Wednesday, October 29th

Cat-Astrophic Halloween

When witches go riding,
and black cats are seen,
the moon laughs and whispers,
‘tis near Halloween.
Author Unknown

On National Cat Day, we ask: why are black cats in ;articular associated with Halloween (October 31)? A midnight-furred kitty, yellow eyed, spiky, back arched and howling, has become a highly visible and immediately identifiable Halloween symbol. While felines have been objects of superstition for thousands of years, what’s the connection with the spookiest holiday of the year?

Black: The color black is, in many cultures, symbolic of death, darkness and/or evil. Humans fear the unknown because the dark hides unseen dangers.

Nocturnal: Cats are nocturnal predators, hunting prey once darkness has fallen. They’ve got excellent night vision, are light on their feet, quiet, and enjoy hiding in ambush. These qualities make some people feel uneasy around cats and likely helped give rise to the cat’s history as an object of of both reverence and fear.

Witches: It was believed in some parts of the world that when threatened, a witch could turn herself into a cat. Particularly in Europe and North America, black cats—the color of evil—became witches’ familiars, their servants who assisted them in committing bad deeds and casting curses. Cats are also associated more with female/women and were believed to have special powers, further enhancing the connection to witchcraft.

Because of these associations, many superstitions have arisen about our feline friends.

Greeting Card Universe loves our feline friends and wishes everyone a purr-fectly fine, fun and safe Howl-oween! There’s still time to grab unique, super spooky cat Halloween cards if you order on-line. Buy 5+ cards, get free in-store pick-up, usually in 1 hour, at most Target and Bartell Drug stores.

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“I love your cards and especially happy with your Halloween selection! Love being able to personalize, as well! Delighted to have found Greeting Card Universe! Everyone I show loves them!!!” – ANNETTE – October 25, 2014

Thursday, October 23rd

A Very Vintage Victorian Halloween

Apples hanging in a row,
Flaming candles all aglow.
Witches flying everywhere,
Magic music in the air.
There’ll be mischief now I ween
On this mystic Hallowe’en!
Anonymous, 19th century Halloween card

In America in the 19th century, October 32, the night of Halloween or All Hallows Eve, was a young person’s holiday centering around parties and games rather than trick or treating. Beyond bobbing for apples, they used their imaginations. Here are five Victorian parlor games for Halloween that are unusual and scary fun for all the boys and ghouls.

Spearing Apples
Apples are set afloat in a tub of water. Guests attempt to spear an apple by holding a fork above their head and letting it drop. Prizes are given to the successful. Unsuccessful guests must pay a forfeit.

‘Round the Circle
Twigs are gathered into a loose bundle. Everyone who wants to play sits in front of a fireplace and selects a twig. As each guest  sets his/her twig on fire, they must tell a ghost story that lasts as long as the twig burns. When the twig goes out, the next person in turn lights their twig and takes up the story.

Test of Colors
Ribbons of various colors are collected. Each girl puts on a blindfold and picks a ribbon. The color of the ribbon is supposed to predict which college/university her future husband will attend.

Nutcrack Night
Little boats made of walnut shells holding lit candles are set afloat in a tub of water by each guest. Predictions are made based on the boat’s movements. For example, if two boats collided, a shared future was predicted, and the first boat to reach the other side of the tub belonged to the person destined to marry before everyone else.

Mistletoe
Although  modern Americans consider mistletoe more fitting to the Christmas holiday, in the late 19th century, newspapers reported the custom of kissing girls caught under mistletoe on Halloween.

Greeting Card Universe wishes you a safe and frightfully fantastic night with unique vintage and other Halloween cards from our one of a kind collection. Order on-line and we’ll put your ghostly greetings in the mail the next business day. Or get free in-store pick-up, usually in 1 hour, at many Target and Bartell drug stores.

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“I came across Greeting Card Universe in Feb. 2014 when I could not leave my house to purchase cards because of all the snow here in Michigan. When the cards arrived, I was very impressed with the promptness of delivery, the vast selection, quality of the cards and especially the reasonable prices. I have continued to purchase ALL cards as it has proved most convenient. I especially think The Whimsical Hat Lady cards are most unusual & just plain fun. Will contine to purchase all future cards from Greeting Card Universe. Thank you & continue to give us excellent cards.”- Tanis – Monroe, Michigan – October 21, 2014

Monday, October 28th

Baby’s First Halloween


Halloween is one of the most entertaining holidays on the calendar, a time when children dress in costumes to go trick-or-treating and adults dress in costumes to go to parties, scare the young ‘uns, or just because it’s fun.  And new parents love to dress up their babies in some very creative ways.

Dressing up babies has become a large part of the Halloween celebration in the last couple of decades. Some parents choose to stretch their own creative talents, while others choose from the many cute retail costumes available for infants and toddlers. Everything from dragons, cowboys, warrior princesses, robots, animals, and much, much more — including characters from TV shows and films — can be found at Halloween.

Many festivities can be enjoyed by toddlers  such as parties, passing out Halloween treats at the door, visiting friends and neighbors in costume, paying a call on grandparents, and even accompanying parents to collect door-to-door for a charitable organization like UNICEF.

Celebrate a special moment in a child’s life with a Baby’s First Halloween card from Greeting Card Universe and get ready for a devilishly delightful evening with the littlest and sweetest monster on the block!

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Saturday, October 20th

Halloween: Tails of Terror

Halloween (October 31) costumes are usually associated with children and adults, but these days, family pets are getting in on the action too. In fact, almost 15% of Americans will buy their pet a costume this year, and the figures are on the rise as more and more people transform their dog or cat into a pumpkin pooch or a pirate kitty for the Halloween festivities.

This year’s most popular pet costumes? Superheroes and chefs.

When choosing a costume for your cat or dog, it’s best to follow a few simple safety rules that will ensure everybody enjoys a fun – not frightening – Halloween. Check here for more pet safety tips.

  • Costume should not limit a pet’s ability to move, restrict vision or hearing, or interfere with breathing, meowing, barking, panting, or any other natural function.
  • Choose costumes that are safe, made of non-flammable materials, and comfortable. Costumes should fit well and have no small or dangling bits that could be chewed off and become a choking hazard.
  • If your pet becomes stressed, don’t make them to wear the costume.  Many pets, particularly cats, prefer to go au natural on Halloween.
  • If your pet shows signs of allergic reaction or begins to act abnormally, remove the costume at once.

Greeting Card Universe wishes everyone – including Fluffy and Rover – a monstrously happy Halloween!

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Friday, October 21st

Happy Howl-o-Ween!

HALLOWEEN CAN BE A TREAT FOR PETS, TOO

When it comes to Halloween (October 31), the focus is on jack o’ lanterns, costumes, decorations, and other spooky and scary stuff. But while you’re passing out the candy to the trick-or-treaters, don’t forget to take some safety precautions for your pets if you don’t want Fluffy or Fido to have an unhappy Howl-o-ween (or Meow-o-Ween)!

Here are the top five ways to help keep your cat or dog safe on Halloween:

  • Under no circumstances allow your pet to eat chocolate, or they may suffer theobromine poisoning, which can be fatal. In addition, any candy with artificial sweetener (Xylitol) can also cause Xylitol toxicity.
  • Halloween decorations that move, blink, or otherwise animate may look cool, but the electric wires and cords can give your pet a shock if chewed on, so keep them out of reach.
  • Jack o’ lanterns are a big part of the Halloween festivities – over 46% of Americans carve a pumpkin for the holiday.  Be aware that a lit candle inside may be traditional, but cause a fire hazard if a pet knocks it over, or gets burned with the flame. An LED light is probably a better choice.
  • It’s probably better to keep dogs and cats in another room when you’re opening the door for trick-or-treaters. You don’t want them roaming the streets after dark.
  • Pets and costumes don’t always mix. Don’t make your pet wear one if it will make them uncomfortable.

More tips on Halloween Safety for Pets can be found at the ASPCA.

Greeting Card Universe has many unique,  custom Halloween greeting cards including party invitations and photo cards to share with your friends that will make your holiday creepy, crawly, and downright fang-tastic!

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