When Do You Need A Card?
One year I was invited to a wedding overseas and needed a card to attach to a gift. A similar thing happened at Christmas. I needed a card to attach to a gift. No time to buy one.
My family told me, 'Then make time!'
Trying To Buy Cards Overseas
So I rushed out to the nearest shopping mall. No card shop in sight. So I thought, try a supermarket.
Yes - cards on a revolving rack, dearer ones and cheaper ones. Unfortunately all the reasonably priced cards were in Chinese. I went to the other rack.I was reluctant to do so. Sometimes the price of a card is dearer than the gift. Adding a card, if you have to buy a set of three, and wrapping paper, if they are selling packs of four rolls, can double or triple the price of the gift.The expensive cards were also in Chinese.
Translating Cards
I tried asking a customer to translate. The customers were busy shopping. The customers who spoke Chinese well enough to read the Chinese cards did not have good enough English to convey the message in translation.
Staff were too busy serving to help translate. I hung around wondering what to do. Finally, at closing time, I took three cards to the till and ended up asking a member of staff to translate. Again a problem in exact translation. I said, 'I do not need an exact translation, just a general idea.'
Good thing I did! The dearer cards I considered buying said Happy birthday and Happy anniversary. The bargain cards were leftover sales of out of season cards saying Good luck for Chinese New Year, which was months ago and months ahead.
I have saved napkins from various events. How good to be able to make a card from a leftover napkin. After an event you often have a leftover napkin of no use for other events.
Saving Napkins As Souvenirs
If you attend a seasonal event at home or on an overseas trip, and see napkins leftover, you could ask if you might have one as a souvenir. Write down a translation of any words.
Flattening Creases
Keep the napkin flat inside a folder.
As for creases, it was very useful to learn from the craft video that you can flatten creased napkins with a low temperature iron.
Packing Spare Cards
Whether you have spare napkins, DIY cards, or spare cards, pack two or three cards in your case on your next trip. If you are unexpectedly invited to a birthday or wedding or seasonal event, you have a card ready. If your host is going to an event without you and wails, I don't have a card, you can be the saviour rushing in to rescue the situation.
Spare Xmas Cards
For example, if you are going overseas at Xmas, pack some Xmas cards. No risk of giving the same card two years running to your neighbour. The leftover ones from home will strike new to people overseas. Save you precious time on your trip.
In some places it would be acceptable to give a card with money inside. To be sure that the envelope is not thrown away, you could ask the recipient to open it on the day, or mark it contains card and small gift.
Framing Cards
You could also fame a pretty card. In the tropics items you frame often become mouldy. you might also need backing which won't damage the card. I wonder whether laminating would save them.
Protecting and Framing Photos
Could you also do this with family photos from holidays, business dinners and reunions. You might not want to risk damaging a photo if it's your only copy. But you might print one off from a computer.
Preserving Holiday Photos?
I also have duplicate holiday and event photos from years ago when you could buy two copies for the price of one and a half.
About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.
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