[TishaBuv]

Have you ever had to buy a greeting card and had difficulty sifting through each one, trying to find one that was appropriate to the situation? Don’t you find them very insipid? Do you over analyze their meaning? Do none of them fit your relationships?

I was remembering one my MIL gave me and my husband once. It read, “Dear Son and His Wife” Did that mean he was dear and I was well... his (not so dear) wife? I don’t think she outright dislike me and I hadn’t done anything to warrant that. But it’s very telling, right? I can now totally relate as I would probably send the same card to my son and DIL, if we were even speaking. Neither of them are ‘dear’ right now. There was a total rift.

I think it’s horrifically funny, though, every time I have to buy a greeting card. I usually just go for the most benign one. The gushy ones really never fit the recipient. This probably says more about me than them?

If you can relate, I’d like to hear your take on it.

[Anonymous42019]

How about making your own? From an art shop buy some stiff card or their stylish coloured design cover paper that's about 150gsm thickness, tube of art glue, a packet of transfer lettering and make it yourselves? We had the same experience trying to find a suitable, so made our own greeting card. Our special friend loved it!

I would interpret the "Dear Son & His Wife" also meaning "Dear D-I-L". One need not write "Dear Son & Dear D-I-L" to convey that meaning. I wouldn't read anything negative into what the card said. I think your m-i-l likely just liked the picture on the card and/or what was written inside.

I also sometimes have trouble finding a good greeting card. Sometimes I buy the blank ones and write something inside, myself. My husband and I have a tradition of mostly only buying each other cards that have a bird(s) on the cover. That obviously limits options. There have been times when we bought each other the same exact card. LOL!

[Sometimes psychotic]

I often go with blank cards, pretty on the outside and whatever I want on the inside....

[unaluna]

My mother finally called me and my brother out for always getting her cards that read, "For a SPECIAL mother" - busted!

I didnt even realize i was doing it. The power of the unconscious! Those were just the ones that seemed to fit. I would spend a LOT of time choosing the perfect card.

[SlumberKitty]

I spend a lot of time trying to find the perfect card, but then I never know if it will hit the reader the same way it hit me. I just do my best and hope for the best. Most people I know just enjoy getting the cards even if they aren't exactly right. I probably spend the most time on trying to find the perfect one for my Mom. Not that she is difficult--okay, she is--but because I want it to say exactly the right thing.

[divine1966]

We don’t do greeting cards. Unless for sympathy if can’t attend the funeral or if I send a gift card or a check for the even i cannot attend due to geographical distance, I’d put it inside the card.

I know people in bad family or romantic relationships still give superficial cards. What’s the point. I knew someone getting gushing lovey cards from his spouse who had an affair at the time. “Great”. Cards don’t mean much to me

[TishaBuv]

I like the civility of the holidays and cards, gifts.

I think my whole family fell apart because they moved far from each other and stopped acknowledging festivities.

It’s really hard to choose a nice card for a nasty person. It makes me laugh when reading them in the store, trying to find one suitable.

I just bought a bunch of really beautiful cards I wouldn’t have normally because the store was going out of business, so they were dirt cheap. I’ll send those nice holiday cards. I do feel guilty, though, that because of cheap people like me the store with the lovely cards went bankrupt.

[*Beth*]

I buy the greeting cards that are handcrafted and usually blank inside. They cost between 7$ and 10$, which is why I send them only to friends or family members with whom I am very close, and there aren't many of those. The cards are unique, really charming (and expensive), so I usually send them in lieu of a gift.

Traditionally, I sent out cards during the holiday season. I became annoyed, though, when I didn't receive any holiday cards in return. So now I send holiday cards only to a very few people.