Birthday Cards Tips

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Do you have any suggestions for birthday quotes I could use?

Use Birthday Quotes

Whether you're at a loss for words or just want to add something extra on the inside of a birthday card, birthday quotes can help make a card funnier or more meaningful. Here are some ideas for birthday quotes to inspire, draw smiles, and maybe even a teary eye or two.

"Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made."
-Robert Browning

"A true friend remembers your birthday but not your age."
-Unknown

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."
-Les Brown

"Getting old ain't for sissies."
-Betty Davis

"Men are like wine. Some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with age."
-C.E.M. Joad

"As you get older three things happen. The first is your memory goes and I can't remember the other two."
-Sir Norman Wisdom

"At 20 years of age the will reigns; at 30 the wit; and at 40 the judgment."
-Ben Franklin

"After 30, a body has a mind of its own."
-Bette Midler

"The years between fifty and seventy are the hardest. You are always being asked to do things, and yet you are not decrepit enough to turn them down."
-T.S. Eliot

"Age is something that doesn't matter, unless you are a cheese."
-Billie Burke

   
Do you have any ideas for unusual birthday cards?

Unusual Birthday Cards

The typical birthday cards come on cardstock, fold in half, and have the requisite matching envelope. However, if you want to get a little imaginative, you don't have to stick to the familiar standards for birthday cards. We've gathered a list of unusual birthday cards for those who want to change things up a little.

Puzzle Card – When the birthday recipient opens up the envelope, he won't find a card, but puzzle pieces instead. Your job is to create the message and image that goes on the puzzle pieces for the birthday boy.

Sweet Card Treat – Say “Happy Birthday” with chocolate. You can order a printable chocolate birthday card complete with text and images for the sweet-toothed birthday loved one.

Soap Card – Keep it clean with a birthday soap card. These unusual birthday cards are designed as actual soap to go in the tub.

   
Can you tell me how printable birthday cards work?

Printable Birthday Cards At The Touch Of A Button

Need to get a birthday card now, but don't feel like fighting the rush hour traffic? If you're comfortable browsing online and have basic skills with the computer and printer, you can create your own printable birthday cards from home, the office, or wherever you have access to the Internet and a computer.

You'll need the following items:

  • Greeting card paper (You can find these at most stationery and office supply stores.)
  • Coordinating Envelopes
  • Color Printer
  • Computer
  • Internet Access

What you need to do:
  • Locate a Website which has printable birthday cards like Hallmark or Hewlett Packard.
  • Follow the Website instructions for downloading.
  • Load your greeting card paper into your printer.
  • Set your printer to the appropriate high quality print setting.
  • Print page.
  • Finish card with a fold.

   
Can you give me some sources for sending birthday e-cards?

Use Birthday E-cards To Send A Message

Sending birthday e-cards is a great way to wish friends, family, and loved ones a warm message on their birthdays. Whether you need to send out a last minute card in a pinch, want to schedule a card to be sent on a specific date, or want to brighten someone's birthday while they're at work, birthday e-cards are a personalizable, fun way to show you care. Not sure where to go to get your birthday e-cards? Try the Websites of these places for starters:

  • American Greetings provides free birthday e-cards as well as versions for paying members only. You can find a large selection of cards for mom, dad, grandparents, your best buddy, or whoever is on your birthday wish list.
  • Blue Mountain typically features a free e-card along with a selection of cards for paying members.
  • Hallmark allows you to select from a range of birthday e-cards which you can personalize with your own message. Choose from all types of versions from humorous to classic.
  • Evite.com isn't just for sending out invitations. For contemporary looking birthday e-cards, you can visit their Website to send out a birthday wish.

   

Unusual Birthday Cards

It only comes once a year and a birthday is a special day. No matter what day of the year, there was bound to be major events that occurred on the same day. Birthday scrolls take us back in history to big events that happened on the same day. The scrolls also show how much things like milk and bread cost the day the birthday girl or boy was born. These keepsakes are a fun way to celebrate someone's birthday, as well as learn interesting facts about that date in history. The scrolls typically have the person's name and a page full of facts.

   
What is common etiquette for birthday greeting cards?

Etiquette For Birthday Greeting Cards

While signing and sending birthday greeting cards to people you know should be a simple task, there are still some basic etiquette you should follow. If you're unsure of what the decorum is, these etiquette guidelines for birthday greeting cards will help make sure you don't commit any social faux pas.

  • Do always sign your name and write a brief note when sending birthday greeting cards to friends.
  • Don't sign your last name if the birthday card is going out to someone you know well.
  • Do mail birthday greeting cards to the office if it is for a business associate.
  • Don't forget to use more discretion when considering an off-the-wall or humorous card for a boss or supervisor.
  • Do send a belated birthday card rather than forgoing one completely just because you're just a few days late.
  • Don't send a religious card unless you are sure it is appropriate for the birthday recipient's beliefs.

   
How can I make my own printable birthday card?

Printable Birthday Card Software

You can find printable birthday card software that lets you create fun, personalized cards and invitations. You don't need a fancy printer, although a color one is nice. And you don't need to be especially graphically creative. Most of the printable birthday card software offers you pre-built templates so you can choose colors, greeting, and pictures and have it all come together and look professional.

Don't get carried with using too many fonts or colors on your printable birthday card. Pick a few and keep the overall look clean and simple.

   
Where can I find a free birthday card?

Free Birthday Card Online

You can find a free birthday card at many places online. All you need to know is the email address. Many of the online cards allow you to customize the greeting and the music. Some let you schedule the card's delivery date and time in advance.

If you don't want to send an electronic birthday card, find a web site or software that offers a free birthday card you can print. Printable birthday cards can be customized with unique greetings and pictures. If you print a lot of birthday cards, buy a box of "invitation envelopes" so they'll fit properly inside.

   
What is a birthday e-card?

Birthday E-Card

A birthday e-card is a fun and affordable way to send birthday greetings to friends and family who have an email account. The recipient will typically get an email message from the birthday e-card company that includes a link for them to click so they can view their e-card.

*You can often elect to get notified when the card has been viewed so you can be sure they "got" their card. You can personalize the message to include a short note, select different music, and preview the card before sending.

   
How do I make printable birthday cards?

Save Money With Printable Birthday Cards

Buying birthday cards can be quite costly. The card itself usually has a price tag of two to four dollars. Add on the expense of using gas to drive to the local gift shop to pick up a card and you just may have spent more on the card than you spent on some of the birthday gifts. Printable birthday cards are a great way to save money and they are so quick to make that they don't take up a lot of extra time.

To make printable birthday cards, you will need some nice lightweight cardstock, a printer and a computer program that makes birthday cards. If you don't have a special desktop publishing software program, the standard word processing software on most computers usually offers several options for printable greeting cards.

First, open your word processing software and search for a greeting card template. Sometimes, you will find that there is not a template already on your computer, but there are templates available as free downloads on the software company's website. Open the template and make a personalized version of the card.

Put your cardstock in the printer tray. Make sure the printer is on and has plenty of ink in the cartridges. You may want to use your software's print preview option to double check that everything looks like it should before you hit the print button. Print out the card and fold it according to the template instructions. Now, all you need to do is tuck it in an envelope.

   
How can I remember to send a birthday card to everyone?

Birthday Card Perpetual Reminder

Whether you send an animated electronic birthday card or a handmade paper one you created yourself, the recipient will enjoy being remembered. If you have trouble remembering when to send a birthday card, get a perpetual calendar and record the birthdays of your friends and family on it.

If you have birthdays near the beginning of the month that you won't see until you flip the page over, write yourself a reminder a week before the end of the month. If you use an electronic appointment book, add birthday reminders a week or two before the dates.

   
What gift can I include inside a birthday card?

Birthday Card and Gift Certificates

Birthday cards with a photo of you and the birthday person in it are fun. The photo in the birthday card can be recent or old. Pictures of toddlers at earlier birthdays are sure to get a laugh from the older child or teenager. For an affordable gift, include a gift certificate for some activity with your birthday card. Want some suggestions?

  • Young parents will appreciate an evening of babysitting.
  • Children will enjoy a promised trip to the zoo or a train ride.
  • College-aged kids typically appreciate a gift of a trip to the grocery store once they live out of the dorms and begin to understand how much effort it can be to go shopping.
  • Older parents and grandparents will surely enjoy a certificate for some help with the bigger chores, like a day of yard cleanup or garage organization.

   
What are the benefits of using online birthday cards?

Tips for Using Printable Online Birthday Cards

If you're in need of a birthday card fast, but don't have time to stop by the store, you may want to take a look at printable online birthday cards. These cards are fun and easy to make, since the website does all the work for you. To make printable online birthday cards, you should:

  • Look for a website that offers printable birthday cards that can be personalized. Some of these sites offer a wide range of personalization options, such as choosing cartoon characters for the card front, making images black and white or printing them in full color, selecting different fonts and text color and adding your own message to the traditional birthday greeting.
  • Consider joining a fee based printable greeting card site if you send a large quantity of cards. These sites often have a massive number of options and are a bit fancier than free options. Look for sites that offer a free trial period so you can be sure you like the user interface before you have to pay a monthly fee.
  • If you have a photo available, you may want to look for printable birthday cards that have space for a picture. Receiving a card that has the sweet face of a grandchild on it can really make the recipient's day special.

   
Are there any problems with giving funny birthday cards?

Tips for Giving Funny Birthday Cards

Funny birthday cards are almost as common as sweet, sentimental cards. However, there are a few tricks to successfully giving humorous cards to people on their birthdays. To make sure a funny birthday card is appreciated by the recipient, you should:

  • Avoid cards that deal with a subject the recipient is sensitive about. For example, someone who is dieting will probably not appreciate a card with a pig wallowing in cake on it. People who are not happy about turning forty may be upset by a card that says they are getting old and decrepit.
  • Make sure you do not choose a card that is suggestive or vulgar, no matter how much the recipient would be amused by it, if it will be opened in front of clergy, parents, or bosses. If you absolutely have to give a funny, but inappropriate card, on a formal occasion, buy a second, generic birthday card for the birthday boy or girl to open at the event and give the funny card to him or her with instructions to save it for later.
  • Consider making your own funny card by using a candid, silly photo from a past event on the card's cover and referring to the event inside. The personal touch will make this one funny card that won't get recycled very quickly!

   
Can I make my own printable birthday card?

Printable Birthday Card and Photos

Looking for birthday card tips? If you have a color printer available, printable birthday cards are fun for kids to make for their friends . Let your children pick the picture they like, type in or select a simple greeting, then print the card.

Older kids can do the folding themselves while younger ones may need a little help. Have them sign their name to add a personalized touch. Rather than standard graphic clipart pictures, you can have your child create their own picture if you want. Or use a photo of your child or a photo of your child and their friend for the ultimate personalized printable birthday card.

   
Where can I find good birthday quotes?

Finding Memorable Birthday Quotes

For people who make their own birthday cards, one of the biggest challenges can be figuring out what to say inside the completed card. Luckily, there are quite a few great ways to find memorable birthday quotes. To find quotes for your handmade birthday cards, you should:

  • Head to the library. Quotation books compile quotes on a huge variety of topics, including birthday quotes. There are some great birthday observations from famous people that would be the perfect finishing touch for birthday cards.
  • Check the internet. Bartlett's Quotations has gone digital with its quotation books and they can be searched online free of charge.
  • Visit the local craft store. Many rubber stamp lines sell stamps of various phrases. Ink one up and stamp it inside the card. These are especially useful for people who do not have pretty handwriting.
  • Look for rub-ons. These little decals can only be used once, but there are some lovely birthday sentiments on some of them. To use them, cut out the phrase you want on the card, place it on the card with the words right side up and gently rub across the surface of the plastic until the words adhere to the cardstock beneath. Usually, you can tell that the phrase has attached itself to the cardstock when the letters become a much lighter shade of black than they were before.

   
What should I know about sending birthday ecards?

Get the Most Out of Birthday Ecards

Birthday ecards are a great way to send a last minute greeting on birthdays. They can make up for cards that are lost in the mail and can help you avoid admitting that you've lost your sister's new home address for the third time. They can also be a great way to avoid the increasingly expensive use of postal stamps. However, not all free birthday ecards are equal. To be sure you get the most out of your birthday ecard, you should:

  • Be sure you use a reputable website to send the card. You don't want to include the surprise bonus of a computer virus or spamware with your greeting!
  • Make sure the recipient knows to open the ecard by sending an additional email with a quick note that you just sent a legitimate ecard his or her way. Because spammers are making heavy use of ecards, the person receiving the card may be afraid to open it without knowing it came from you.
  • Think about making the ecard extra special with the addition of a virtual gift card. Many online only stores and brick and mortar stores that have websites sell gift cards that can be sent through email as a code. Frequently, they will also allow the buyer to choose a personalized ecard to make the virtual gift certificate a bit more memorable.

   
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Sherril Steele-Carlin