I went to the store today to purchase birthday cards, the old fashioned kind that require an envelope and a stamp. The particular store offered American Greeting Cards, which I have since learned is the most popular brand with Hallmark coming in second.
Since the pandemic I’ve resorted to online cards more and more. They’re convenient, reasonably priced (and some are still free), and don’t require a trip to the mailbox. But I received almost twenty snail mail cards for my birthday and enjoyed every one so much that I decided to respond in kind to the four people on my list with August birthdays.
There were several aisles of cards. And all kinds of birthday sentiments that ranged from sugary sweet to insulting to humorous to acknowledging one’s age. I saw more than one card suitable for sending to someone who is 100 years old, certainly a sign of the times. I saw cards in foreign languages, cards that played music when opened, cards that included games, and cards that were oversized (which means additional postage).
Even so I had difficulty choosing the right card for each of my recipients. That’s part of the process for me; I don’t buy a one-size-fits all box of ten cards, all saying the same thing. If I’m going to put the effort into sending an old-fashioned card, I want it to say something special. Potty humor, sexism, and agism don’t cut it either.
It took a while, but I finally found cards that met my criteria, and I headed to the check out counter. That was when sticker shock kicked in. It’s nothing for a card to cost six or seven dollars. And this doesn’t take into account one’s time, energy, or postage.
I haven’t decided how I feel about the experience. Perhaps it will depend on whether my friends enjoy their cards as much as I did.
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