In 2025 I roped my family into sending everyone we could, in our extended family, birthday cards. It didn’t involve store-bought cards, though. Instead, we made our own and wrote a personal note in each card. We found an old Calvin and Hobbes book at the library surplus sale. We bought it for one American dollar and cut strips out to put in each card. For each person, we tried to pick comics they might enjoy, so each card was personalized in that way as well.

It was a satisfying exercise, with only a little bit of arts and crafts necessary. We used colored construction paper, Sharpies, and a little clear tape. About half way through the year, we realized taping the comics inside the card was totally unnecessary, so we ceased that operation.

The whole process wasn’t too difficult, though parts of the process were challenging. If there were birthdays with a long time in between, then it was challenging to make sure we didn’t forget. A couple of times during the year we noticed someone’s birthday was coming up soon and we had to rush the card. Two days was the limit for in-town deliveries. One time we were late enough we had to take the card to the person ourselves. None were late, fortunately, even the out-of-town ones. Another challenge was being consistent, so no one in the same family got more or less than anyone else in the same family.

After one year of that, I can say I would do it again, but not this year. I need a break.