flemmings | (no subject)

An oddity, or at least I think it odd.

So I went down to the drugstore for antihistamines, and decided to check out the Xmas cards while I was there. Now, it's a Korean-managed store in a larger chain, and has Korean touches (ahh, Elekiban, ahh tongue scrapers, ahh the really good ginseng) amid the usual drugstorish stuff, just so you get the idea that this is halfway between soulless chain and independant pharmacy. As we know, Koreans are mostly Christian, but it's never an in your face Christianity. Anyway, here are these boxes and boxes of Hallmark cards. To my surprise, the 'religious' ones- creche, wise men, like that- all mention Jesus or quote the Bible or at least ask God to give you your happy holidays. That's *not* usual up here, BTW; even religious cards rarely go beyond 'A happy and holy holiday.' In fact, if I were Christian, I might be annoyed by the covert secularization of my feast. All-purpose cards usually make some associative visual reference to the Christian holiday (pine trees, stars, maybe angels) while wishing one's Jewish, Buddhist, atheist, pagan and whatever friends the best wishes of the holiday season: but shepherds and wise men aren't all-purpose like that.

There was one particular card, a larger than average size, that was present in quantity- maybe a good ten boxes of same. An American flag with a much smaller holly wreath pinned to it, and the message 'Peace to the world.' I could only stand there blinking. Who'd reasonably expect Canadians- or at least, Torontonians- to send Xmas cards with an American flag on them?

I look at the prices. On the box it says USA $8.50, CAN $12.50 (someone's exchange rate is badly out of date) But then there's a sticker- $6.50 a box. Lord, lord. Remaindered American Christmas cards, just in time for the holiday season. I shall keep an eye on them to see how they sell.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I usually take the evergreen tree to be more or less old German/pagan in origin and swiped later by Christians (as so many things have been). For my own holiday cards, I try to find ones that have a very specific illustration on it, and it's surprisingly easy: a stag running through a forest by the full moon. And no God or Christ on the message inside, thank you.

Those flag cards sound perfectly nauseating, and it's also hilarious that they had them for sale up there. You'd probably be amazed at all the stuff that's had an American flag stuck on it these days. Name it and it's probably been done. *sigh*

Since I've never in my life seen a mass-market Xmas card (as it were) with God or Christ references in the message, I was more than a little stunned; until it occurred to me that American card companies, however mainstream, probably cater more to the religious than us godless Canucks do. Me, if I want specifically religious cards I buy them at church bazaars/ Hadassah sales. Though come to that the last cards I bought at a church bazaar were handmade brush drawings of the Chinese zodiac animals; but that was (sniff) the United Church, often confused with the Unitarians for a good reason.

The irony of the Peace to the world message makes me half want to buy a box, though with 100,000 dead in Iraq it's not that funny any more.

That's just ... you know, I'm running out of words again.

Do let us know how they sell.

(I tend to go for either cards with angels on (due to a personal fondness for angels) or art/snowscenes, but often make exceptions if I run across something nice in a charity shop or church sale.)