I know what you mean. Cards just say too much! Hallmark is the worst.

I usually buy them at the Dollar Tree or Trader Joes where they have dollar cards as well. Nice cards.

Understood. They just want you to expend more Moolah. Buy a more generic card... if available. Hope you can find!

My vice is buying really nice cards. I go to Papyrus. I especially enjoy seeing the person open the card. They are appreciated, no doubt.

Are Hallmark stores still around? I used to love them.

I agree with the selection out there. It is pretty pathetic when you have to look through many cards and still not find something appropriate.

I guess the best is to go generic and add an extra sentiment when signing the card.

Another vote for Dollar Tree!

I may have to go there. Last time I went to the Hallmark store (for Christmas cards) was even more confusing than the grocery store. There you have the from the dog or cat cards. My dogs never bothered to send me a card.

I really dislike buying greeting cards. As you say, there is never one that is "just right", and they are SOOO expensive! I know personally, we get them, they sit on the counter for a few days, then they get tossed. Such a waste, but I'm sure not going to keep them!

My friend sends out hundreds of cards each year. I think she sends out 300 Christmas cards from her business, and 100 personal. Plus cards for every holiday, even St Patrick's Day and such. The postage alone is through the roof! But, that's her thing.

I heard/read somewhere that the cards from the dollar stores are not only $1.00 but they are made in this country. The more expensive cards are imported. I am not sure if this is completely true or not but it is an interesting theory.

I really like the cards from Trader Joe's. I stock up when I see ones I like. Also appreciate they have some with blank insides.

Yes to Dollar Tree and Trader Joe's. In addition I find blank cards (or even a box of blank cards ) are great and multi purpose. You always have them and you write a little note or wish and no special trip out- you are covered.

Aok, I understand what you mean by not keeping the ones you receive. They really add up. So I just keep special ones. Like this one my daughter sent when she first started College. Stamp is faded by now, but I was so tickled to find it in my mailbox.

I make my own cards and personalize them for whoever is the receiver. I'll never buy another card.

I subscribe to Jacquie Lawson and send electronic greeting cards. I'm not paying $5-7 for a card and then 50cents for a stamp.

I get irked trying to find appropriate cards for people like my mother-in-law. She’s not a fluffy flowery person so the usual Hallmark offering is not right, but neither is the “humorous” “Wow! You’re so old!” Or the “since it’s your birthday go out and drink until you fall down or have sex with every guy that passes” card either. It’s really hard to find witty and amusing cards, but there are a few specialty stores that carry them.

Colleenoz, that’s funny and how my search is going. I will check the Dollar Store, don’t have a Trader Joe’s around. What kind of store are you using?

Moonie, I just discovered a couple of weeks ago that I could make my own cards on Walgreen's website. It's so much fun to make a really personalized card with my own pictures and my own message and it costs less than $2 per card!!! Now they say exactly what I want them to say. Love it!!!

When I was buying cards I looked at the whole selection for my picks. Sometimes the cards were not in the "correct area" but by adding a happy birthday, sympathy, get well soon, or retirement message on the inside they fit the occasion and the person.

Another vote for Dollar store and Trader Joe's! I was recently at a Hallmark store and noticed the average price for a card is about $4.75 - 5.50 and those were just regular cards, nothing fancy.

How many of you save the cards given to you? I just recently threw away the majority of 2 large storage bins of cards I've had for almost 40 years. I had kept every card given to me, my kids and DH, from family and friends, including get well, sympathy, etc.. I whittled my pile down to one small storage bin. I kept very special events, milestones, but felt so guilty throwing the others out.

I don't save cards, but I like to send and receive them. To me, it's like sending or receiving a little gift. If I sent/received flowers or cookies, those would be gone in a little while, too, so I don't worry about throwing cards away. I guess it's not the most ecologically friendly thing to do, though. I usually can find exactly the card I want as there are so many available, but I'm definitely going to check out Walgreen's...thanks, Murraysmom!

I tried e-cards for a while, but the problem was that no one wanted to open the link, being afraid of setting off a virus, so I stopped.

I dislike ecards because they feel like a minimum effort thing to me. But that’s me.

Iris, the stores I go to are off the wall bookstores that sell hard to find books as well as unusual cards, and in Australia, so I don’t think that helps you all that much, sorry.

Cards are one of my biggest pet peeves. TOTAL waste of money, especially when people purchase them so THEY themselves don't have to write anything personal or directly to the recipient. I have received some amazing homemade cards--as in the scrapbooking type, but again, in the end, it is a personal message that holds the meaning and makes them worth the stamp, IMHO. "Too religious" for EASTER--LOL that is an oxymoron. Pet Peeve #2 people who celebrate RELIGIOUS holidays i.e. (HOLY + DAYS) and then complain about God's presence in them.

Since my kids live overseas and I don't mail many cards to them, I did just mail them each a Lovepops card for their birthdays in February. They were expensive, I think 13.00 apiece and 2.00 to mail, but the cards were so cute. They are pop up cards, really quite artistic. They loved them. When your standard old Hallmark card is 6.00, I thought I might as well splurge and get them something cute.

Switch to postcards?

I use LovePops when it is really special. They can run $10 or $15 each. You can personalize and have mailed to the person. I think they are online only. I don't send that many cards so it is okay for me. Check them out. They are called Love Pops because when you open them they are all pop up cards. Beautiful.

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I like Trader Joe’s cards, they only cost 99 cents which is nice.

Yes, I don't do e-cards.

Arcy: I send cards out for Christmas/Solstice (not Christian here, but it is a family occasion and a winding down end of year occasion, and I love the whole ambiance of décor and good cheer. My recipients are a combination of Christian, Jewish folk, Pagans, a couple of Buddhists in there, plus a few non-affiliated types. It's a nice touch and so yes, there are those of us who don't want to blast people with religious sentiments neither of us may be part of -- although I welcome religious and non-religious cards from whomever the sender may be, if it expresses who they are.) I love decorating with the cards I get.

I don't send for Easter - I will send cards for select birthdays - my nieces and my great nephew. And of course sympathy cards. And I write something in each card, even if it is the pile that goes out for Christmas/Solstice.

I will save cards for a couple of years, then out they go. Except I still have, and have framed, a holiday card from a friend of mine from Goa, India, who sent out hand made cards one year with betel leaves on them, and a drawing of an Indian woman. That one is hanging in my office.

When we were kids, we'd make each other cards - my brother and I, to give to each other or to our parents, for birthdays. Something I should get back into now that I am retired!!

I bought a couple of the Lovepop cards for Christmas. I actually learned of them because of a paper catalog in the mail, so I don’t know if it is just online. They are expensive, but really well made.

I am going to look into Lovepops!

A friend does Shutterfly and put personal pictures of us. They're fun to receive.

I have an idea- how about some pretty stationery, say perhaps flowers or your initial? inside write the family or individual a nice message just from YOU.

A phone call is free and you can say exactly what you want to say.

I'm inspired now to get rid of all the Christmas and birthday cards I have that are taking up so much room. My mom lived with me for a couple of years and of course brought her stuff with her. When she passed and I was going through some stuff I found all the cards (hers and my dad's) that she had saved. It was fun to go through them but there isn't really much of a reason to keep them now (17 years later!).

But, artemis, your saying about framing a card reminded me of a card my sister gave me. I lived away for 25 years and my coming back was a big deal, so my sister gave me this card. I was so touched by it I framed it and have it in my room. It's 20 years this year that I came home again.

I used to love my Hallmark Card Studio program that I bought for the computer. I could write my own verse, change the fronts, etc. Since I was into rubber stamping at that time I had all kinds of embellishments that I could add if I wanted to. Now though, quite a few family members have passed away so there isn't that many to send birthday or anniversary cards to( about 4 people) so I just buy them at Dollar Tree. I was curious though so just looked on Amazon and they have the newer Hallmark programs but decided it just wasn't economical anymore for me to go that route. I gave a Hallmark Studio card yesterday to a friend for her birthday that I had made some time ago. . The verse was perfect for her!

I don't buy cards. I make all of my cards. I enjoy it and the recipients know that a lot of my time and love went into making the card.

I like the cards in bookstores and museum shops. They're not specific to any occasion, but they often turn out to feel just right for a specific person, and there are lots that are not mushy or cutesy or offensive.

When I buy cards I buy the expensive ones with music and such. They are obnoxious and fun! Mostly for my grandparents birthdays as they seem to get a kick out of them.

The last one I bought I had to get special postage since it was square and the postage ended up being like $4 or $5. I was surprised!

Other than those and thank you cards, I don't do many cards. Hubby and I used to exchange them but we don't do gifts anymore.

I can count on one hand the number of cards I've purchased in the last 20 years. I don't make them, either. I consider them a waste of money, and I don't even like receiving them -- they're just more clutter!

If the occasion warrants, I do write a nice letter on pretty stationery.

Those of you getting rid of cards could ask around and see if there are any groups who could use them. Our local library accepts them every year for various projects, and I’ve heard of senior centers taking them, too. I usually cut the front off and drop those off, and put the message/back of the card in the recycle bin. I’ve saved some especially pretty ones to make gift tags out of this year.

Blank cards! Love them. And, I used to do this, I would make my own. Nothing fancy. Just some construction paper and I would paste on a picture I found.

In my group of friends we consider them "good mail" as opposed to the usual clutter and bills that the postman delivers and we treat each other with them regularly. We also make our own--each person with their own unique style.

I save cards. Sometimes if I like the picture I will even frame them. I always prefer a paper card to an e-card.

Oh, parents just love it when their children get 'musical cards'! It's the equivalent of giving someone's pet a squeaky toy. (Will Drive You Crazy.)

Especially when the batterie is starting to give up or something else goes wrong and it’s starting to sound really scary!

Want appreciation?

No card - just a newsy letter, bringing friends/loved ones up to date.

ole joyfuelled

I make all of the Christmas cards we send. Birthday, sympathy and other holiday cards, not so much anymore. Birthdays always seem to sneak up on me so they go out late. Even though I have a number of stamp sets for sympathy cards, I just haven't quite gotten the knack for them. I need to work on that, and get some made ahead. I usually keep cards for several years before tossing them. I know when I start cleaning out the house I am going to find many from our KT card exchanges!