It’s All In The Cards

Birthday cards are something of an afterthought these days. And that’s a crying shame. A birthday card can perform miracles. They really can.

A birthday card can brighten the day of the recipient, even if they’re halfway across town or halfway across the globe. The sentiment can do a lot to add some cheer to this special day, cause tears of happiness to form, or remind someone that they’re still very special to you.

The only real problem is choosing what card to send to the birthday boy or girl. There are just so many on the market these days, from the sentimental to the humorous and even slightly distasteful.

Knowing the recipient is important. You have to know their sense of humor if you want to tickle their funny bone. A card can be the funniest thing outside of "Saturday Night Live". But if the recipient doesn’t get it, well, it’s just not funny.

Some people just aren’t into humor, though it’s hard to understand why. But if that is the case, there are still plenty of choices out there. Thankfully, the greeting card folks have thought this all through, categorizing the cards, right down to the person recipient.

If it’s your sister’s birthday, for instance, you can get a card that tells her just how you feel about her. It can be funny, sentimental, or reflective. Or it can be just downright sappy. The folks who write these cards touch all the emotions possible, so if you stand there long enough going through birthday cards, chances are good you’ll find one that says just what you wanted to say yourself.

Of course, time doesn’t stand still, even if you’re a birthday card. The creative folks at greeting card companies have come up with all sorts of fun designs, from the three dimensional ones where the inside jumps out at you when you open it to the highly inventive musical cards.

If you haven’t seen these beauties, they have a small music chip embedded inside. Open the card and music plays. They are a lot of fun, especially in crowded restaurants where Chuck Berry suddenly starts singing at the table across from you.

Another smart innovation is the birthday cards that double as gift card holders. These cards allow you to charge up a gift card at any retailer and insert it into the provided slot in the birthday card. The recipient not only gets a nice card, but some dough to spend as they wish at their favorite store, from Starbucks, Target and Wal Mart to iTunes. You can look like a big spender because the recipient won’t know how much is on the card until they use it. Toss $10 on it and wink when the birthday boy or girl opens it. They will think Uncle Bob is a big spender… at least until they get to the store’s checkout counter.

About the Author

Barry Mcgee writes articles on birthday party and gift ideas and all things related to birthdays. You can read more of Barry's articles at Happiest Birthday.