Cheating with cards
I have to admit something.
Since I left Poland I have been kind of taking advantage of my family by cheating them with greeting cards. But it wasn't intentional. When I first moved to Denmark I spend weeks searching for the appropriate Name Day card for my Grandma. Then came my aunt's Name Day, then my cousin's and so on. Along with Grandma's Day, Name's Day is not known in Denmark. And that's why I couldn't find any card with "Happy Name Day", or "Happy Grandma's Day" on it! But there were plenty cards for various anniversaries, weddings, funerals and baptisms. Since they were all in Danish, I always grabbed the one with the most flowers or the prettiest one. For years, no one EVER noticed! The funeral cards were the nicest ones, always with some yellow and green flowers, which are such happy colors.
Now, when I go and visit my Grandma I can't stop laughing when I enter her living room. She keeps even the oldest cards she ever got from me, all nicely displayed. None of them has a "Happy Name Day" written in front. I really got away with it since none of my family members speak Danish or English.
Since I arrived to Okinawa I've been shopping for cards at the BX, which is our local American store on base. It has a wide selection of Hallmark cards, but none for a "Name Day". Ah, believe me, I was tempted many times with the Japanese cards, but I thought it would be too obvious.
In Poland a purple color is traditionally used at funerals. So are the purple cards. In 11 days Grandma's Day is coming up (in Poland) and today I needed to find a card for my Grandma. Unfortunately most Grandma's Day cards at the BX were either purple, or just had both sides filled up with writing, which didn't leave me any space to write nice wishes. Since my Grandma can't see very well, I need to write with large letters. I looked for a card almost half an hour. Discouraged, tired, and annoyed, I finally went to my favorite aisle and got a beautiful card in pink with green flowers.
On the front page of the card you can read: "With Caring Thoughts and Deepest Symphathy".
Tahitian Coconut Bread, for those of you who are wonderring what it looks like! :-)
Since I left Poland I have been kind of taking advantage of my family by cheating them with greeting cards. But it wasn't intentional. When I first moved to Denmark I spend weeks searching for the appropriate Name Day card for my Grandma. Then came my aunt's Name Day, then my cousin's and so on. Along with Grandma's Day, Name's Day is not known in Denmark. And that's why I couldn't find any card with "Happy Name Day", or "Happy Grandma's Day" on it! But there were plenty cards for various anniversaries, weddings, funerals and baptisms. Since they were all in Danish, I always grabbed the one with the most flowers or the prettiest one. For years, no one EVER noticed! The funeral cards were the nicest ones, always with some yellow and green flowers, which are such happy colors.
Now, when I go and visit my Grandma I can't stop laughing when I enter her living room. She keeps even the oldest cards she ever got from me, all nicely displayed. None of them has a "Happy Name Day" written in front. I really got away with it since none of my family members speak Danish or English.
Since I arrived to Okinawa I've been shopping for cards at the BX, which is our local American store on base. It has a wide selection of Hallmark cards, but none for a "Name Day". Ah, believe me, I was tempted many times with the Japanese cards, but I thought it would be too obvious.
In Poland a purple color is traditionally used at funerals. So are the purple cards. In 11 days Grandma's Day is coming up (in Poland) and today I needed to find a card for my Grandma. Unfortunately most Grandma's Day cards at the BX were either purple, or just had both sides filled up with writing, which didn't leave me any space to write nice wishes. Since my Grandma can't see very well, I need to write with large letters. I looked for a card almost half an hour. Discouraged, tired, and annoyed, I finally went to my favorite aisle and got a beautiful card in pink with green flowers.
On the front page of the card you can read: "With Caring Thoughts and Deepest Symphathy".
Tahitian Coconut Bread, for those of you who are wonderring what it looks like! :-)
posted by Beata | 5:24 AM
9 Comments:
Omigod, that is hilarious, Beata. But it's the thought that counts, right? Love you, Mom
Every time you come home with a sympathy card for your somebody's name day or for grandma's day, I just crack up laughing. I just hope that one day, somebody in the family will learn English and go through all of grandma's saved cards. That'll be a hoot.
Beata that is so funny! I am sure your Grandma is just thrilled to get a card from you. If anyone in the family ever does learn English, they are going to be very confused! Love to both of you!
Aunt Karen
That is just too funny!
Hey Beata,
When you get to the US, go to a big computer store. I'll bet you would have lots of fun with one of the softwares for making your own greeting cards on the computer and printing them out on card stock. You can type in any language what will print out on the card ... and you can use your original art or their nice flowers.
I will look for those softwares to make my own cards. Thank you!
But to keep things fun, I will write them in Spanish! (ok, just kidding!) ;-)
Beata, ever since your husband started writing, you stopped. I check this every day to read your beautiful thoughts...Now get busy! :) Your Mean M-I-L
Loved your story, including the headline! I still wonder if one day you'll get busted when someone who can speak English or Danish visits your Grandmother. It would be quite perplexing for anyone who could read them, I think!
I know, I know, I haven't been writing much lately, but I have been working on our Hawaii pictures. It really took me days to download them. I will have them all ready soon and will posting any day now.
Lisa! I hope that will never happen!!!! ha!ha!ha! I hope to just get away with it... ;-)
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