Tag Archives: birthday

Vintage Greeting Cards: Birthday

April 13, 2023Memories, Series, ThingsAmerican greetings, birthday, Found items, mom, vintage greeting cardsDona

My mom had a box of greeting cards that, as a child, I loved looking at. Some were funny; some were saccharin sweet. Looking at them now, some are insensitive.

Today I’m going to upload the birthday cards.

A Birthday Greeting For Our Mother (American Greetings)

This is a saccharin sweet one. Reading it hurts my teeth a little. I really like the illustration though.

A birthday greeting for our mother. Ink drawing of a corner in possibly Savannah GA or New Orleans LA with a colorful flower cart in the foreground — Front

Though we sometimes take for granted all the nice things that you do, your words of praise, your helpful ways your love -- and even you. There's nust no moment in the day No day in all the year when you're not loved and wished the joys You hope for, Mother Dear — Front

Birthday Greetings (card company not specified)

This one is not as pretty as the one above, but also not as sugary.

Birthday Greetings. Illustration of a bouquet of pink, red, and white roses

Remembering you on your birthday and wishing every happiness today and always.

On Your Day, Mom (American Greetings)

This one is insensitive, I think. It’s obviously about someone from a rural area, possibly in the hills and/or South. Using the word “ain’t” and misspelling poem and sure continue the myth that those people are not smart.

On your day, mom. I aint real good at sayin' nice things. I never wrote no pome -- But this li'l ol' thought comes straight from my heart... Illustration of a red-haired woman in a flowery bonnet wearing a dress and a burlap apron standing next to a pig.

You shore make home sweet home. Happy Birthday Mom

On Your Birthday A Cup of Friendship (card company not specified)

This is sweet — not too sweet. I might actually use it someday.

On your birthday a cup of friendship. Illustration of a decorated coffee pot, cup of coffee, and a rose stem.

Greetings on Your Birthday (card company not specified)

I like this one okay too. I will probably use it too.

Greetings on your birthday. Illustration of a spinning wheel that's been turned into a planter.

Illustration of a spinning wheel that's been turned into a planter.

From Both of Us, Mother, on Your Birthday (American Greetings)

This one is okay. I don’t like the illustration though.

From both of us, Mother, on your birthday. We're just two busy little bees buzzin' in to say we're hoping that you're going to have... Illustration of fanciful bees carrying buckets of honey and flying over flowers.

A honey of a day! Happy Birthday Mother. Illustration of two overflowing buckets of honey.

Happy Birthday, Niece (American Greetings)

This one’s a hoot. I might send it to one of Dean’s nieces. I’m not sure my only actual niece would get the humor.

Happy Birthday Niece. Three cheers for a Niece who is really dear. Illustration of a cheerleader in a yellow top and red skirt holding pompoms and standing next to a megaphone on a sports field.

And hip hip Hooray 'Cause her birthday is here.

Wishing You Lots of Birthday Fun (card company not specified)

Wishing you lots of birthday fun. Illustration of a skating female with long brown hair wearing a button-down shirt, red skirt, and flower bonnet, carrying a purse and a bouquet of flowers

You're one year older now and so this brings a special big "hello" and special wishes just to say "Have lots and lots of fun all day". Happy Birthday

For Your Birthday (card company not specified)

This one is pretty and I will probably use it.

For your birthday. Drawings of swans swimming in a pond surrounded by lily pads and reeds

A swan on a pond surrounded by lily pads and reeds

Birthday Note to My Dad

February 7, 2023Familybirthday, Dad, date night, noteDona

I wasn’t sure what the movie that we missed out on was or what restaurant we went to, but I remember the jazz bar where we listened to new-age jazz (I don’t know why I put them in quotation marks). It was a dive bar where one could hear live bands at the time. Since then it’s been a German Octoberfest kind of restaurant and a Belgian Mussel bar kind of place. I am not sure the building is even there anymore.

My dad’s birthday was March 7 — I was always late sending cards and gifts. Still am. It’s kind of pathetic that I spent much of the birthday letter berating myself for it being late.

We hardly ever had a babysitter, so this was pretty special. Too bad we didn’t really enjoy it.

March 6, 1996

Dear Dad,

As you can tell from the date, I won’t get this mailed in time to get to you for your birthday. I always have good intentions, but don’t act on them. Sorry once again.

Hope you had a great birthday. Your present will be even later than this letter. Mailing things just isn’t my favorite thing to do. If I had been smart I would have gotten you something and mailed last Friday when I mailed Brandon’s gift. (Don’t feel bad, I also mailed a gift to Chris Culler, Diane’s son, whose birthday was in January.)

The kids are drawing pictures. Dean is doing the dishes. I am really tired. I think it is the pollen in the air. (or could it be the late nights and early mornings?)

We got a babysitter last weekend. It was a “teacher” from the kids’ day care. I think we will use her again. She played with the kids the entire time. They both woke up asking for her.

Actually I think the kids had a better time than we did. The restaurant where we ate was overpriced and not so good (the food was delicious, not exquisite). Then we didn’t get into the movie we wanted to see. We ended up at a “fern bar” listening to “new-age jazz” played by a clone of Terry O’Connor. The music was fine but I ended up having too much chardonnay.

The kids found out it was your birthday and now you have a bunch of drawings for the fridge.

We love and miss you.

Love,
Dean, Dona, Clare, and Andrew