Kindergarten: Cap and Gown

Corrie on April 28, 2015


Children usually attend kindergarten for two years at ages five and six, however some programs allow children to attend much earlier. During this time, children not only begin their education, but learn vital social skills before they graduate to first grade. Kindergarten has a long history—here are a few things you may not know.

Friedrich Froebel, an early 19th century German educator, came up with the concept of kindergarten – a structured program for educating young children. His kindergartens also gave women career opportunities as teachers.

In the mid-1800s, Germans fleeing the many revolutions that had erupted in their states, came to the United States, bringing the idea of kindergarten with them.

The first kindergarten in the US opened in 1855 in Watertown, Wisconsin, in the home of Margaretha Meyer Schurz and her husband. Every major US city had a kindergarten by 1914.

Parents stand proud when their child accomplishes the milestone of graduating from kindergarten. GCU helps you celebrate with special, unique Kindergarten Graduation cards for your boy or girl. Just order on-line and we’ll put your congratulations in the mail the next business day. Or get free in-store pick-up – usually in 1 hour – at most Target and Bartell Drug Stores.

 

What Are Happy Shoppers Saying About Greeting Card Universe?
“In this day and age of electronic communications, I’m still a big fan of greeting cards. I’m actually somewhat of a card-snob. To me, a card needs to have the right message and a good design. It is not unusual for me to spend hours picking out the right card for a special (or not so special) occasion. The great thing with Greeting Card Universe products is that they are good quality, there are numerous design options and quick delivery. Best of all, the inside message can be modified on most, if not all, cards and you can add a photo to accentuate your message. On some cards, like this one, you can also add a photo and modify the message on the cover of the card! How perfect is that? I purchase greeting cards all the time and more, often than not, this site ends up being the place that I find the right card for that special person.”– Phil, April 28, 2015

3 Nurses Who Changed Their Profession For the Better

Corrie on April 21, 2015


Since ancient times, there have been men and women who assisted healers and physicians with helping patients. Since the mid 19th century and Florence Nightingale’s establishment of a formal and respectable nursing profession, other nurses have added their contributions to the professional health care field. Here are three of these extraordinary women you may not know:

Mary “Mother” Seacole: Born in Jamaica in 1805, she became a nurse (though she had no formal medical training) and spent years treating patients in Cuba and Panama during yellow fever and cholera epidemics. After being refused service in the British Army during the Crimean War because of her race, she funded her own trip, founded a hospital, and treated wounded soldiers. After the war, she was eventually honored and given the recognition she deserved.

Mary Adelaide Nutting: A Canadian nurse and suffragette who promoted formal training and education for nurses, in 1891 she was among the first graduating nursers of Johns Hopkins University. Later becoming JHU’s second superintendent of nursing, she made improvements to educational standards. She went on to establish new opportunities for nurses at Columbia University, was instrumental in recruiting volunteer nurses during WWI, and helped create the American Journal of Nursing, among other important publications.

Lillian Wald: A nurse and social worker, and advocate of women and minorities, she was instrumental in establishing the Visiting Nursing Service of New York in 1901, which provided much needed health care to indigent and immigrant families. Through her tireless efforts at gaining the support of government health agencies and the Public Health Service, the once deadly cholera and other epidemic outbreaks that swept like wildfire through poorer neighborhoods were greatly reduced. She was also supportive of minority rights and involved in the formation of the NAACP.

On Nurses Day (May 6), Greeting Card Universe joins you in celebrating the dedicated RNs, LPNs and other nursing professionals who work hard every day to heal their patients and help them feel better. Give your appreciation with a unique Nurses Day cards – just order on-line, add a personal message and we’ll send your card the next business day. Or take advantage of free in-store pick-up – usually in 1 hour – at most Target and Bartell Drug Stores.

 

What Are Happy Shoppers Saying About Greeting Card Universe?
“I just got my first order on Saturday, and I was impressed! The cards looked great, they arrived on time, and the prices were so reasonable…now I don’t have to settle for the $1 cards from the drugstore! Not that some weren’t pretty nice, but the selection (especially for anniversaries) was always so limited. I’ll definitely be ordering from you again!” – Lottie – April 20, 2015

 

 

The Colors of Cinco de Mayo

Corrie on April 15, 2015


Cinco de Mayo occurs annually on May 5, once a Mexican celebration of the defeat of French forces by the Mexican army at the Battle of the Puebla (El Día de la Batalla de Puebla) in 1862, is now also celebrated in the United States and Canada. One of the traditional motifs of Cinco de Mayo is the Mexican flag and the colors red, white and green which are used a lot in decorations, clothing and food. The modern meanings of the colors are:

GREEN: Prosperity (originally freedom)
WHiTE: Peace (originally the Catholic church)
RED: Blood shed by Mexican heroes (originally the union of Spain and Mexico

The coat of arms in the middle of the flag belong to Mexico City and is based on an Aztec legend.

Greeting Card Universe joins you in celebrating with our unique Cinco de Mayo cards, including Cinco de Mayo birthday cards to let everyone join in the fiesta!

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What Are Happy Shoppers Saying About Greeting Card Universe?
“The card arrived right-on-time, and was just beautiful–exactly as it was customized. Great feature! My mother was turning 84, and it was the first time since 1954 that her birthday fell on Easter day. No Easter Birthday cards anywhere but for on your site! Thank you so much, it made for a very special card to commemorate that very special day for my mom.”– Athena – April 11, 2015

Admin Professionals Day: 3 Old-Timey Jobs for Women

Corrie on April 8, 2015


Administrative Professionals Day is an unofficial holiday taking place on the Wednesday of Admin Professionals Week, which in 2015 is April 22 in the United States. Dates may vary in other countries.

 Before women were common in the workplace, their employment opportunities were limited. Aside from factory work, domestic work or shopkeeping and retail jobs, there were few opportunities for women in what we would term “white collar work.” These types of jobs became more available as the centuries and technologies progressed. Here are three job opportunities from the old days which women made their own.

Typewriting Girl: The invention of the commercial typewriting machine in the 19th century brought great opportunities for women who could type 80 wpm on a Remington. Typing was considered “women’s work” by educated, male middle-class clerks. Of course, the ladies were also expected to know shorthand and take dictation.

Telephone Operator: In the early days of the telephone, no direct connections could be made. Switchboard operators were required to connect callers to recipients and male operators were the norm. However, telephone companies had strict rules of behavior due to the nature of “party lines” – telephone lines shared by several people – and by the late 19th century, companies began hiring women because they believed females were more submissive and better suited to a restricted environment.

Office Clerk: The ability to operate a calculating machine, file, process records, do bookkeeping, etc. was once considered men only, but as more women entered the workplace, business owners (with the exception of the insurance industry) began giving this tedious work to women who worked cheaper and could easily learn the same skills-set.

Greeting Card Universe joins you in honoring all secretaries, receptionists, office managers and other office workers with unique Admin Professionals Day cards. Need Spanish language cards for Dia de la Secretaria? We’ve got you covered!  Order on-line and we’ll mail your cards the next business day. Need a last-minute card? No problem! Order on-line, get free in-store pick-up – usually in 1 hour – at most Target and Bartell Drug Stores.

 

What Are Happy Shoppers Saying About Greeting Card Universe?
“We have two cats and a dog in our home and the cards I picked look alot like the animals. These cards will be greatly appreciated by my wife on her birthday. Your cards are much better than the ones I can shop for in my neighborhood. The prices with the shipping are still at a better price.”– A.C. – April 7, 2015

March Design Challenge Winners

Corrie on April 3, 2015

Each month, Greeting Card Universe hosts a Design Challenge for our artist community. Cards may be in any category and are designed around a specific theme. Winners are selected by a panel of judges.

Winning cards may also be found at our special Pinterest board or by liking us on Facebook.

In March 2015, the winners of the challenge are:

First Place

Ramelle Richardson

Second Place

Robin Chaffin, Simply Put by Robin

Congratulations to our winners and thank you to all participating artists!