Birthday Cards - A Brief History

Have you noticed just how large the card section at your local grocery store has become? Did you know that there are entire businesses devoted to the selling of cards? One of the biggest occasions is someone’s birthday, and the sheer volume of available cards leaves many a would-be customer somewhat breathless in the attempt to score just the right card for the occasion. The gambit of birthday cards runs from the cute and funny, to the raunchy and oblique. Yet, have you ever wondered just where this custom originated?

It is said that birthday celebrations did not take place until people found ways of recording time. Obviously, this makes a lot of sense and if we consider that in those days Paganism was still the recognized religion of most, the fears of evil spirits dominated the thought and feelings of people. It was feared that spirits were on the attack and a person would be most vulnerable at the exact moment of the anniversary of their birth. Thus, elaborate rituals were conceived that sought to protect someone from an onslaught of negative energy. One of the most important components in the fight against this evil force was the counteraction with good energy, which caused friends and relatives to come out in droves and bring well wishes to the birthday celebrant. Wishes for happiness, a long life, health, prosperity, perhaps the finding of a spouse or birth of a child, and any other positive wish were thought to vanquish the evil spirits that lurked around the person on that date.

When you look at today’s variety of birthday cards, you can easily discern that very little with respect to well wishes has changed. Each card contains a host of well wishes, some in a joking some in a religious vein, but always with happy thoughts and words of encouragement following. It is thought that England was the birthplace of the modern birthday card. Originally only the rich were able to afford to commission and purchase these elaborately manufactured cards, but very soon the idea caught on and almost everyone was able to afford to purchase cards. Other decided to make their own cards, which is a trend that is gaining new popularity these days with the advent of rubber stamps. Children love to make cards by hand, and their eagerness to apply stickers, draw hearts, and scribble their own well-wishes is superseded only by the recipients’ eagerness to receive these little treasures.

Finding That Perfect Happy Birthday Card

If you've never tried sending happy birthday cards online, that next special birthday of someone you know is your perfect opportunity. Check out what the Internet has to offer. You won't be disappointed.

Unless you're still a kid, that inescapable yearly occasion they call, the birthday, can get a little redundant. Once you hit your forties and fifties, the routine becomes all too familiar. There's another year that just whizzed by. They always go by faster as you age. Wel...

If you've never tried sending happy birthday cards online, that next special birthday of someone you know is your perfect opportunity. Check out what the Internet has to offer. You won't be disappointed.

Unless you're still a kid, that inescapable yearly occasion they call, the birthday, can get a little redundant. Once you hit your forties and fifties, the routine becomes all too familiar. There's another year that just whizzed by. They always go by faster as you age. Well, regardless of when you were born, you know that you can always count on happy birthday cards. These sometimes inspiring, little birthday wishes can make your day. Let's face it, we all want to be remembered on our birthdays.

Ever since I was a small child, I can recall getting birthday cards. No offense to my Mom and Dad, but they were typically pretty corny. Come on, you know the ones. As I grew older, I realized that it was now my responsibility to remember the birthdays of others. This was a problem. I was terrible at remembering the birthdays of my family and friends, and forget the happy birthday cards. If you're like me, you made that late phone call one too many times, regarding a birthday that happened the previous day. Well, fortunately this does not have to be a constant problem any longer.

The prices have gone up. You can send that special birthday wish on your computer for free. The cool thing about these happy birthday cards is that they can even be animated. That's much more fun than receiving the old-school paper cards via snail mail. In addition, this new way to send happy birthday cards only takes a minute. No matter what time of day, you can send it instantly through your email account. No more worrying about the card arriving on time.

Happy birthday cards were always available at the drug stores. Someone is getting older, you head to the drugstore to get a card, but then you forget to send it or you mail it too late. If this is your problem, then check out the happy birthday cards online. You no longer have to rely on the store down the street.

Today you can send electronic happy birthday cards. Believe me, this is a truly great invention. If you have a home computer and Internet connection, jump online and check out the different ways you can send happy birthday cards via email. Don't bother with the hassles of stamps anymore.