As I get older, I personally hate the idea of dropping several dollars on a card someone probably is going to read once and throw away. That and when I receive them, I usually don't take time to actually read them. So yes, to me greeting cards are a money pit. Maybe our society has brain washed us into thinking people who are suffering a loss in the family want a card to read. Or perhaps traditions say we HAVE to send a Christmas card. Maybe people are convinced they have to get a card to put birthday money in. (Give me the money and I'll be fine personally) Maybe I'm a curmudgeon. How do you feel about greeting cards?
At least the effort to look and buy a card does require thinking about someone, and that is the point of a greeting card.
Sometimes, people can say the dumbest things, perhaps unintentionally, when they write in a greeting card.
I did not care for the sentiment expressed after my mother's death of ' she's in a better place'. My thought to that was ' how the hell is being six feet under and decomposing a goddamn better place!?!'.
I did, however, have one work associate who took the time to write something reflective in a card, and it was well received and I still have the card.
I have an aunt with whom my only contact with is the birthday and Christmas cards she sends out. I don't celebrate either occasion, but it reminds me that someone remembered and that is something she does for everybody because it's all she can afford.
Keep the money, send me the card.
On my 15th birthday, I had received a birthday card from my grandparents. I was used to getting cash from them, so it was time for spending money. I got the cash, but apparently they did not get an envelope that fit the card so they cut the card to hold the money, and it made it unreadable. It kinda hurt.
Sometimes we just like to know that someone is thinking about us, or we want to let others know we are thinking about them. If you really don't have much to say, a phone call can be an uncomfortable situation, but a card cures that.
If you don't want to throw more money into the money pit, might I suggest a technique I like to call a
letter.