Nasty greetings cards. I was shocked

I’m another one for blank cards-let’s you write your own thoughts/messages. I often find them in little tea rooms that have a stand with local artists’ work. I buy 2 or 3 when I see them. Museums/art galleries always have a selection in the ubiquitous gift shop as well.

I almost got caught out recently when I chose a card for a very dear friend. It was only when I opened it I found it was really rude and unkind. My friend would have been horrified.

I understand that there was a trend in victorian times there was a trend for really nasty valentine cards, seems like we are going back to victorian values
I'm sending cards this year in aid of the hospital charity, the hospital is the only place I'll probably be going that sells cards and the charity needs as much as possible this year

Like BlueBelle I enjoy receiving cards, they cheer me up all through the Christmas period and I save all the special ones. E-cards although useful are just not the same.
I can't access Moonpig any more which is a shame, Funky pigeon is fine and you can send tokens as well. They don't have the range of Moonpig though.
I love home made cards but like Wheniwasyourage I don't have an ounce of artistic talent.

BlueBelle

You see hetty I find zoom, phone and text messages so cold compared to a card you can never pick them up handle them look at them again and think of that person I have my Dads last birthday card to me on my bedroom wall I know he didn’t buy it himself as the last few years he didn’t get to the shops but he handled it, his writing is there and his message is there for me to read whenever I want a little bit of him with me
So although I don’t think of myself as elderly or overly sentimental I suppose in your eyes I am

I have a box of special cards from people mostly family and close friends that every now and then I ll open and have a look, a feeling, a memory you cant get that with a phone call

I make all my own cards birthday and Christmas, some kind of painting or design, some of my friends have told me they keep them too and that’s nice to think I m still with them

I love your reply BlueBelle it echoes my thoughts even to the point that I have the last hand written card from Dad in my personal drawer in the bedroom!
It's that connection that's so important.
Thank you for posting.

The only cards I buy are birthday cards. I do like a witty ones!

For the past five years, I've made all my own Christmas Cards. We don't send out a lot (usually about 30). Apart from my daughter, who acknowledges and comments on the design I choose, no one else makes any comment.

I will make 3 cards this year for immediate family and these will go in the parcels with their present. They all live some distance from us.

For the others they will get a message from us via email, facebook, Whatsapp or text. Along with our Christmas wishes and a bit of news, we are telling everyone: "No card because we are making a donation to Cornwall Air Ambulance".

My DH makes my birthday card every year as I do for his. We have quite a collection now

I think the point here is that humour varies from person to person and from workplace to workplace.

I don't care for crude cards and I am not likely to receive any, as I don't think family or friends would find them funny either.

You can't really blame the seller for selling what people want to buy, although I gather a filter on the site would have been nice.

Wonder what they would call it? Crude jokes? Blue jokes?

I was once working in an office where I was asked to sign a birthday card for a colleague. I found it so crude and vile I refused to sign it and explained I would never send a card like that. I said I would send my own card and was told, 'It's only a joke.' But I didn't sign and I'm sure word went around the whole building very quickly! I do like amusing cards and some are so funny but this was just horrible.

So many nice charity cards, try RSPB , or if you have a little time choose some photos you took this year and design your own....one year I was praised when I did a selection of Chrismassy pics by zooming in on berries of holly and some ivy leaves( you can add your own messages nice or nasty or silly)....if none in your garden go for a lockdown park walk...and my sophisticated camera is just my 5 year old smartphone as I don't own a real camera anymore

Am planning to support a local independent card shop

I am shopping online to stay safe and like to use Redbubble because every sale supports an artist (and probably their family) plus they also sell great gifts such as Christmas t shirts, sweatshirts and accessories. If you were so minded (I am not!) you could even buy a matching Christmas facemask and dress, or matching Christmas t shirt and facemask there. Personally I feel that's going a bit far, but apparently some people are doing it

I just bought a travel mug and some lovely stickers there. Will probably browse soon for some gifts... It's best to stay safe and shop online, I think.

IF YOU DO NOT LIKE, THEN KEEP CLEAR OF, AND YOU WILL NOT BE OFFENDED !

I've just ordered Christmas and other cards from the 1959 Group of Charities. I always buy charity cards from a pop-up shop but it won't be there this year, but I found the same ones online.

www.cardsforcharity.co.uk/our-charities/cards-for-good-causes-1959-group-of-charities.html

BlueBelle Sat 21-Nov-20 09:37:41
You see hetty I find zoom, phone and text messages so cold compared to a card you can never pick them up handle them look at them again and think of that person

I agree with Bluebelle
I still have a couple of cards sent to me by my parents and also from an aunt who never forgot my birthday.

A text Christmas message? It would seem like a hasty after-thought.

I tend to make cards sothat they are special and personalised for the individual recipient. However I admit I do actively seek out a rude one each year for my brother. If he sends me one it is usually rude too. It is just how we are - often toilet humour or some-such. I can't imagine sending them to anyone else except possibly my son if it was particularly funny. I agree there are cards out there I can't imagine anyone sending!

Heres a good charity to support: The Mouth and foot painting Artists support and encourage creativity in those without limbs . Perhaps they were born without, or lost them in an accident? These guys support them and sell Christmas cards. www.mfpa.uk/

DH buys them twice year; Christmas cards and a calendar and the other pack is birthday cards and blank cards.

I work in the greeting card industry and these cards are becoming more and more popular, pushing the boundaries. They are predominantly purchased by males and young adults.

I agree that the card industry had slipped well past the 'naughty postcard' genre and well into the plain crude and unfunny but what I am more concerned about are how many cards there are (and it is often difficult to find one not...) mentioning drinking, alcohol and excessive drunkenness. I know, I know a little drink now and then is (supposedly) harmless but not to people who have drink problems, reliance on alcohol and especially not to children. Making it socially acceptable to parade drunken behaviour as fun and a bit of a laugh is not what we want our children to grow up accepting. And don't get me started on all those 'jokes' that talk about 'Mummy's little pick-me-up' or signs around the house hailing 'it's gin o'clock' etc. etc.

I usually go to the Card Factory or online use Moonpig. Christmas cards I get each year from Simpsons Special Care Babies and give a donation as 2 DGC were looked after there (Edinburgh) and it is my special charity. I didn't know Amazon did cards though. I don't like rude ones. One of my ex colleagues makes lovely cards though so have bought a few from her.

You can get your point across without shouting Bazwheat

Thanks for your replies. I usually send charity cards, and will do this year. It is the individual family cards I was looking for and a new home card for my daughter who is moving house next week. I use Amazon as I have Amazon Prime so don't pay postage. Two of the new home cards said "I hope your new neighbours aren't c***s" or "tw**s". The * are mine! When looking for a Christmas card for my son and his fiancee I saw one in that section that was a cartoon of a naked figure bent right over and I will leave it to you to decide what part of the anatomy was where the "o" in you was. What got me was these were alongside all the other cards. To my mind these cards weren't funny as there was no wit in them . I like a card with humour and wit as much as any other card but it has to ge funny not nasty or puerile.

Interesting reply BlueBelle, I see that some assign a value to the cards - so I'll keep sending them to those who do.

Of course, at my end, it's not a case of sending 'best wishes' but 'Oh heck, let's write the bloody cards and get that done' - just duty!

I'd rather have a card than a present and those who know me best seem to find lovely cards for me, but I also receive a few funny cards, not rude or offensive, usually to do with drinking wine. Since lockdown I have bought a lot of cards from the Card Factory as they are a reasonable price, a choice of sizes and many can be personalised and sent directly to the recipient.

I bought mine from air ambulance, never know when you are going to need them!