My favorite kind of shopping...

I have never had a lot of money to shop with. I can't really afford nice clothes (or at least not to buy a lot of clothes all at once). One thing I can go on shopping sprees for is cards. Birthday cards, post cards, "just thinking about you" cards- I love them. I could spend hours in the card section at CVS, or the grocery store or the Hallmark store. I absolutely love it. Today, I got to partake in my favorite activity double. One, because it is my brother's birthday today- so I got him a card; two, because it is Kevin and my anniversary next Wednesday. I am cheap and currently unemployed (pretty much) so I can't afford to buy real gifts for people, so my go-to is cards.

A card says more than a gift can, it says- see this adorable kitten on the front? it reminds me of you. Or see how funny I am, because I picked out this mass-produced Hallmark card from the "Happy Birthday: Funny" section at CVS? That's how funny I am, because I had the sense to pick it up. One of my favorite inventions (possibly the only piece of technology I am thankful for) is the singing cards. They fit so many different types of people, and always bring a smile.

Post cards however, are my absolute favorite kind of card. I love getting postcards, I love sending postcards, but most of all- I love sending myself postcards. Today, one of my professors returned from Japan and brought everyone in my class a post card. It was sweet and said to us all "I wish you were here" and any good post card does. It really made me respect my professor. Kevin sent me a postcard once, it was lovely. 

So my advice, don't buy people expensive gifts, definitely not technology that will undoubtedly fail them, because who wants a gift that will break? Buying someone something perishable is like saying "I care about you... to a certain point." A card is something someone can keep and open and remember "this person cares enough about me to remember those important things in life." Thank you Hallmark.