Summer Camp Hijinks

Corrie on May 25, 2012

In the U.S., many children and teens attend a recreational and/or educational summer camp where they enjoy a variety of activities from gymnastics to horseback riding, computers, music, drama, sports, and also just general fun. Camps also exist for children suffering from cancer or other illnesses, and for disabled children.

“A lot of parents pack up their troubles and send them off to summer camp.”
—–Raymond Duncan

The idea of sending kids away from home to summer camp originated in the mid-1800s as part of the “back to nature” trend aimed primarily at urban children, as a way of getting them out of the city and into the wilderness. It was seen as a way to build health, character, and moral development. Today, the Fresh Air Fund helps sponsor inner-city children to send them to summer camps across the U.S.

Apart from activities, campfires, s’mores, and sing-alongs, playing pranks is a summer camp tradition that has been around as long as there have been kids spending time away from home. While we don’t advocate practical jokes, and solely in the spirit of good humor, here are some classic  Summer Camp Hijinks.

  • Fill the sleeping victim’s hand with shaving cream (or whipped cream, or cheese in a can), and then tickle the victim’s face with a feather.
  • While the victim is asleep, take paper cups filled with water and cover the floor of the victim’s cabin or put them around the victim’s bed so they can’t step over them. Make a loud bang to startle them awake.
  • When the victim is away from their cabin, put all their belongings in plastic garbage bags, fasten them tightly, put in a canoe, and then anchor the canoe in the middle of the lake. As an alternative, tie the bags high up in a tree.
  • While the victim is sleeping, in the middle of the night coat the steps of their cabin with peanut butter or other sticky substanc. Steal their shoes. Stand outside and make noises so they’ll have to come out and investigate.
  • Coat the doorknobs of cabins and other buildings with petroleum jelly.

When your son or daughter is away at summer camp, let them know you’re thinking about them with a custom Thinking of You/Letters From Home greeting card from Greeting Card Universe’s unique collection created just for the occasion, and personalize the inside with your own message. We make it easy to send smiles from home!

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3 Heroes You Should Know On Memorial Day

Corrie on May 18, 2012

On Memorial Day in the U.S., observed on the fourth Monday in May, we celebrate and remember America’s fallen  heroes, and pay tribute to the men and women of the Armed Forces who have given all for their country. In the spirit of honoring this national day of tribute, we bring you 3 Heroes You Should Know on Memorial Day.

“This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.”
—–Elmer Davis

Corporal Alvin York: In 1918, during the Battle of Argonne, York and his battalion came upon a nest of German machine guns. He and thirteen other men were ordered to go behind enemy lines, where they captured the headquarters of a German  unit. However, a second unit began firing on them. Nine Americans were killed. While under fire, York charged a trench and shot six German soldiers. At the end of the assault, he and his surviving seven men captured 132 German soldiers. For his actions, York received a Medal of Honor.

Lieutenant Benjamin F. Wilson: In 1951, during the Korean War, WWII veteran Wilson – then a sergeant – was ordered along with his company to take “Hell Hill,” defended by a superior, hostile force of Chinese soldiers. During the action, he was wounded in the leg and carried down the hill on a stretcher. However, preferring to remain with his men, he returned to the battle. Under heavy fire, he charged alone with bayonet, rifle and grenades, killing 4 enemy soldiers armed with sub-machine guns. He led a further assault, and when his rifle was wrested from his hands, killed a further 4 enemy solders with his entrenching tool. For his actions, he received the Medal of Honor.

Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta: In 2007 in Afghanistan, Giunta’s battalion was ambushed by insurgents armed with rocket propelled grenades, AK-47s, and machine guns, injuring several soldiers in his unit. While under heavy fire, Giunta rescued his squad leader, and was struck twice by bullets, though not wounded. With two other soldiers, he advanced toward the enemy through machine gun and small arms fire, throwing grenades. When he spotted two combatants attempting to drag away Staff Sgt. Joshua Brennan, who had been wounded. Giunta ran forward, firing at the enemy and killing one, and causing the rest to flee without Brennan. For his actions, Giunta became the first living recipient of the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War.

Greeting Card Universe’s collection of custom Memorial Day greeting cards allows you to honor the soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen, and submariners who risk their lives every day in the performance of their duties, and let your patriotism and gratitude shine.

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Historic Facts About Armed Forces Day

Corrie on May 12, 2012

In the United States, Armed Forces Day is observed annually on the third Saturday in May. The holiday involves all branches of the U.S. military – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard, and was established as a day for citizens to honor the men and women who give their all in support of their country.

“It is fitting and proper that we devote one day each year
to paying special tribute to those whose constancy and courage
constitute one of the bulwarks guarding the freedom of this nation
and the peace of the free world.”
—–U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower

Want to learn more about Armed Forces Day? Here are some Historic Facts that will put you in the know!

When Was Armed Forces Day Created? On August 31, 1949, Louis Johnson – then Secretary of Defense – announced Armed Forces Day. The holiday was intended to replace the separate holidays honoring the five branches of U.S. armed forces (though the individual days are still celebrated within each service), and also marked the unification of the military branches under the Department of Defense.

Who’s Idea Was Armed Forces Day? President Harry S. Truman first proposed a single Armed Forces Day, and led the effort to adopt it. Later, he said, “Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 20, 1950, marks the first combined demonstration by America’s defense team of its progress, under the National Security Act, towards the goal of readiness for any eventuality. It is the first parade of preparedness by the unified forces of our land, sea, and air defense.”

When Did Armed Forces Day Become an Official National Holiday? Under President John F. Kennedy, who on March 18, 1961, issued Proclamation 3399.

What Do People Do on Armed Forces Day? Celebrations often include parades – in fact, Bremerton, Washington, holds the record for the longest running city-sponsored Armed Forces Day Parade, now entering its 64th year in 2012- air shows, receptions, exhibits and exhibitions, flying the American flag, and lots more.

“This is the day on which we have the welcome opportunity to pay special tribute to the men and women of the Armed Forces … to all the individuals who are in the service of their country all over the world. Armed Forces Day won’t be a matter of parades and receptions for a good many of them. They will all be in line of duty and some of them may give their lives in that duty.” —–New York Times, May 17, 1952

With Greeting Card Universe’s collection of patriotic custom greeting cards, you can thank those military personnel for the courage and sacrifice of their service or welcome home a returning soldier.

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5 Marvelous Mother’s Day Moms

Corrie on May 4, 2012

In the United States, Mother’s Day has been celebrated on the second Sunday in May (in 2012, this date falls on May 12th) since it was made an official U.S. holiday in 1914.

“Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs… since the payment is pure love.”
—–Mildred B. Vermont

Everybody’s mother is special, but some moms are a bit more special than others. For your enjoyment, here are 5 Marvelous Mother’s Day Moms for you. Now go outside and play, wipe your feet when you come in the house, do you call those ears clean?, go ask your father, and don’t forget to call your mother.

Oldest Mom: According to the Guiness Book of World Records, that would be Maria del Carmen Bousada Lara, an unmarried Spanish woman who lied about her age to receive IVF treatment in America when she failed to qualify in her native country. She was a week shy of her 67th birthday when her twin sons were born by Cesarean section in Barcelona.

Mom Who Had the Most Children: Hold onto your hats – the record goes to the wife of Russian peasant Feodor Vassilyev in the 18th century. In the period between 1725-1765, she gave birth to 4 sets of quadruplets, 7 sets of triplets, and 16 sets of twins for a total of 69 children! By that standard, Feodor’s second wife was a slacker – she only had 6 sets of twins and 2 sets of triplets.

Youngest Mom: Likely suffering from a rare condition called extreme precocious puberty, Lina Medina of Peru gave birth to a son by Cesarean section at the age of 5 years, 7 months, and 17 days in 1939. The father remains unknown. She still lives in Lima, Peru.

Extremely Brave Mom: In 2006 in Brooklyn, New York, the second-story apartment of Nabila Nazli caught fire. After calling for help from a window, she dropped her month old baby into a makeshift net held by neighbors, followed by his twin brother and her two older children. When her fifth child, a 5-year old daughter, refused to jump, Nazli remained in the blazing apartment with her until fire fighters arrived to rescue them.

Insanely Brave Mom: Inéz Ramírez Pérez performed a successful Cesarean section on herself in 2000 – the only known woman to do so in history. A peasant living in a cabin in rural Mexico, she was alone when her labor started. She had previously given birth to 8 children, of whom 7 survived. Lacking a phone, and fearing her newest child would succumb like the last to fetal death in labor, she decided to operate on herself with a knife. Both mother and child survived.

Greeting Card Universe offers traditional custom Mother’s Day cards for every relationship. Our international artist community has also created many unusual non-traditional cards, such as My Two Moms, From Pet, Military Moms, etc. Our collection can’t be beat with more than 14,000 ways to say “I Love You, Mom.”

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