That is an interesting poll, DHBogucki . I am compelled to reply:

I abhor store-bought greeting cards. They are a cop out that shows a profound lack of creativity, originality and personal input.

A couple hundred years ago, soon after I married my second wife we were faced with the dilemma of sending holiday greeting cards for the first time to a long list of relatives. We decided to make the cards ourselves. She did the artwork and I did the writing. (I can’t draw to save my life.)

For the cover of the card my young spouse drew a coyote sitting on its haunches howling at a full moon. The coyote was wearing a green bandana around its neck.

On the inside of the card, in loopy script, I wrote: Happy. Not Happy Holidays or Happy New Year or Happy Christmas; just Happy.

We had the design copied onto quality card stock and sent one out to all relatives and friends. It wasn’t cheap.

One particular relative of mine called me up and asked, “What? You couldn’t afford a real greeting card?” She just didn’t get it. Obviously she wasn’t very happy.

I haven’t sent out a holiday greeting card since then. A lot of the people we sent those cards to are now dead. I wonder if any of the surviving relatives remember getting that card from us. I sure remember the love we put into making it.