There are so many beautiful birthday cards to choose from in The Gallery Collection line but design #464AE, Birthday Balloon Glitter Greeting Card, is definitely on the top of my list when deciding which design to pick for my employee birthday cards. The single balloon floating in the sky reminds me of my childhood. I’m sure you can recall how you felt the first time you let go of that balloon and followed it up, up and away until it was out of sight as tears started welling in your eyes because you knew you couldn’t get it back. Ah, to be able to go back to the simpler times of childhood. But I digress…

Design #464AE - Birthday Balloon Glitter
Greeting Card

This design’s beautiful blue balloon sprinkled with silver star accents in front of a blue sky backdrop is the perfect choice for employee birthday cards. The blue color of the balloon and background on the crisp white card works for both your male and female employees. And let’s face it, who doesn’t like balloons? It’s also both whimsical and professional which is not something you can say about all birthday cards. So you needn’t worry about whether it’s professional enough to send to your executives and yet it still has a fun quality that makes you think of celebrations and happy times.

Can’t decide on which birthday card design to send out to your business associates and co-workers? Why not try sending something with a bit of humor in choosing your next business birthday cards. Design #469AR, The Big Cheer Birthday Card, is certainly a whimsical choice sending birthday cheers from your group. Donned in birthday hats, wearing smiles and waving to your recipients, the characters are grouped around a festive yellow gift box, which will certainly bring Birthday joy to the receiver.

This design is printed on white glossy paper that has the sentiment “Happy Birthday from all of us” embossed in a blue foil. Personalization from your group can be imprinted in gold foil on the inside of the card, or choose from one of our four ink colors: red, blue, black, or green. No matter whose birthday it is, this is a perfect choice from your gang.

Design #469AR - The Big Cheer Birthday Card

Are you looking for something a little different than the same birthday balloon card? Well the following card may be the one to consider. Design #567AR, Birthday Banner Greeting Card, is sure to brighten up everyone’s birthday when they receive it.

The birthday banner and confetti are bursting in rainbow colors. Reflective to light, the foil colors come alive. The variegated foil will appear slightly different on each card for this design. The embossing on the front of the card is done in a wider foil font in an array of colors that will, without a doubt, put a smile on the faces of your co-workers or business associates when they receive it. Don’t forget to personalize your group’s imprint in gold foil or choose from one of our four ink colors.

Design #567AR - Birthday Banner Greeting Card

What’s more fun than an office birthday party! Send around an e-mail sign-up, we’ll have a pot luck and put up some decorations around the honoree’s desk. We’ll pick out some business birthday cards and have everyone sign. Offices are like families. We never really know how true this is. The reality is, sometimes the staff is all the family a coworker has. So we dive in with relish and happily proclaim the day (making sure the timing is okay with the boss!). Here are some ideas:

- About a month ahead of the date ask the person about their favorite treat or snacks. This also gives them a heads-up because not everyone enjoys a surprise and not everyone comes in to work on their birthday. It doesn’t have to be a frosted cake. A pie, brownies, cookies, bagels with toppings, or fruit and veggies for the health-conscious are always appropriate. Everyone loves chips and dip, or an ice cream cake can also provide a unique touch. Birthday cards signed by all top off your mini-party presentation.

- Try a theme approach. There is nothing more enjoyable than a luau day at work or using simple place settings that look like an outdoor picnic. Try a western chili birthday contest for lunch (bringing in your favorite recipe from home). Everyone looks forward to it and the chance to wear something related to the theme that expresses their unique personality.

- A time saver is to combine birthday celebrations for the month and take care of several birthdays at once. If in-the-office parties are not encouraged go out to lunch as a group for a pizza or share a six-foot sub.

- Home-made decorations are fine. Or decorate with individually wrapped candies so the birthday person can share with others throughout the day. Even M&Ms can be personalized as a special treat.

And from the management perspective:

- Allow a dress down day for the occasion.

- Order take-out for your employee to enjoy themselves or share with others.

- Let them go home early for the day.

The point from both perspectives is recognition and team-building. We all want to be acknowledged and valued for just being who we are. No one is unimportant.

Companies that send business birthday cards to its employees are not only sending birthday wishes, they are promoting good feelings and a sense of belonging. But what type of card should a business select? Funny or serious? Vibrant colors or more subdued? This depends on the group who works there. Keep in mind several factors when selecting company birthday cards to send out. Younger employees might want to receive more festive and spirited cards that say it is time to party and celebrate; whereas older or more conservative workers might want cards that are somewhat sophisticated and don’t scream out that it is their birthday.

Design #588AR, Sparkling Balloon Birthday Card, is a colorful card picturing three balloons tied together with gold foil string and a bow. The colorful middle balloon has a navy blue background with bright red, orange, and purple stars and swirls and reads “Happy Birthday.” This center balloon is surrounded by two others, one glittering orange, the other pink with a galaxy of gold foil-outlined yellow stars encircling the trio of balloons. This is a birthday card that says have fun on your special day and enjoy being another year older!

Design #588AR - Sparkling Balloon
Birthday Card

I have only moved twice in my life (and no I am not counting the dorm room in college)…once when I was 30 and again last summer. It is definitely something that I NEVER want to do again…especially the last crazed few weeks before the move. At one point during those last weeks, I just started throwing things in boxes, mostly without looking at them. But the one thing that I did start to look at was many years worth of personalized birthday cards.

I suppose birthday cards are something people tend to hold onto. Apparently, in my family we do anyway. There were so many birthday cards to look through. There were ones that had been personalized by friends who picked out cards with dogs on them or cartoon characters I had especially liked. Some of the birthday cards had been personalized with stickers or drawings by the children I used to teach. There were birthday cards that had been personalized with notes written for me. And then there was the birthday card that was probably the most special birthday card of all. It had been sent to me by my aunts, and they had helped the dog “sign” it with an ink paw print. Despite the craziness of the moment and knowing that I should be packing, I kept looking at all my old personalized birthday cards and smiling.

Then I went into another drawer and found birthday cards that I had personalized for my aunts…cards that went back years, with drawings I had made and notes I had written (many of them with misspellings). I knew that these cards had meant to them what the cards I had saved meant to me. Deeper into that drawer though, I found even more. I found cards that had been written to them by their parents when they were young. These cards were not personalized by drawings, or stickers, or ink paw prints. But I think that these birthday cards, which had really just been personalized by the signature “Mother and Daddy” meant as much to them as if they had been personalized with all the other things. After all they had been kept for over 50 years.

Finally, I stopped looking at all these personalized birthday cards. I found a plastic envelope and carefully packed them away. These birthday cards didn’t go into a box though. I took them right over to the new apartment so that they would be safe, and nothing would happen to them during the move.

We all realize that businesses are trying to save money now more than ever. With that being said, we must also find ways to bring some joy to the customers and workforces that are hanging in there with us and working for a better tomorrow.

Sending business birthday cards is one way to celebrate with business associates and employees that won’t break the bank. Everyone loves being remembered and respected. Whether a million dollar client, a young growing client, your CEO, or the high school kid in the mailroom is the recipient of the birthday card, your business will have earned the reputation of one that really cares.

The ripple effect of simple gestures like sending birthday cards is incalculable. Having worked for companies that did and companies that didn’t send business birthday cards, I do have a point of view on the subject. The difference it makes is in the subtle lift in the attitude of how you or your company is perceived by the recipient. As with all good gestures, the other benefit is that it also makes the sender feel good.

Your business birthday cards will help your business, but making sure they are green will help the world. Why not make a good thing better by ensuring that your purchase is from a company that is looking toward the future. In this day and age, most people do turn the card over to see if it is made with environmental awareness. Broaden your benevolence by including the saving of our planet.

I started my own craft business from home last year and I sent birthday cards to all my customers. The first time they placed an order, I asked everyone to fill out a customer card with their name and birth date (minus the year, of course). I wasn’t sure what type of business birthday cards to buy because not everyone has the same crazy sense of humor I have about turning a year older, not to mention all my customers are women. So when I went shopping, the first cards I crossed off the list were the “over the hill” joke cards, the cards with pictures of “ancient” little old ladies, and cards with those cute chubby babies in diapers. Basically, all the “ha ha, you’re a year older” birthday cards that I just love were no good. I figured, why insult a new customer when I’m desperate for their business? And to stay in business I really need all the customers I can get as well as their friends, too.

Anyway, I got some great comments about the business birthday cards I sent. Most of the women were really surprised that I took the time and money to send birthday cards to them. I think we’re all a little guilty of thinking that businesses want to take your money and then forget you’re alive. I don’t want to have that kind of business.

My mother-in-law gets a birthday card from her doctor and his wife every year. That’s where I stole the idea. She’s over 90, and she’s always joking that he should send her flowers along with a birthday card because she’s been keeping him in business all these years! But I know it makes her feel special, and I want to keep all my customers feeling special, too.

When I was a youngster my mother, God rest her soul, tried valiantly to get me to read the personalized birthday cards that came with my birthday presents. She actually wanted me to take the time to open and read the cards before tearing off the wrapping paper!! What century was she born in?

Later, I realized that she was born in a century that valued the written word – one in which chivalry was still alive and people were not criticized for displaying a little tenderness. Now, all of your birthday cards don’t have to be mushy or sentimental…I am all for humor and light heartedness. But somewhere between throwing greeting cards away without reading them or reading them with a chip on your shoulder, let’s get back to appreciating the effort put forth in the selection and sending of modern day birthday cards.

Unless you are a gifted writer and are prone to writing sentimental or comical notes to people, just take a look at some of the offerings available. You will be surprised at the wonderful variety to be had and the ease of choosing and sending one. On-line via the Internet is my personal favorite way. You can view literally hundreds of birthday cards sites and order quickly and efficiently.

I heartily recommend to all that the best way to show appreciation is to send personalized birthday cards, and the best way to feel appreciation is to read each card and think about who sent it.

Here is a plan I came up with that will surely keep your name in good with your bosses. The title of the plan is Birthday cards for Business Use. I think the idea has a great deal of merit, and it will only take a little of bit of effort on your part. It is essential when making a plan that you keep a list of what is needed. You can use old birthday cards to write lists on the back of them…this will keep you focused on your goal.

First, at the top of a birthday card, write your goal. Second, list the people who you would like to look favorably on you. This is essential as you cannot leave off anybody who is in a higher position or works for the higher person or is likely to mention that you sent business birthday cards to some and will be jealous that they didn’t get one.

Next, you must establish when the important birthdays are. This can be accomplished by casually mentioning your zodiac sign to the human resources people and by speculating on what signs your bosses are. Or perhaps, you can start a conversation with one of the higher ups and mention that you thought he had a birthday coming up. Or you could just ask someone in Human Resources point blank when so and so’s birthday is. Of course, you’ll have to explain that you are planning to send a birthday cards to these people and then they may expect you to add them to the list and then…hmmm.

Ok, this is the new plan. Put a suggestion in the suggestion box that everyone in the company would probably like to receive business birthday cards from their co-workers and wouldn’t it be nice if the company ordered some appropriate cards and someone could be in charge of seeing that the cards are signed and sent out. This will probably become your job, since you made the suggestion. Goal accomplished. Your name is in front of the bosses, everybody thinks you’re a nice person, and all you have to do is send out a birthday card every once in a while.

It is early in the morning and the clock is ticking. Well ok, it’s not actually ticking because it’s a digital alarm clock, but for the purposes of me writing this, just imagine you hear a slight tick and then a tock. As the clock strikes 6:30 the buzzing begins to start. Time to wake up…you are a year older!

Oh, how time passes by. One day you woke up 21 and today you wake up still somewhat spry at 41 years of age. Well at least you have those company birthday greeting cards to look forward to. You know the ones I’m talking about. They will be sitting on your desk as the grogginess of the early morning is still accentuated on your face.

Corporate birthday cards sometimes do more to cheer you up then one might think. They are reliable unlike a lot of other crazy things in life. And it is nice to get to work on your birthday and know your company cares a little bit. We’d all like to walk in to 1,000 gifts, but those company birthday greeting cards do the trick just fine.

Now you can go on about your day working hard or hardly working, as we all sometimes do, and think about happy birthday thoughts. Like how you are going to be able to handle the cheesy surprise birthday party your wife set up. You know, that one you’ve known about for three weeks but you have to put on that super happy surprised face when you walk in. Well at least you have something to talk about…the business birthday cards you received at work!