date to find birthdays.

3. Personalized Email Generation

Once a match is found, the project selects a random letter template from a list of pre-written emails. It replaces the placeholder [NAME] with the recipient’s actual name, creating a personalized message.

4. Sending the Email

Using smtplib, the script sends the generated email to the recipient via Gmail’s SMTP server. The email includes a subject line and the personalized birthday message.

Python Skills Utilized

CSV File Handling: The pandas library is used to read and write the birthday data in CSV format.

Email Automation: The smtplib module is utilized to send emails programmatically. This project demonstrates how to log in to a Gmail account securely and send emails using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP).

Randomization: Python’s random module is used to select a random email template for each recipient, ensuring that every birthday email is unique.

Real-World Use Cases

Send automated birthday wishes to friends, family, or even clients, making it easy to remember special days.

Use this project in small businesses to send personalized birthday emails to customers, enhancing customer engagement and loyalty.

Automate any type of recurring messages, such as holiday greetings or event reminders.

Conclusion

This project is an excellent example of how Python can be used to automate repetitive tasks and handle large datasets. It’s a practical tool for sending personalized emails without the need for manual input every day.

The full code for the project is available in this GitHub repository. Feel free to explore it and try it out yourself!

Stay tuned for more Python projects coming soon!

Here is a video explaining the entire process.