Hallmark Cards: I Absolutely REFUSED To Pay Those Prices...

[arwalden]

and walked out.

I love my partner and I love my family... but there's NO WAY I'll willingly pay the prices they expected for those cards. Outrageous.

My loved ones will just have to settle on a phone call, or a hug, or a simple face to face "I-love-you".

-- Allen

Maybe I should have bought some construction paper, safety scissors, and library paste. Perhaps next year.

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. I'm with you - I refuse to pay for them, too

Every now and again I might find a really funny birthday card, but I'm especially bothered by the whole "gotta send a pre-printed $2.50 Valentine's card" thing irritates me.

Couple years ago, I decided I'm sending hand-written notes, on really nice stationery. Much better, I think. And it forces me to express my rael sentiment, for whatever the occasion, whether birthday, valentines', sympathy, wedding, etc....

Amalfi note cards (hand-made paper from Italy - luscious!!) are less than the cost of a pre-printed card, and are beautiful in texture and look and ability to take ink. Wonderful paper!

[PDittie]

3. I was flabbergasted

recently paying 2.50 for a thank-you card.

I thought, isn't their business threatened by all of the e-greetings that people can send for free?

Why are they hastening their demise by alienating the last remaining of us who would send something handwritten on paper by gouging the crap out of us?

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. And considering that one can go to an arts and crafts show

and find people who make their own paper, and from that their own note cards, for the same price or less than Hallmark charges.

And by buying those, you're supporting a real bona fide artist.

Or just buy really good blank stationery - the Amalfi I mentioned before, which I use for special occasions and/or special people, or the C.M. Fabriano that I use for everything else.

[RamblingRose]

2. The Dollar General store up the street sells them for .50 each.

It's also a lot less crowded than the Evil-Mart across the street.

[eileen_d]

5. I did the "homemade valentine" thing this year

Quite literally with construction paper and safety scissors (I don't know if it was library paste though - just a glue stick)

I cut out a big purple heart and a little pink heart to go inside it. It was the most soul-soothing thing I've done in a while.

The best part was all my Valentines went to 4- and 5-years olds in a Head Start class where I volunteer. I got a few from the kids too... plus enough sugary treats to keep my up all weekend.

:loveya:

[RebelOne]

6. That's the reason that anyone who does not have an e-mail

address does not get a card. I do have some friends who do not have access to the Web, so it's cheaper to call them. I use the free e-card sites for those who have e-mail addresses.

[Beaker]

7. try the cards for children section-

they do have some cute ones with the right kind of sentiment- sometimes in a goofy sorta way...

I was at the store, looking for a card, found a couple that seemed ok, turned them over and got the same kind of sticker shock. As I walked down the card aisle toward the check-out, I came to the children's card section-
and that's where I got my wife a GREAT card for $1.99-

It's normal-sized, glossy red border/background around a close-up photo of a small dog wearing a red cowboy hat- jauntily tipped to one side, and a red bandana-
with the words "Hey Buckaroo!" across the top.
(cute dogs always work)

the ditty on the inside reads:

Nothin' Wild And Nothin' Rowdy-
Just A Little Valentine Howdy!

Happy Valentine's Day, Pardner!

and there's the whole blank inside left-hand side to write whatever you may want to add in your own words and by your own hand(works even better than the cute dog)

Just a suggestion...for next time if'n it's too late for this time.

happy V.D.

[NicoleM]

8. I make my own cards.

I have Publisher. That makes it easier. But Word would work, too, for something basic.