Not sure why you feel Etsy is a rabbithole? You could try being more specific in your search and get less results?

OK my bad . . . I ended up answering my own question. A simple google found me the old "Current" card company. My late Mother used to buy lots of cards from them, in fact some of the cards I mentioned that I already have are old Current cards of hers. So anyway, they had some lovely sympathy cards, even on sale, and good customer service. However, did not really solve my immediate problem as I need the cards now and they couldn't guarantee shipping until after the New Year. Not their fault, I imagine all mail order businesses are having this problem. We are still awaiting some Christmas gifts ordered way earlier . . . but anyway, great company, https://www.currentcatalog.com/

I'm going to try and find a place locally where I can look at their inventory online and just do a quick in and out. Our local stores are so crowded right now, and I don't want to spend a lot of time looking around for things . . . . Our local retail is pretty much down to Walmart and the Dollar stores . . . and the chain pharmacies. We had a lovely card, gift and bookstore where I shopped for decades, but it closed down five years ago . . .

Edited to add thanks MTN! Those cards are gorgeous. Just my style. You are amazing! I don't know why I seem to have so much trouble finding what I want on Etsy, but that's been my experience . . . I love the site but I just don't seem to find things that closely match my taste. How you managed to do it right off the bat amazes me!

I totally understand about Etsy. I have found that being really specific, even if you think the system won't get it, works. Same thing with google. My kids are always saying "how'd you find that?" I tell them type it in as if you were talking to a crystal ball; you;'d be amazed.

Glad you like them, I did too. And hopefully no one would get duplicates when you choose from Etsy.

it's so sad, Etsy has changed for the worse. overrun by people selling their horrible made-in-china crap that looks like it came from hobby lobby. they might print your name on it or something, and somehow that puts it in the category of "homemade". I still go to esty sometimes, but less and less.

BTW: one the first things I do is filter it for US shops, and set the price so it's not super cheap. it helps.

mtnrdredux_gw -- glad you found some good cards. they're beautiful.

Had a very disappointing errand run trying to find some cards. I need ten sympathy cards! One close family friend died and she had five kids, all people I grew up with but scattered now across the country so I need a card for each child's family. The cheapest cards were $3.00 each. There was a big sign in the American Greetings aisle that said buy two cards and get two dollars off, but you needed a special app and special coupon to get the savings, neither of which I could manage to download in the store . . . pft. Just as well I don't like a lot of apps on my phone. I got three cards which was 9 dollars plus tax. Will get me started but I am going to start just writing some notes on some plain note paper until my card stash that I ordered arrives. Funny that had an entire aisle of thank you cards, but no other kind, even very little in the sets of plain cards, nothing appropriate for a sympathy note . . .

A heartfelt note is always a good alternative to a card. Unless the 5 children live together, you can send the same note to each one with just minor changes for personalization.

I keep some pretty floral or landscape cards that are blank inside on hand. They work as a good substitute for imprinted cards when you need a birthday, thank you or sympathy card quickly.

I've ordered some blank notecards from USPS earlier this year when I ordered stamps, so that's always another possibility to see what they have. And you get to support the postal service!

ETA, found some here: 10 sympathy cards from USPS

Yeah, I didn't realize how low I had gotten on my "Unspecified Event" cards . . . I have some but kind of getting to the bottom of the barrel. Luckily, I now have some online sources for resupply. One of the things I'm doing much more of in the pandemic is sending notes and cards . . . we used to have such a nice stationary store in town, that's where most of mine came from, and now very much down to the end, so sad to see the empty storefronts in my home town. This happened long before the pandemic hit . . . and now the Post Office is taking a hit . . .

I don't know about you guys and gals, but I'm taking great comfort in old school media these days--paper books and actual paper letters and cards . . . a couple folks from our church send out regular letters of encouragement. Such wonderful people out there . . . .

The Dollar Tree store has Hallmark cards that are very nice and a reasonable price.

Pink, stay out of the stores and do it online. At least Amazon puts money in people's pockets right now when so many have already lost their jobs.

https://www.bluemountain.com/cards/sympathy

https://www.bluemountain.com/ecards/sympathy

This topic really sums up the year, doesn't it?

The thing that meant the most to me after my parents passed was sharing a memory or a story, no matter what form it was in. I wouldn't feel limited to preprinted sympathy cards. A plain note card works. A card you print yourself works. A favorite photo you write a note on the back or a phone call are all acceptable. The only thing that really matters is letting them know you care and share their sense of loss. The mail is such a mess right now that things may go right through or might get lost for a month or more. The ecard or a phone call is more certain on delivery right now if timing matters.

I keep boxes of note cards on hand that work for any occasion. I think a personal note is more meaningful than a canned message. I don't know about the $ store, but Target, CVS, etc. usually have a decent selection of boxed notecards. Probably Etsy, too. Just a thought.

I use my personal stationery for sympathy notes. I usually have a couple of sets on hand and make sure there are always some that are simple in a darker/neutral color ink suitable for these types of notes. I use many different sources including Etsy. American Stationery, Crane, etc.

I tend to agree that a warm personal note of any kind is welcome and a special “sympathy card” is not required.

Truly sorry for the losses you are experiencing. Lousy end to an epically lousy year.

I use Postable for cards. I have truly awful handwriting and Postable allows you to pick a font and write what you want in the card. I find I write a bit more this way and it can actually be read! You can have the cards sent by Postable or they can send a box to your house.

Painfully sad, but friend's 20 year old son was killed in a car accident last week. This is the card that I sent. Sympathy

This is the card that I sent for Christmas this year. Card

This one is funny. Nuts

I want to keep people employed, I just prefer buying from actual companies that make the products and will ship their products out to me directly, not Amazon if possible. My husband worked for Amazon briefly, and another friend earlier on. I know all about what kind of company they are. Helping employees is not on their radar, long or short term. You are more expendable than a robot to them, they care not for any physical toll working there takes on you, so if you go into it with that in mind, you should be fine with the conditions. Let's be realistic about their business model, they are the world's largest warehouse and their genius disruption of the markets came from leveraging the Internet and creating search engines and the idea of customer reviews instead of interacting with a store clerk. They are not the only ones like this in the modern era though. I was just impressed with the actual online chat I had with a real person service representative at the Current card company. i used to be able to go to a brick and mortar store in my home town to buy Current cards, but such days are long gone sadly. I had also forgotten about Blue Mountain, I used to get their cards a lot. If I'm going to migrate to online, I want to deal online with the actual companies that operate similarly to a brick an mortar store, with knowledgeable employees focused on selling a high quality product and serving their customers so they will be loyal.

It seemed odd that there was an entire aisle almost of thank you notes in boxes at Walgreens, but little in the way of note cards to write a sympathy note on. I used to have many, have downsized my stock because I got tired of moving and unpacking it. But I am reclaiming my writing desk and so far it has stayed in one place for more than two years . . .