Greeting card quandary
Today is my dad's birthday. He's 71 years old.
I always, always, always have a horrible time buying him a birthday card. Everything on the greeting card shelf is either sickeningly, cloyingly sweet while waxing moronic about "My dear father" being the rock and dispenser of lifesaving advice, or they're goofy greetings mentioning dear ol' Dad's obsession with his recliner and remote and/or his flatulance problem.
Neither type fit the kind of relationship I had (and continue to have) with my dad. So I stand in front of the racks of "For him" offerings for about 15 minutes, then move on to the musical ones but don't want to spend $5 on some silly chicken dance or "We Will Rock You" goofiness, then on to the "Funny: General" options because it's slightly easier to find a fitting one-liner than anything remotely sentimental.
I even consider the blank cards ... but that just seems so wrong.
I'd be oh-so happy if Hallmark would come up with something like:
Cover:
On your birthday, Dad, I want you to know ...
Inside:
... my childhood sucked.
But from the looks of things, it seems yours did, too.
I understand that now.
It no longer matters.
I'm so over it.
And I still love you.
Happy birthday!
I've yet to find such a card.
So I just settled on one from the "Funny" section. "General." For anyone.
And gosh, only three months 'til it's time to look for a Father's Day card. Maybe I'll start my own line of greeting cards before then -- cards for real people and real relationships!
Today's question:
Do you usually give sentimental greeting cards or humorous ones?
My answer: I used to give sentimental cards to everyone but in the past few years I've gotten to where I give humorous ones more often because the sentimental offerings are usually too mushy, gushy and unrealistic.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Reader Comments (12)
Lisa, there is never a card that says the exact thing that I want to say. I always have to settle for "yeah, close enough" yet the blank cards scare me. Way too much pressure.
Happy birthday to your Dad- I love that picture of you guys!!!!
Ha! Yep...I know exactly where you're coming from. I really think we could make a fortune selling dysfunctional family greeting cards.
As far as funny or serious, it depends on the person. Generally go with funny for most of my family members but there are certain ones (my grandmother, hubby, etc.) who get sentimental ones.
I love your card option! And I bet it would sell.
As for me, I go humorous. All the way.
I rarely buy a card, unless it's a humorous milestone birthday card. I only give handmade cards and I never get my dad a card, that's all I'm going to say about that!
I remember when I thought 71 was ancient. Interesting how our perspective changes through time. The closer I get to that age, the younger it becomes. I also remember when my mother was 60 in 1970 and she really had a hard time with it. It seemed old to her and it seemed VERY old to me. She always looked like an older woman to me. But now that I am older than she was in 1970, I wonder if I do. I certainly do not feel as old as I thought she looked then. I'm not even the 'older generation' yet because my father is still alive at 100 years of age. Lorddddyy I hope I don't live that long. I have no desire to be his age. But he was one who wanted to reach 100. He got his wish. :) Happy Birthday to your dad, though. I'm with you on these soupy cards they have. Yuk.
I'm that way about my mom. She wants the gushy mushy card and I cringe when looking at them for her because I sooooo don't feel that way. Anyway, I generally go for the humorous for everyone else unless I'm feeling sentimental at the time!
I'm sure your childhood "sucked" - I saw a little bit of that. Mine did, also. Having to be a "grown-up" at age 8 is rough on any child - cooking, grocery shopping (crossing a busy freeway by myself) to go to the store, cleaning, laundry, etc. But thank God, the childhood part is over. It's hard to let go of it, though. I found that by writing my book (which I'll never get published as long as Mama is living because she'd kill me) that it helped me to let go of a lot of it....mainly because I read it over and over, making changes and trying to make it sound good, that I got tired of hearing it. I also realized that no matter what Mama or Daddy did to each other, they didn't do it to me (at least not intentionally). It's always the kids who suffer the most. They're still Mama and Daddy, though, no matter what and it never hurts to let them know they are loved....no matter what....even if it is a little bit mushy. After all, isn't that what we ALL want? To be loved?? Preferably unconditionally?? Like you love Bubby??
I used to send alot of cards - humorous and sentimental, depending on the relative and occasion - but I've cut back alot. I guess because it is getting harder and harder to find the right card anymore, probably due to my age and changing attitude and taste.
I go through the exact same thing every single time I have to buy a card for my father.
I usually find something simple that doesn't say a whole lot of anything.
Other than that I look for funny cards.
I usually make my own these days, but I used to give sappy ones to parents and grandparents and funny ones to siblings and their spouses.
I'm not a big card person - I usually glue one of my photos onto a piece of folded over cardstock - and presto - I can write whatever I want. Which for me is usually a short personal note based upon the occasion.
Cute photo though!
Kristin
Um, hello, my friend...All of my cards are fully customizable and you could put exactly that on it for no extra cost. ;0) We'll chat about father's day.