Birthday week

Recycling Sentiment – Revisiting Birthday Cards

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He’s threatened it for years, then we’d end up laughing. Every year another birthday was rolling up my husband would joke around and remark how expensive greeting cards have become and add that ‘next year’ he’s going through the saved bags of cards in the storage room and going to pick one out from there. His logic was that I was unlikely to remember every card and he would pick one from there. I’d chuckle and tell him I probably wouldn’t remember anyway, and what are the odds that when purchasing a new card, it could well be a repeat of a previous card anyway. I’m most certain there’s a double in the pile, lol.

 

Happy birthday to me

 

My husband always buys me beautiful cards. I take credit for training him well over the years. He also takes pride in finding – just the right card and grins proudly as he awaits me to open the envelope to read his words of endearment.

Well this year was finally the one where he really did go through the bag of sentiments accrued through the years. As we’ve only been going out for errands and medical appointments, the choices were slim for picking up a new card. He tried a few times at our local pharmacy, but found ‘all the good cards’ were gone and lots of empty slots in dire need of replacing. He couldn’t find the right card to satisfy what he wanted to say, so it became time to visit the old bag of saved sentiments.

So this past Sunday, it was my birthday and once again my hubby presented me with a beautiful card. I certainly didn’t remember the card so it was just as beautiful to open what he had chosen. And judging by the price on the back of the card, I’m guessing that card had to have been purchased close to 20 years ago, lol. I don’t remember the last decade a card cost $3.99 lol.

I have to admit, I did get a little lost in the nostalgia as I was digging through the big box where the big bag of cards was stored. I keep 2 big shopping bags of cards, one each for me and my husband. I enjoyed looking through the odd card once I pulled out the bag, and found all kinds of treasures in there, including this beauty that my little grand-niece beauty made for me: (Yes, wine may have been mentioned, but there was also the ‘princess forever’ sticker I got a kick out of.)

 

birthday card

 

It was a nice quiet birthday. I had oodles of birthday wishes on social media, a few select phone calls from some family, some beautiful cards sent from some of my closest friends, a 2 hour conversation with my bestie in the UK. then I went out to the park grounds outside my building complex for a nice walk and sat outside on a park bench and spent some time reading, while taking in some glorious rays. And then we ordered in Sushi, my fav, for dinner.

So, once again, I’d like to thank so many of you for your well wishes and virtual flowers and cakes. I’m so grateful for my wonderful community of friends here. And I have to ask- do any of you recycle birthday cards?

 

I thought it would be fun to share 2 special readings I received as part of birthday wishes I received on my Facebook page. The first one is from my dear and very spiritual sister Colleen Chesebro:

 

Tarot card

 

Today, to honor your birthday, I asked the good neighbors for a message especially directed at you. This is the Tarot card: No. 16, Life Experience, from the Major Arcana.

Here is your message:

Change can be disconcerting, but you don’t have to fear it. You’re loved by the Divine, and whatever new opportunities come your way are meant to make your life richer and more fulfilling. Ask the fairies and the angels for signs that will lead you toward everything that’s vibrant and uplifting.

Keep your eyes on the future. What transitions do you see coming? How can you plan and prepare in order to continue on your path to happiness? If you watch the skies for coming challenges, then you can weather any storm and move on to new, exciting, peaceful horizons.

The fairies on this card pray for guidance and direction about the next step to take.

Additional meanings of this card: The need for significant change. Spiritual awakening. Seeing the truth. Releasing belief systems that no longer work for you. Wake-up calls.

 

Also, a numerologist who follows me on Facebook, left me birthday wishes and this message:

 

Hi Debby!!!

#Happy #birthday!!

Today starts your new year.

Bringing you the very best chances and finishing on 6/6/2021, filled with joy.
Be sure to thank for all graces received, so that good vibes continue to develop your potential in the coming years.

Personal Year 8. You will work a lot this year, excellent for material achievements and success in all your undertakings. Through discipline and organization you will be able to reach your desired goals during the nine year cycle.

 

Sounds like a busy year ahead for me!

 

©DGKaye2020

 

46 thoughts on “Recycling Sentiment – Revisiting Birthday Cards”

  1. I don’t know when I stopped but as far as my memory goes I didn’t buy a birthday card, or Christmas Card for my ex-wife for years. Perhaps that’s why we separated. I joke. We get on well. in fact, she’s here now ‘looking after me’ while I’m obeying the NHS directive to shield from this virus. 🙂

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    1. Hi Danny. Not everyone gives cards, I’ve had plenty discussions and laughs with friends through the years about husbands who aren’t expert at giving them, or even choosing cards, lol. But you obviously retained a good rapport enough for your ex to still give you care. That’s wonderful! 🙂

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  2. Debby, what a lovely, happy post and I am so glad you had a good day. ❤ My Mum recycles cards by cutting off the front and writing loving messages to go into the parcels she sends. I think you and your hubby are onto something here. ❤ ❤

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    1. Thanks so much Jane. And I do love that idea of re-purposing a card by attaching the covers to other personal messages. Great idea. Thanks my Lovely ❤ ❤

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  3. It sounds like had a nice birthday, in spite of it all. I love that your hubby went into the bag and recycled a card. We should all do that from time to time. Although I love getting cards, it is becoming evident it is a bit of a waste.

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  4. What a lovely post, Debby – how gorgeous that your hubby chooses a very special card each year. I don’t recycle cards, but I definitely recycle gift bags and ribbons. Toni x

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  5. Your birthday sounds wonderful, Debby. I think you made the most of the situation. Your special messages from Colleen and the numerologist are encouraging and optimistic. You have much to look forward to.
    Like you, I keep all the birthday (and Christmas, and anniversay) cards. I think we have probably given the same card more than once as well. We tend to go for humour in our cards. Hub loves to spend hours reading the cards in the stores until he finds the perfect one for the perfect recipient. That makes it very difficult for me to find one that I think he may not have already read. I have been known to send the same card back and forth with friends over the years. It’s fun to look back over the messages.

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  6. This was a smile-worthy post. I can tell you had a lovely birthday, enhanced by your hubby who knows the value of nostalgia. ha!

    Two funnies from my grab bag. 1. A colleague (rather scatterbrained) gave me a card, but signed it with MY name, not HERS. 2. Another friend recycled a card she received from someone else and gave it to me because she thought the greeting fit. She’s spacey, too, and I took no offense.

    My husband didn’t give me a Mother’s Day card this year. (after all, I’m not his mother), but since he created/launched my book trailer in May, I thought that counted for something.

    Thanks for this cute post to brighten my day, Debby. And many more happy years ahead!

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    1. Thanks for adding to the conversation Marian. Surely Cliff gets brownie points for making you the trailer. As for your friends giving you strange cards, that’s funny. I have never, nor would I recycle a card to anyone else – gift bags yes, though. Thanks for the good wishes. 🙂 x

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  9. Happy belated birthday, Debby… I didn’t realise! I too save birthday cards – not every one but just ones I like. I have also saved hand made cards my sons created years ago. One said ‘To my butiful mumy’. Even now 30 years later, that’s what he calls me! x

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  10. Happy Birthday – sounds like you had a wonderful day.

    I tend to save my birthday cards as well, but I’ve gotten pretty cheap with respect to buying them. I find it hard to justify the cost. You can get a draft beer for the price of a card! 🙂

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    1. Thanks for the wishes Jim. And I so agree with you, the cards cost more than my bloody books! I’m in the wrong writing business, lol 🙂

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  11. I am sure the card was beautiful Debby and the sentiments as loving as they have always been. I have all the anniversary, birthday and Christmas cards from most of the last 40 years, including the cards and the telegrams from our wedding. The whole of the folders in the bottom of my filling cabinet and we really need to start recycling them… somehow cannot bring myself to throw them away to be mulched.. Lovely post ♥♥

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  12. For over twenty years, my wife’s aunt used to fish the birthday card she’d given her husband out of the garbage when he’d discarded it, and then give it to him anew the following year. He never noticed!

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  13. Sounds like a really wonderful lockdown birthday, Deb! I keep all my special birthday cards but have never actually recycled one lol! Good idea though for such times! We have had a few special birthdays in my family during lockdown, and it’s true, with being so limited on outings (food and essentials only) and even when I did briefly try the card section in the supermarket (and I say briefly as my main priority is always socially distancing amongst too many who STILL don’t…) I noticed the same with slim pickings. I love that you got to talk to your bestie in the UK too! Mine lives in California, so I know how important keeping in touch at such special times means. A busy year ahead for you, my friend! God speed! ❤ xoxo

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    1. Yay, thanks Sher. Yes, I really appreciated the positive messages in these cloudy times for sure. One day we’ll all let loose and celebrate! Thanks again for the lovely sentiments. ❤ ❤ xoxox

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  14. Happy birthday! I love your husband’s idea, to recycle wishes. What stunned me was you saved them all! And what a wonderful greeting from Colleen — ‘don’t fear change’. Is that even possible? But I’ll trust her that it is!

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    1. Thanks for the wishes Jacqui. Lol, I stunned you? I’m a packrat – especially when it comes to sentimental things. If it were up to me, I would have still had my first tooth packed away if I had it, lol. 🙂

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  15. Happy belated birthday, Debby.

    Now, I’m not a ‘birthday’ person, so I’m not bothered by the cards I get. I celebrate every day being here and enjoying this wonderful experience called life. I couldn’t tell you what kind of birthday cards I had from one year to the next. Sure, they go up on the day but are taken down and sent to the recycling bin the next.

    Of course, I’m still only 23.

    Hope you enjoyed your birthday, despite the current detour we’ve all had to take.

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  16. It’s so strange here in California everybody sends ecards only for the known festivities, Christmas, the 4th of July, etc. I am still the only one sending handwritten cards just to thank someone for whatever we did together, a meeting, a dinner…☹️

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  17. Sorry I missed your birthday, Debby. It sounds like you had a perfect day! I thought it a great idea that your husband went through past birthday cards. It’s nice to know that he still feels the same as he did when he wrote the original card. I wish you lots of love, joy, passion, luck and magic.
    xxx ❤ Carol

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  18. It does make you think about recycling cards. I’m sure most of us wouldn’t remember what card we had the year before. I think it’s more important to celebrate the special occasion in whatever way you can. A bit more difficult in current times! Interesting about the tarot reading from Colleen and the numerologist. Lovely. ❤ x

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  19. Awww. How sweet to go through those cards. I don’t save many cards, Debby. I don’t have any closets, so keeping things tidy is a challenge. But the few I have are so precious. Happy Belated Birthday, and cool tarot and numerology message. Best wishes for the coming year. ❤ ❤

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  20. Hi Debby – what fun … and it does make perfect sense – and what a great idea for you both to keep the cards … good memories I bet. So pleased you had a happy few days … particularly the actual day … congratulations and here’s to many more – take care – Hilary

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  21. Will try again, something happened and the page just vanished lol…

    Happy Belated Birthday Debby…. So pleased you enjoyed your day, making the best of things in these situations .. I know what its like in lockdown..
    Wonderful that you hubby found you a beautiful card from the past…. Sometimes we just have to be resourceful as the selection I know from trying to find a card for my daughter in a couple of weeks in the supermarket was very disappointing… Especially when she always gives me beautiful cards..

    Loved your Niece’s home made card… I have lots of treasures like that in the attic from my children when they were young.. You just loath to part with them…

    I smiled at your card collection… Why? well I have also kept my Birthday cards as well, all the ones from hubby too… I have over the years thinned them out now and now only have kept Hubbies and close family, Anniversary ones etc… Oh and you are not on your own.. I too have been known to recycle the odd card when failing to find a suitable one… And no one was any the wiser! as I also keep Envelopes lol.. 🙂

    Much love Have a super weekend Debby…. Lots of Love your way ❤

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    1. Lol Sue, I am so NOT surprised you too keep cards. At least you will have backups too if you don’t find the right one for your daughter, lol. And sorry for the grief on my blog, but this is actually your first message I’m responding to that didn’t actually disappear LOL. Love and hugs and happy weekend my friend. ❤ ❤ xoxoxo

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  22. Happy belated birthday, Debby! I hope you had a fantastic – and not too busy- B-day week! Your husband obviously adores you. Or, you’ve trained him well in that area too. 🙂 It makes me happy to detect the love and care between you both.

    I kept ALL my cards (for birthdays and otherwise) in shoe boxes until two summers ago, when my parents sold my childhood home. Then, they all went into the recycling bin, after I had a last, quick look at the hundreds of cards.

    These days, I buy my cards at the Dollar Store for… $1. We’ve never reused any, since my old cards happened to live in Belgium and the newer ones are kept in Massachusetts while we are on the road or water. My husband is disgusted at the price of cards in grocery stores. When there’s nothing cheap or suitable for grabs, we create our own. Often, he tosses his out a couple of weeks later. These days, the words and sentiments matter more to us than the actual cards, as we try and live without “clutter”.

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    1. Thanks for sharing a bit of yourself and your own protocol with the card business Liesbet. Dollar store is a great option, but even though our stores are still called Dollar named, there’s barely an item left for one dollar, sadly. 🙂 x

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