Why Birthday Greeting Cards?

Yee-ha, it's my birthday! I wait on the mailman all morning just to see what joy he'll deliver in the form of birthday greeting cards. Yes, I have a mail man, not a mail lady. I suppose the proper etiquette would be mail person, but it doesn't sound as good to someone old-fashioned such as myself. However, I digress.

We must return to the wonderful subject of birthday greeting cards. Ok, so I'm at the mailbox, and I'm opening the door. Here goes, YES, we have hit the jackpot! It's a sweet day indeed to receive the old-fashioned birthday card in the old-fashioned mailbox. Yes, we have progressed mightily with the world of computers. But there's still nothing like a birthday card in the mailbox to brighten that special day.

Birthday greeting cards have been around for so many years, people don't even think of their beginnings much anymore. So, let's take a few minutes to honor the ages-old birthday greeting cards.

It all begins when we're children. Even though most of us hardly pay attention to those birthday greeting cards once we've seen them the first time, there are some who cherish each and every card we receive, saving them for years to come. Some children hardly pay attention as their mom, dad, or sibling reads their birthday cards. But to some who aren't allowed the luxury of living near the dear grandfather or grandmother or the cherished aunt or uncle, even the birthday card is a wondrous gift to be saved and given a place of honor on the mantle or countertop.

There are those wonderful birthday greeting cards that may come with a bonus, such as the twenty dollars we've waited for all year. To most children, that twenty dollars is still a fun trip to the toy department of their favorite store.
The birthday greeting cards will hopefully be around for many more years, bringing much needed joy and comfort in their acknowledgement of a special day.

The elderly, especially, look forward to the birthday greeting card. It lets them know someone still cares that they exist and that the fact of being born is still meaningful. It brings a smile to know the grandchild who may be too busy to visit actually took the time to go to the store and choose a birthday card and send it. Maybe the grandchild even included a glorious photo for the grandparent to share and brag upon to the neighbors or the mailman. Maybe the son or daughter who are too far away to visit included a special note with the birthday card to brighten the day even more.
Yes, the birthday greeting cards were a nice invention indeed. I found some in a drawer once from people I had forgotten about, but was thrown into a melancholy mood to remember. The long-ago party, the family gathered, the beautiful cake, were all brought back to life by one simple card. Even if it was one that may have been bought in haste, it still made a difference years later!