Why does the UK have the WORST greeting cards??

Greeting cards: Cultural differences... UK - USA

Delightful banter from some of our cousins...

"The cards here are shockingly horrible, they either have a joke about farting, football or drinking on them or they have freaking teddy bears! Now I know why I try to stock up when I go to the states!!!"

"I LOVE greeting cards here. The funny ones are hysterical. My whole family looks forward to the cards I send for birthdays and stuff. We have a really mean/inappropriate sense of humor, so I guess they just push the boundary a bit more than Shoebox cards."

"it seems to be impossible to just buy a cheap and cheerful card. I just can't bring myself to spend more than a couple pounds on a card but it seems like you have to if you want something nice. Especially for men - i.e. Father's Day. I just want to get a card without alcohol or sports prominently featured on it!"

"You name it I have shopped there, high street, boutiques, Clinton, Asda, Tesco, independant shops...everywhere. I just think the cards here are pants! Total pants! I am not a big fan of cards anyway, I would rather give someone a phone call or buy them a drink. This isn't going to be a popular view, but what a waste of money greetings cards are! £2 that you throw away a few weeks later! Bah Humbug I say!"

"That's bizarre! I've never ever heard anyone complain about greeting cards in the UK before! In fact, when I lived in the US, most of the cards I bought were imported from the UK."

"I've always found it to be the other way around - I think the stores in the US have terrible card selections - although maybe that's because I'm British and am used to the UK-style cards."

"I agree with Racheee--the "regular places" Clinton, Hallmark, etc. don't do it for me at all. Enough with the teddy bears and balloons already! There is one small independant place in my neighborhood that has great cards--classy, cute, artistic--really good ones. I know cards are sort of a waste of paper and money, but sometimes you've gotta do it, when it's expected--like Mother's Day, etc. I used to make my own, but lately I don't have the time to do that."

"I *really* had a hard time finding my dad a Father's Day card here. He's not into boats, golf, beer, or fishing and he's *not* the "greatest dad", etc. That being said I do think I had a hard time finding him cards in the US as well."

"I can't stand the silly sentimental poems in American greeting cards! There seem to be more lovely blank cards here, for those of us who like to use our own words. I haven't actually noticed teddy bears on British cards, either, but I certainly wouldn't buy one like that. I seem to remember a lot of cutesy teddy bears at Hallmark, though. I guess they're everywhere ... because I guess people do buy them."

"I prefer blank cards myself but the choice here is very limited, as far as what I have found. I found in the states you weren't restricted to soppy stuff, in fact Hallmark has really pushed the envelope (ah bad pun) in terms of creating cards that run the gamut from sop to straight and simple."

"ooo...see I'm different. I could always find the funny cards in the U.S. a lot easier than I can over here! I think the difference being is pretty much what everyone has already said, over here any funny cards have to do with farting, drinking, naked ole men, fishing, boating, etc. My dad isn't like that and I don't do sentinmental cards as that's just not how we are. I used to find the best funny cards in the states! Now I have just taken to buying a decent card making program and do my own!! And I definately don't do sentinmental card as my mom is already mental and I don't want hear about it! (Kind of think Stacey Slater's momn just not so dramatic)."

"I love Edward Monkton - I've sent some of those that have brought tears to my eyes (from laughing, obviously!)"

Source: UK Yankee. Americans in the UK

- Edward Monkton Cards, as mentioned above, available from Cool Cards