Category: greeting cards

Storytime. This one’s from many years ago. Beth’s marriage had ended unexpectedly and she found herself needing to learn to drive so she could ferry the kids around. After a frantic few weeks grinding gears and learning the road rules, Beth got her licence. I found out about this because Gary, her second eldest came in and told me. “I’ve got to find a card for mum,” he said, “she got her driver’s licence and us kids want to give her a card. Is there a card for that?”

I found the one card we had. “She’ll like that,” said Gary, as he pulled out a handful of coins to pay. He was thrilled to find a perfect fit card.

We still have a card for people who get their driver’s licence. We don’t sell that many, but when we do, people usually tell us the story. We love that.

Storytime. We got a lesson in being a prankster a few months ago by Shirley, a 92-year-old who visited every Thursday before the lockdown, when the nursing home bus came into town. Shirley loved giving birthday cards. This day, she put a 18^th birthday card at the counter. “I need your help with a prank,” Shirley smiled cheekily. “My great great grandson Tom is a prankster. He’s turning 18 and I always give $100 for their 18^th.” I was intrigued. “Okay.” Shirley took out a pen and wrote on the card and put a $100 note carefully in the middle. “Now,” Shirley said, “I hope I can borrow some double-sided tape from you.”  I gave Shirley the tape and watched as she proceed to stick the card together, from the inside, carefully using the double-sided tape. Then, she stuck double sided tape on the border of the back of the card before carefully putting it in the envelope, ensuring it was well stuck. Shirley beamed at what she had done.

Who knew that sometimes a birthday card was a perfect prop for an awesome prank on a great great grandson! Customers teach us the most wonderful things.

Storytime. “She’s so sad,” twenty-something Mick said, “I want to give her something, but I don’t know what.” Mick is a local tradie and regular in the shop. His mum’s mum had passed away a few weeks earlier. “I want to give her something, so she knows I care but not over the top like.” “How about a candle?,” I said. “A candle?” Mick seemed unsure. “Yeah. We have these Aussie made candles. They last for ages. The scent is fresh and calm, like the bush. Maybe your mum could light it each night in memory.”

Mick bought the candle. A couple of weeks later he told us how much it meant to his mum to light the candle each night. “Thanks,” he said with a smile.

Some days, it’s not what we sell but the stories we hear that bring us the most joy.

Storytime. Joe is 89 years old. He lives in a nursing home. When he moved there, he was limited as to what he could bring. The old shoebox with the collection of cards he’d received was the first thing he chose.

In that box are cards from his time as a local community Aussie rules coach. Parents and players had written cards over the years and Joe had kept them. “Each card is a memory”, he says with a smile, looking through his collection.

The oldest card Joe has is from 40 years ago from a player grateful for Joe’s help. Here it is so many years on, making Joe’s day.

Greeting cards hold the most wonderful memories.