Last Minute Holiday Cards for That Favorite Teacher

Corrie on December 21, 2012


The holiday season just wouldn’t be the same  without some last minute scrambling.  Despite my best planning and intentions, there was someone overlooked, a special teacher.  I thought our standard family Christmas card would suffice but my daughter felt otherwise.

“But mom, she’s my FAVORITE teacher!” she insisted.

Okay, okay, I get it but with this being the last week of school, this needed to happen today and only today.  Gads!

So last night I ordered the card online from home (personalized with the teacher’s name).  On my way to work, I swung by the Target store near my office (beating the afternoon crowds was a relief), picked out a festive mug and chocolate treats before heading over to the photo department.  Voila, there was my card and envelope – printed to perfection!

Here's the card, a real holiday winner!

As I headed to checkout I felt quite smug as I passed a small crowd of last minute shoppers pulling cards from the card display with distressed looks on their faces, trying to find that “perfect card”.  and I thought … if they only knew.  Gosh, I wish they knew!

Happy holidays and thank you to all of those special teachers who go the extra mile to make their students feel important, capable and proud to be smart – that means you Ms. Muse.  For you, the extra effort was my pleasure!

My daughter's happy ... and so am I!

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“This is the second time I’ve ordered from Greeting Card Universe, and have been very satisfied with both orders. Beautiful cards, with well-written, meaningful sentiments. And especially important for me, the ability to order them online and have them mailed to me. They arrived in sturdy cardboard-type envelopes. So convenient!” – Patricia, December 19, 2012

Last Minute? Don’t Panic!

Corrie on December 15, 2012


Everyone has good intentions when it comes to the holidays. We make our lists, check them twice, organize and prioritize, and sure enough, despite our care, we sometimes forget to buy Christmas cards the special people in our lives. A coach, teacher, hairdresser, personal trainer, nail technician, babysitter, pet groomer, house cleaner … even the postman deserves some seasonal cheer.

Or perhaps your hectic holiday plans have left you frazzled and you haven’t had time to fight the crowds at the stores to pick through the limited selection of Christmas cards left on the shelves?

Need customizable Christmas cards in a hurry, even personalized Photo Cards? Last minute holiday party invitations?  No problem. We’ve got you covered with real paper greeting cards in many unique designs.

Our partnership with Target means you can order cards on-line, customize with your own message, and pick up your order – usually in 1 hour or less – at most Target stores nationwide.

Now you can relax a little. Catch your breath. Have a cup of hot cocoa and don’t forget the extra marshmallows.  Celebrate the successful conclusion of another holiday season … and we’ll see you next year.

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What Are People Saying About Greeting Card Universe?
“I ordered several of these cards because I could personalize the front for each recipient. I’m delighted to send them and I’m sure the recipients will be delighted to receive a personalized card.” – Diane, December 14, 2012

Why the Poinsettia at Christmas?

Corrie on December 8, 2012


December 12 marks National Poinsettia Day, an observance dedicated to the flower that has become a popular symbol of the holiday season. Close to $200 million is spent on decorative poinsettias every year. But why do we associate the bright red (or white variety) poinsettia with Christmas?

During a trip to Mexico in 1828, American botanist and U.S. Ambassador, Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, came across the wild plant with its beautiful, red, star shaped leaves  (Euphorbia Pulcherrima). In Mexico, poinsettias are known as Flores de Noche Buena (flowers of the holy night) for their association with the Star of Bethlehem. Poinsett sent cuttings home to South Carolina, where the greenhouse grown plants were seen as a curiosity.

Decades later, a German immigrant living in California, Albert Ecke, began selling poinsettias from flower stands during the holidays. His grandson, Paul, continued to work on producing more hybrids and promoting the poinsettia as the must have houseplant for Christmas. Today, poinsettias are grown and enjoyed across the world.

Greeting Card Universe’s  poinsettia themed Christmas cards bring color and holiday cheer to make your winter season brighter, or help you celebrate a December birthday.


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National Cookie Day

Corrie on December 1, 2012

Sift the flour, mix the butter,
Roll the dough for the cookie cutter.
A white sugar star, a red Christmas bell,
A brown teddy bear with a gingery smell.
Christmas cookies taste so sweet –
They’re fun to make and good to eat!
—–Anonymous

December 4 marks the observance of National Cookie Day! There’s no better month to celebrate these delicious treats that have been making holidays bright for centuries. Baking and exchanging Christmas cookies is as much a tradition in some households as putting up and decorating a tree.

Gingerbread cookies in particular evoke the seasonal spirit. While the earliest forms of gingerbread can be traced to ancient Egypt (this would be more of a cake), Queen Elizabeth I of England is credited with the invention of the gingerbread man when she presented foreign dignitaries with ginger spiced cookies shaped to look like them. Today, gingerbread houses and gingerbread men share the Christmas spotlight with Santa and his reindeer.

Greeting Card Universe offers unique cookie-themed Christmas cards as well as cookie swap party invitations to help you create the holiday spirit when you’re baking your favorite cookie recipes, making homemade goodies and spreading the cheer to friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers. And don’t forget to leave cookies and milk out for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve!

SPECIAL: Order 5+ cards, pay just $2.79 per card! All orders shipped next business day

What Are People Saying About Greeting Card Universe?
“I was so happy to find a website where I could purchase greeting cards in Japanese. I’m very happy with the Christmas card that I purchased. It’s exactly what I wanted. I’ll be back for more greeting cards. Thank you for a great selection too.” – Dolores, November 30, 2012

5 Facts About Hanukkah You May Not Know

Corrie on November 24, 2012


Also known as the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah (alternatively spelled Chanukah) is a Jewish religious holiday celebrated annually for eight days. The holiday commemorates a miraculous event which occurred in the second century B.C. during the Maccabean  Revolt. When the Second Temple in Jerusalem was rededicated, the menorah candles burned for eight days even though there was only oil enough for a single day.

Hanukkah’s date changes each year owing to the Hebrew lunar calendar. In 2012, Hanukkah begins after sundown on December 8, and continues until sundown on December 16.

Here are five facts about Hanukkah you may not know:

  1. The story of Hanukkah isn’t in the Torah because the Jewish revolt against the King of Syria and the temple miracle happened after the Torah was written. It is mentioned in the New Testament in John 10:22, where Hanukkah is referenced as the “feast of dedication.”
  2. The nine-branched candelabrum used during the Hanukkah celebration is called a “hanukiah.” The central candle (ninth) is called the “shamash” or “helper.”
  3. Foods eaten in celebration of Hanukkah are often fried in oil to commemorate the temple miracle. Most popular are latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot or sufganiyah (jam filled doughnuts), a popular Israeli Hanukkah treat.
  4. Because Hanukkah often overlaps Christmas, in North America, Jewish families frequently celebrate both holidays. Some families even go so far as to celebrate the pop culture, interfaith hit, Chrismukkah, a lighthearted mash-up of Christmas and Hanukkah.
  5. A game is traditionally played with a four-sided top called a dreidel. Each side of the dreidel has a Hebrew letter which creates an acronym for phrase, “nes gadol hayah sham” – a great miracle happened here.

Greeting Card Universe helps you celebrate Hanukkah with friends, family, coworkers, and business partners with unique traditional and modern designs from our international community of artists.

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“I have ordered special cards for great grandsons and granddaughters and husband. I have a granddaughter who has a Christmas birthday, try finding those! THANKS SO MUCH!” – Joan, November 22, 2012

5 Things You May Not Know About Thanksgiving

Corrie on November 16, 2012

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
—–Ralph Waldo Emerson

In the United States, Thanksgiving falls annually on the fourth Thursday in November. The celebration of family usually includes a traditional feast of turkey with the trimmings, although in recent years, alternatives to the Thanksgiving turkey, such as vegetarian options, have become more popular.

Here are five things about the history of this American holiday.

Thanksgiving Becomes Official: While arguably the first Thanksgiving dinner took place in 1621 (remember the story of the Pilgrims and the Native Americans you were taught in school?), the holiday was celebrated on different dates by the individual states until 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday to be observed each November.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: Other parades may march the streets of cities across the U.S. on Thanksgiving Day, but the parade sponsored by Macy’s is the second largest in America and watched by over 50 million people on TV, and 3.5 million spectators in New York City. The first Macy’s Day Parade took place in 1924. The famous giant helium balloons were added in 1927, and the spectacle continues today.

Don’t Be a Turkey: This is not a good time to be a plump, delicious turkey. Eighty-eight percent of Americans consume nearly 46 million turkeys  at Thanksgiving. Annually, each American eats an average of 13.3 pounds of turkey – hopefully not all on the same day!

What Was on the Menu for the First Thanksgiving Feast? Venison, geese, swans and ducks, shellfish, lobster, and pumpkins, though not in the form of pies. Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, etc. came much, much later to the American dinner table.

“Franksgiving”: During the Depression in 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt attempted to move the date for Thanksgiving back a week to the third Thursday in November, hoping to increase retail sales to boost the struggling economy. People hated the idea and began calling the holiday, “Franksgiving.” It wasn’t a compliment. Finally, in 1941, Roosevelt bowed under pressure and signed a bill officially naming the fourth Thursday in November as the official date for the holiday.

Greeting Card Universe offers nearly 14,000 unique Thanksgiving cards in many themes and in 64 categories for all your friends, coworkers, business associates, and every member of your family. Need last minute cards? Order online and get free in-store pick up at Target stores

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“I have been ordering cards from Greeting Card Universe for almost 2 yrs. now and have never been disappointed. I always find the perfect card and I love the fact that you can personalize them if you wish. They show great detail and I get lots and lots of compliments! But the BEST feature is….I never have to leave my house. : )”- Debora, November 14, 2012

National American Teddy Bear Day

Corrie on November 12, 2012

November 14 marks National American Teddy Bear Day, when we celebrate the flurry, furry, cute stuffed animals that delight us as children, and continue to hold our hearts when we grow up.

Since 1902, teddy bears have remained an extremely popular gift for children (and sweethearts). A couple of the world;’s most famous teddy bears are Winnie the Pooh and Paddington Bear.

The Teddy Bear Cops program provides the stuffed animals to police, other emergency responders, and firefighters to give kids during crises. Other charities collect donations of new teddy bears to give to children with cancer, patients in the hospital, and other worthy causes.

Teddy bears remain a popular subject on all types of products, including greeting cards. At Greeting Card Universe, we offer teddy bear themed cards for many different holidays and occasions. When you want to send your “beary” best wishes to family and friends, it’s hard to beat a bear!

A teddy bear is a faithful friend,
You can pick him up at either end.
His fur is the colour of breakfast toast,
And he’s always there when you need him most.
—–Anonymous

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“The cards are the beautiful, great design, the shipping is super fast, will definitely shop for more cards from Creeting Card Universe!”- Lilia – Nov 7, 2012

National Family Caregiver Month

Corrie on November 8, 2012

November is National Family Caregiver Month as proclaimed by U.S. President Barack Obama in 2012.

In many American families, caring for a loved one who can no longer care for themselves because of debilitating injury, disease, or other cause falls to relatives, spouses, partners, friends, and neighbors. These caregivers dedicate many hours to tending the needs of another, bringing comfort and support. Their love and compassion makes a difference every day in someone else’s life.

These caregivers often go unnoticed and unacknowledged. National Family Caregivers Month raises awareness of the important role family caregivers play, and encourages everyone to offer their support and gratitude to these selfless individuals.

At Greeting Card Universe, we feature unique Caregiver Encouragement and Caregiver Thank You cards with heart warming messages for you to send. Choose your card from our collection of designs, personalize, and we’ll put your best wishes in the mail the next business day.

SPECIAL – Order now and save an extra 20%! Use code 2012NOV20 at checkout

What Are People Saying About Greeting Card Universe?
“This is the second year that I have purchased our company Christmas cards for all of our accounts. Over 150 holiday cards all came out great. It’s nice that I can customize them with what I want to be written inside and even put an image of our company logo! I received our shipment earlier than expected and packaged very professionally. I would recommend this site to anyone looking to order greeting cards for any occasions. Thank you!”- Shirene Derakhshandeh, November 8, 2012

Diwali: Lights, Color, Action!

Corrie on October 27, 2012

Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is the best known holiday on the Hindu calendar (and it’s observed by Sikhs, Jains, and some Buddhists, too). A five day celebration of light’s victory over darkness, the festival is bright and colorful,  popular with children and adults, and filled with fireworks, sweets, gifts, and other treats. This year (2012) Diwali begins on November 13.

“Regardless of the mythological explanation one prefers, what the festival of lights really stands for today is a reaffirmation of hope, a renewed commitment to friendship and goodwill, and a religiously sanctioned celebration of the simple – and some not so simple – joys of life.”
Time s of India, 2010

Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity, is honored by many Indians during Diwali, as well as Ganesha, the elephant headed god of wisdom and success.

Sending Diwali greeting cards to friends and family, as well as customers, employees, and business associates, has become a popular way to wish joy and prosperity to others. Greeting Card Universe offers more than 400 traditional and nontraditional designs including Photo Cards to help you spread the love and  make your holiday as colorful as Indian spices!

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“I just love these cards, everyone who see’s them alway ask where they came from. The shipping is fast to. Thank you so much fro making my life a little bit easier.” – Kathy, October 25, 2012

Halloween: Tails of Terror

Corrie on October 20, 2012

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!

SAVE an extra 20% on all orders – use code 2012OCT20 at checkout!

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