The 4th of July is All Fired Up!

Mindy on June 24, 2011

Independence Day on the fourth of July – a holiday sometimes called “America’s Birthday” – has long been associated with parades, barbeques, bonfires,  picnics and family reunions, as well as more public events like carnivals, concerts and – best of all from many people’s point of view – fireworks. We love to watch the spectacular sparks of brilliant color sizzling and bursting in the sky while we “ooh” and “aah.”

But when did the United States start celebrating Independence Day with fireworks?

Since making their way into Europe from the east in the 13h century, fireworks were commonly used at important public events and celebrations like religious festivals. When the Pilgrims sailed to the New World, they brought a love of fireworks with them – so much so that in 1731, Rhode Island passed a law banning the “unnecessary firing of guns, pistols, squibs or other Fire-works.” In 1751, Pennsylvania followed Rhode Island’s example.

On July 3, 1776, John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail (regarding the adoption of the Declaration of Independence): “The day… will be celebrated by succeeding generations… with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”
(source – Life Magazine: July 4, 1955)

The first public celebration of Independence Day occurred in 1777, when America was still at war with Britain and independence seemed far from assured. Since then, we’ve come to expect magnificent fiery displays lighting up the night sky on the Fourth of July to mark America’s Birthday with a bang!

Greeting Card Universe has many humorous or patriotic ways to send a “Happy Independence Day” to every member of your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors and everyone else you want to share in the celebration and say “Happy birthday, America!” with a smile.

Take PRIDE in Yourself

Mindy on June 17, 2011

June is National Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT)  Pride Month, first declared as National Gay and Lesbian Pride Month by President Bill Clinton in 2000, and changed to its current designation by presidential proclamation by President Barack Obama in 2009.

This month commemorates the Stonewall Riots which occurred in 1969 at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood in New York City, marking the beginning of the GLBT rights movement.

Many cities, GLBT organizations and associations around the world celebrate by holding events, rallies, festivals and parades during this month. You can check for events in your area by visiting InterPride, a non-profit organization promoting GLBT Pride internationally since 1982.

Greeting Card Universe has a rainbow of diverse and one-of-a-kind cards for announcing gay coming out, lesbian coming out, wedding/civil union congratulations, invitations, every holiday, support for GLBT youths and adults, and a whole lot more!

The History of Father’s Day

Mindy on June 10, 2011

How did the celebration known as Father’s Day come to be observed?

“Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him Father!”
—Lydia M. Child

In 1909, while listening to a religious sermon on Mother’s Day, Sonora Louise Smart Dodd conceived the idea of a day honoring fathers. Her own father, William Jackson Smart, a Civil War veteran, had raised her and her five siblings after their mother’s death in childbirth in 1898, and Dodd esteemed him highly.

The very first Father’s Day, though not yet officially recognized, was celebrated on June 19, 1910 in Spokane, Washington. The idea of a day celebrating fathers swept across the nation. In 1916, President Calvin Coolidge traveled to Spokane and spoke at a Father’s Day sermon as a token of his support. In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. Finally, in 1972—sixty-two years after the initial celebration—President Richard Nixon recognized Father’s Day as a permanent national observance.

Did you know in the past, it was customary to wear a red rose if your father was still alive, and a white rose if he had passed? In some countries, the tradition is still observed.

What are your plans this Father’s Day? Cooking him a delicious brunch doesn’t have to mean going to cooking school. Simple dishes, well prepared and seasoned with love, are a sure-fire hit. Need a gift? Men are notoriously hard to shop for, but you don’t need to reach for the nearest ugly tie, new wallet or bottle of aftershave. Surprise your father with a cool gift instead. You can also donate to a charity in your father’s name – what better gift could you give than the gift of helping someone who really needs it?

Whether your dad’s passion is golf or other sports, sailing, surfing, tennis, hunting, fishing or other hobbies; whether you want to tickle his funny bone or touch his heart, you’ll find greeting cards at Greeting Card Universe that will send an “I love you” on your father’s special day.

Father’s Day for All Dads

Mindy on June 2, 2011

The third Sunday in June is Father’s Day (in 2011, this falls on June 19), and sending cards and gifts to your own Dad is only part of the celebration. In recent times, it has become increasingly trendy to acknowledge all fathers for the great work they do. A friend, for example, might give another friend with children a Father’s Day greeting card. Or a mother might send one to her son, or a sister to a brother, a wife to her husband, an employee to her boss…whatever the relationship between sender and recipient, Father’s Day has become a holiday when many people pay tribute to the fathers in their lives, including grandfathers and great-grandfathers!

Dads are heroes and guides, life coaches and mediators, who love their sons and daughters. Honor, trust, faith, courage, strength, hard work and above all, love, are the things we admire and respect about our fathers, and the values that every son hopes to instill in his own children.

A Place Just for Dad
We may not shower him with praise
Nor mention his name in song,
And sometimes it seems that we forget
The joy he spreads as he goes along,
But it doesn’t mean that we don’t know
The wonderful role that he has had.
And away down deep in every heart
There’s a place that is just for Dad.
—Author Unknown

On Father’s Day, a heartfelt message from you to him is bound to warm him through and through. There’s no better gift, and no better way to express your love and thanks to the most important man you’ll ever know. At Greeting Card Universe, we have many ways you can send a hug to all the Dads who deserve to be acknowledged on their special day.