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Birthday cards

(45 Posts)
Alea Wed 23-Mar-16 21:43:04

I like getting birthday cards.
I like choosing and sending birthday cards.
But they have changed from the cards of my childhood when (especially older) people liked to choose a "nice verse" , whereas I like a card which makes me smile -not a coarse joke - but, for instance "vintage" photos with a contemporary caption.
However, chatting to the girl doing my nails today, apparently many of the younger generation prefer to send each other a text/FB message/Instagram or whatever, and don't bother with cards.
So, what do you think? Do cards matter to you? Does a well chosen card make you happy? Does not getting a card make you feel somehow you have been forgotten ? sad
PS And how about e-cards? You can't put them on your mantelpiece but at least they show a friend has remembered your birthday!

Auntieflo Wed 23-Mar-16 22:41:37

Yes, cards do matter to me. Can do without a present, but do like to have a card plop through the letter box.

Bellanonna Wed 23-Mar-16 22:43:58

I really enjoy birthday cards especially if someone has written a nice message. I get quite excited when the post arrives. I only get texts from people who have sent a card anyway. I quite appreciate the humorous ones and often send those if I find an apt one. Mine go up on the mantelpiece and bookcases and stay there for a couple of weeks !

Alishka Wed 23-Mar-16 22:51:13

My greatest friend in the uk and I started to exchange a birthday card (her birthday is in June, mine September) from the first year we met, back in 1982. I say a birthday card cos that's exactly what it isgrin. Over the years we've both moved around a lot but the arrival of that card is the highlight of my year I think. smile

Indinana Wed 23-Mar-16 23:35:16

I love receiving birthday cards - it's so nice to see them all lined up on the mantelpiece. I think its rather sad that social media birthday greetings seem to have become the norm these days. It seems to devalue the birthday wishes as no effort is required - no time spent choosing a card, writing some carefully chosen words, popping out to the letter box. The social media greeting is written and sent in seconds - and probably forgotten by the recipient just as quickly.

My family and close friends always get a proper card from me.

ninathenana Thu 24-Mar-16 07:48:23

I WANT CARDS !!!
That's deliberately shouty BTW. I love choosing and receiving them. I always used to send ones with a loving verse to mum n dad and would be so happy to receive the same from my children but theirs are always jokey

PRINTMISS Thu 24-Mar-16 07:50:37

Yes cards for me. I did start sending e-cards, but you can't put them on the windowsill and read them again before you put them away.

Teetime Thu 24-Mar-16 08:30:58

I like cards - they show that someone has taken the time and effort to think of you and other than my brother who likes to send me an insult now and again they are nice and lovely. I received a beautiful Easter card yesterday from a dear friend - that was lovely.

geeljay Thu 24-Mar-16 08:38:12

I think E cards are a copout. Expediant, but no effort or sincerity needed. Maybe envoronmentally friendly, but I feel that a bought/made card at least expresses a little thought. I M O.

BBbevan Thu 24-Mar-16 08:55:06

I love getting cards and love sending them. Birthday, congratulations, anniversary, thank you, christening, confirmation, new baby, new grandparents. The list is long. Sad to send a sympathy card though.
I think a card, specially chosen, says something a bit more than an e-mail or text.

Greyduster Thu 24-Mar-16 09:17:45

I like to get a card for my birthday, and I like to send cards, especially humorous (but not rude) ones, the criteria being that it has to make me laugh out loud. I don't like soppy verses. I would hate an e card. I'm not very good at accessing the e-messages my son sometimes sends me on my phone and they irritate me. I usually go on eBay to find a personalised card for GS. My niece makes the most exquisite hand made birthday cards and I always keep the ones she sends me - they're far too nice to throw away.

NanaandGrampy Thu 24-Mar-16 09:32:17

Yes for me too ! I feel a bit invisible if I don't get a card . Even if monies tight I always think a card is a cheap alternative to a gift, and with some well chosen words it makes me feel thought of .

I make all my own cards and take a long time to make them appropriate for the person so I dont think its too much to hope for one in return.

Kittye Thu 24-Mar-16 09:35:21

I love cards. I keep all cards from family and have done for nearly 50 years.
I have engagement,21st, wedding, baby, Valentine ,anniversary , Mother's Day cards as well as birthday and Christmas cards.
They've survived at least 8 house moves and many are stored in boxes in the loft. Everytime OH goes up there he has a grumble. When I've popped my clogs they'll go straight to the tip. I don't know why I keep them, the ones in the loft are probably mildewed! I'm not bothered about presents but I'd be upset if I didn't get a card.

Indinana Thu 24-Mar-16 10:07:24

I still have engagement, wedding and baby congrats cards. The latter were all stuck into a scrap book for each of the DC, with the birth announcement card stuck to the front. Birth announcement cards! Goodness, the youngsters wouldn't know what they were now grin

grannyactivist Thu 24-Mar-16 11:30:28

I have mixed feelings about this. The cost of a card and stamp can almost equal the price of a small gift, choice of cards is very subjective and may not be to the taste of the recipient and then there's the waste problem.
On the other hand I do like to receive personal post; getting a letter or card makes my day.

NathalieMartin Thu 24-Mar-16 12:20:58

I'm happy to receive either, as long as someone thinking about me. Although to be fair, if I didn't get a card from my parents I would be disappointed.

Thingmajig Thu 24-Mar-16 14:26:35

I like getting a card too, doesn't matter if there's a gift along with it, I'm happy with just a nice card.

I also make cards for a hobby so never buy them to send even at Christmas, and I always kind of hope (no doubt in vain) that the cards I've spent time (and too much money) making as appreciated and not just tossed out on the first bin day!

We have all the cards we've exchanged and I also save all the special cards we've been given and now the Gran/Grandad ones from wee Willow.

NathalieMartin Thu 24-Mar-16 16:15:43

That's a good point, I couldn't even tell you where the majority of the cards I've received have ended up. Most likely my husband sneaked them into the recycling when I wasn't aware!

Willow500 Thu 24-Mar-16 16:59:31

I also like cards and do appreciate people taking the effort to send me one. I used to make them and have a craft room full of crafting paraphernalia but over the last year I've given up as I don't seem to have time or enthusiasm any more. I also have my own birth cards, 1st birthday, wedding and sons' birth cards and other memorable ones. I also have my mum's 21st cards - she would have been 96 last week so they are pretty old smile as well as their golden, diamond and 70 & 80th birthday cards. Heaven knows what will happen to them when I've gone as I'm sure my son's won't want them!

Daisyboots Thu 24-Mar-16 17:51:42

I like sending and receiving cards. When I receive a card for my birthnday I like to think that someone has thought about me and made the effort to choose and post a card. I understand why people say it is so expensive to send these days. I received a Mother's Day card from my daughter and it was just an ordinary card with no embellishments and it had cost her £1.45 to send it to Europe. It would have cost me less than the equivalent of 80pence to send the same card to England.

rubysmoke Thu 24-Mar-16 17:57:42

I will always send a card - I can personalise it and it means that I have made an effort which often means so much- and I do recycle them - I am not bothered about a gift at all, it's the memory that counts

Leticia Thu 24-Mar-16 18:58:21

I like to send and receive cards- however I avoid ones with verses. I tend to go for a nice picture and a blank card to write my own message.

Tudorrose Fri 25-Mar-16 09:40:24

I love getting cards especially if there is a little note inside if it's from someone whom I haven't seen for a while. I am concerned if they seem to be really expensive. It was my birthday last week and my cards are still on display

GrannyMosh Fri 25-Mar-16 09:56:18

I like receiving cards, but LOVE sending them! All the ones I send are hand-made, with love, by me, and I choose the design to suit the recipient. I get a lot of pleasure from the process, and the cards are always well-received.

harrysgran Fri 25-Mar-16 10:01:14

I love to send and receive a birthday card but call me old fashioned but I much prefer a hand written card chosen with me in mind than the computer generated moon... funky p type.