The greeting cards conundrum

[shapinglight]

Anyone else have this thing where they go into a complete funk when buying greeting cards? I'm so bad at it, and getting worse.

This lunchtime, for instance...



...I had to buy birthday cards for two work colleagues and I spent at least ten minutes dithering about it.

Can't buy that one. It's a bit rude. Maybe she won't get the joke?

Can't buy that one. She might think I think she's past it.

Can't buy that one. If I get her a card with a picture of flowers on it, she'll think I think she's boring and have no personality.

Can't buy one with a cat on it. She'll think I think she's a crazy old cat lady.

Can't buy one with a dog on it. What if she doesn't like dogs? Does anyone actually like dogs?

Etc, etc.

And it's not just buying cards for women. I'm just as bad when it comes to buying them for men. Had to buy one for Nephew 4 (aged 20) last week. Dithered for ages. All the cards aimed at young men seem to be completely filthy (not what they want from an auntie) or covered in pictures of beer glasses. In the end, I got him one of the beer glasses ones, and am now afraid his mum will think I'm encouraging him to drink (not that he needs any encouragement).

:( I fear I'm a hopeless case.

Comments

[hello-spikey.livejournal.com]

Don't expect people to be more judgmental than you!

And buy a racy one.

:)

Actually, I have done the two-hours-in-the-card-store dither-dance. But since then I've learned to just pick a card *I* like and figure that way it'll remind the recipient of me.

[shapinglight]

Actually, I have done the two-hours-in-the-card-store dither-dance. But since then I've learned to just pick a card *I* like and figure that way it'll remind the recipient of me.

But what if you don't like any of them? :(

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

::giggles::

Well, I suppose you're not going to like me. I walk into a card shop and the perfect card always grabs my attention. No pondering or dithering required.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I am different - I love buying greeting cards, and I always seem to have one card that I fall in love with. the only problem I have is with the funny one - I LOVE THEM, but like you I always go "Can't buy that one. It's a bit rude. Maybe she won't get the joke".

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

You're note alone. I procrastinate...and by the time I get around to buying one, the birthday is either upon me or long past. Work cards? I now leave it to other people. Very bad at buying greeting cards. For a while I was buying cards with no message inside and a nice picture on the front.

[fenchurche.livejournal.com]

This is why, when I find a card that I think is funny without being rude or insulting, I'll actually buy several copies of it. The biggest issue then is keeping track of who I've ended up giving them to, so I don't do it twice.

[quinara]

Oh no, cards are terrible... I thought the selection for weddings was particularly poor - I went looking the other week, and it was either extra-sooper-schmalzy fairy tale carriages with cut outs on ensparkled pink card, or inappropriate jokes with cake toppers pinching each other's bums, or mildly artistic black&white photographs of two smiley white people, both usually with complementary brunet hair (which put themselves out of the running by looking nothing like my friend and her husband). I ended up getting the least offensive light-hearted one I could find, which had two puffed up pigeons (or some sort of bird!) line drawn on the front, with a coloured in Haribo ring being held between them, above the line 'With this gummy ring I thee wed...' I have a feeling they're going to find it horrifically frivolous now (should have gone with the schmalz)...

I wish more card people would go down the Edward Monkton line of being whimsical, but neither sickly nor offensive! It would make life so much easier...

[ningloreth.livejournal.com]

I'm afraid I'm famous for my rapid card and present buying!

The important thing, I think, is to remember how you feel when someone gives you a card. If you like it, you like it, but if you don't, well, it doesn't really matter, it's the fact that they've given you one that counts!

ETA When my Mum was ill, she got lots of Get Well cards. Some were beautiful and some were ugly, but they all had handwritten messages inside, and she pasted all of them into a scrap book.

[trepkos.livejournal.com]

I find it hard too.

It's especially hard to find one for my mother, because most of them include sentiments we both know I don't feel.

If I go into a card shop I usually buy a any card I see that might do for someone one day - they usually come in handy.

[yourlibrarian]

Hmm, given who you're buying them for I'm not surprised you have problems. Work people has got to be a particularly difficult one. Here there are often card lines specifically for coworkers, usually an "from all of us" type of card. Are those common there?

[ex_peasant441]

I find it impossible in a card shop because there is never anything good, so I normally get mine in a garden centre, which has the advantages that a) they are neutral things like flowers, birds and landscapes and b) you can't dither for long over a selection of 10.

[thismaz.livejournal.com]

It is *so* difficult to find good cards. I'm really not a 'gold lettering on the front' or 'verses inside' kind of person. All the local card shops only stock that type, so I have to go to a department store in the city, where I stock up on 10 at a time.

[spikereader.livejournal.com]

I like cards with a nice picture and no words inside (can't be doing with the verses type card), but do struggle with 'men' cards in particular.

I recently had to buy two get well cards and two leaving cards to be passed round at work for everyone to sign, and must have spent about an hour in total dithering over which ones to get, so I sympathise with your problems.

[kseenaa.livejournal.com]

*raises eyebrow* OK then.... Now, I am going the opposite road. I get the most crazy and preferably kinky cards I can find. If the recipient is above 15, at least. ;-) I mean, why not? They know it is from me. And that I am a kinky old perv. They love me anyway. :-) Hell, I've bought birthday cards with alcohol images on it to 16 year olds! X-D An no, there parents did not have a problem. :-D

I seriously don't get thinking like that. Sorry. A birthday card is to be a fun thing making fun of.. the giver or the recipient. :-D

[shapinglight]

I don't know how anyone does that.

[shapinglight]

I did buy a slightly rude one in the end. Hope I get away with it.

[shapinglight]

For a while I was buying cards with no message inside and a nice picture on the front

I do that for family members, but when it comes to work colleagues I always feel I need to get something witty/amusing.

[shapinglight]

The biggest issue then is keeping track of who I've ended up giving them to, so I don't do it twice.

Eeep! Yes, and my memory is so crap these days. I'd need to keep a written list.

[shapinglight]

I had to buy a wedding card too this weekend, very last minute. Fortunately, Sainsbury's had one half-way decent one.

[shapinglight]

I'm afraid I'm famous for my rapid card and present buying!

:is jealous:

[shapinglight]

Whereas I only ever go into card shops when I have to buy something.

[shapinglight]

Here there are often card lines specifically for coworkers, usually an "from all of us" type of card. Are those common there?

I've never seen one, though that doesn't mean much. Usually, I avoid greetings cards like the plague.

[shapinglight]

Not many garden centres in the middle of towns.

[shapinglight]

I don't think I'm really an any kind of card person. Which reminds me, forgot yet another family birthday the other day. Now I need to buy 5. :(

[shapinglight]

but do struggle with 'men' cards in particular.

God, yes! Mostly they're way too blokey and not appropriate at all.

I recently had to buy two get well cards and two leaving cards to be passed round at work for everyone to sign, and must have spent about an hour in total dithering over which ones to get, so I sympathise with your problems.

:(

[shapinglight]

Ah well.