There's something really wrong here

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MarieVeronica

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I went to get a Sympathy card for a dear friend, whose older sister passed away, yesterday.

In browsing through the cards… I found 2-3 variations… of Condolence cards… for loss of a dog or cat. That is 2-3 different styles for each of those animals.

But I could not find a single card that said “Loss of Sister” on it! So, I had to get a generic Sympathy card and write a special notation, acknowledging her sisters passing.

Does anyone else find this odd? Don’t get me wrong. I love animals. I’ve had a lot of dogs and cats over the years… and I was sad, when they died. But still, they were "animals’. They are not in the same category with human beings… who are made in the Image and Likeness of God.

I just find it disturbing that more “animal” sympathy cards are available (at least, in this store) than human sympathy cards! Yeah… I plan on e-mailing the corporate office about this!
 
MarieVeronica said:
I went to get a Sympathy card for a dear friend, whose older sister passed away, yesterday.

In browsing through the cards… I found 2-3 variations… of Condolence cards… for loss of a dog or cat. That is 2-3 different styles for each of those animals.

But I could not find a single card that said “Loss of Sister” on it! So, I had to get a generic Sympathy card and write a special notation, acknowledging her sisters passing.

Does anyone else find this odd? Don’t get me wrong. I love animals. I’ve had a lot of dogs and cats over the years… and I was sad, when they died. But still, they were "animals’. They are not in the same category with human beings… who are made in the Image and Likeness of God.

I just find it disturbing that more “animal” sympathy cards are available (at least, in this store) than human sympathy cards! Yeah… I plan on e-mailing the corporate office about this!
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just as a matter of interest why didn’t you send a mass card?
 
I agree.

I would also like to add a general point that pertains to your thread - we are seeing, in recent times, how so many people are extremely sensitive with regard to animal cruelty (which I wholeheartedly condemn) but pay little attention when it comes to cruelty committed against the most vulnerable humans. Abortion, euthanasia, religious persecution of minorities, etc.

I constantly witness such behaviour among people in my age group (18-25). It greatly annoys me.

Secularism has determined that humans and animals are on the same level within Creation. It is our duty to slow and revert this trend.
 
Animals are closer companions than people. They actually love us uncontionally. Glad you found cards so readily available for them.

For humans, a Mass card is much more beneficial.

Of course this is just my humble opinion.
 
Maybe a lot of people bought the sympathy for a sister cards and that is why they were out. Or were there more spots for the animal cards as well…?
 
You probably could have found what you were looking for if you had asked for help or went to another store. There are many lonely people in this world and a pet is the only companionship they have left. I think there is enough room at the Hallmark store for all kinds of sympathy and all kinds of cards.
 
MarieVeronica said:
I went to get a Sympathy card for a dear friend, whose older sister passed away, yesterday.

In browsing through the cards… I found 2-3 variations… of Condolence cards… for loss of a dog or cat. That is 2-3 different styles for each of those animals.

But I could not find a single card that said “Loss of Sister” on it! So, I had to get a generic Sympathy card and write a special notation, acknowledging her sisters passing.

Does anyone else find this odd? Don’t get me wrong. I love animals. I’ve had a lot of dogs and cats over the years… and I was sad, when they died. But still, they were "animals’. They are not in the same category with human beings… who are made in the Image and Likeness of God.

I just find it disturbing that more “animal” sympathy cards are available (at least, in this store) than human sympathy cards! Yeah… I plan on e-mailing the corporate office about this!
Click to expand...
I think you hit the nail on the head when you wrote “I’ve had a lot of dogs and cats over the years.” How many of your sisters have died in the same interval?

The number of greeting cards available in a typical store does not reflect the seriousness of the event, but the frequency of the event. This is why there are lots of birthday cards in a typical greeting card display, quite a lot of “mere friendship” cards, and not a lot of condolence cards referring specifically to the death of a parent. It is not as if just being friends is more important than extending condolence over the loss of a family member. It is that presumably you send more trivial “just friends” cards in a lifetime than you do condolence cards.

The other thing is that people probably want more latitude in choosing a card for a bereavement than the role of the deceased in the life of the person grieving. People may choose cards that more closely reflect the personality of the recipient or of the deceased. That is probably why condolence cards are left non-specific with regards to the relationship between the deceased and the recipient of the card: that is, because that is not the unique aspect that card-buyers most want to cater to in their choice of cards.
 
Well, I guess with sympathy cards, there are so many relationships. It’s hard to hit them all…husband, wife, father, mother, cousin, brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, grandfather, grandmother, niece, nephew, grandson, granddaughter aunt, uncle. It’s just easier to have one generic, and the person can specify.

If they buy a whole bunch of ones that say, “sister”, what if there isn’t enough call for those? What if they need more of say, “mother” sympathy cards? Then, the store will get stuck with them. They need to be more generic, unless they sell a lot of sympathy cards. If I had a store, I’d probably do the same thing, get generic ones and hope people understood.

With animals, there are mainly just cat and dog sympathy cards, unless you’re at a vet! You can use one cat card for probably any cat and one dog sympathy for any dog. They are more generic. Also, I can understand why we grow so attached to our pets. I met a homeless guy who probably didn’t have ONE friend, but he had this cute little dog! Animals don’t care if you are poor, ugly, sick, etc. That’s why we love them so much.

A lot of people probably have animals as their only real friend, so I wouldn’t discount them, especially the sick and elderly. They can be therapeutic. They spread happiness wherever they go, sort of like babies!
 
That may be a buyer/order choice at the local card store that you should talk to the manager about.

There are oodles of sympathy cards in our local Walmart, and none of them are for pets. There are a lot for relatives and religious/generic, etc. I just bought one last week.

So, I don’t think you can generalize your experience at one card store. Perhaps the person in charge of cards at that store is just a little different and needs to be reminded of what customers want.
 
saveusfromhell said:
just as a matter of interest why didn’t you send a mass card?
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The point I was trying to make, has seemingly been missed by some. As I said… my friend’s sister only passed away yesterday. I don’t happen to have a Mass card, available just now. But that doesn’t mean I will not send one to her, later.

When my mother passed away in June, I received BOTH Sympathy cards and Mass cards (yes, from the same people… spaced out. The Sympathy cards arrived first, followed weeks later by Mass cards). It appears that an assumption has been made, that I opted not to send a Mass card. I simply haven’t had a chance to do that, yet.

The point I was trying to make… that some of you, understood… is that there was a plentitude of ANIMAL Sympathy cards… while there were ZERO “Sister” cards.

While all of us do love our pets… they are not human. I find it odd… that there was such a representation of animal cards… but nothing, for “Sister”.
 
HouseArrest said:
Maybe a lot of people bought the sympathy for a sister cards and that is why they were out. Or were there more spots for the animal cards as well…?
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Well, perhaps. But I couldn’t even find a slot that said “Sister” (or “Brother”, for that matter). I did see “Mother”, “Father”… and grandparents. But nothing suitable for a sibling.

I respectfully disagree with the poster who suggested that sisters’ don’t die as often as pets? Implying that is the reason for the large amount of pet cards and the lack of “Sister” cards? Sorry, I don’t agree!

People die every single day. Many of them are “sisters” to someone.
 
MarieVeronica said:
I went to get a Sympathy card for a dear friend, whose older sister passed away, yesterday.

In browsing through the cards… I found 2-3 variations… of Condolence cards… for loss of a dog or cat. That is 2-3 different styles for each of those animals.

But I could not find a single card that said “Loss of Sister” on it! So, I had to get a generic Sympathy card and write a special notation, acknowledging her sisters passing.

Does anyone else find this odd? Don’t get me wrong. I love animals. I’ve had a lot of dogs and cats over the years… and I was sad, when they died. But still, they were "animals’. They are not in the same category with human beings… who are made in the Image and Likeness of God.

I just find it disturbing that more “animal” sympathy cards are available (at least, in this store) than human sympathy cards! Yeah… I plan on e-mailing the corporate office about this!
Click to expand...
I think it must be where you live and the shop as where I am there are only Cards for the human kind and none for our four legged friend, mention it to the Shop and ask them what are they at.
 
KrazyKat said:
Animals are closer companions than people. They actually love us uncontionally. Glad you found cards so readily available for them.

For humans, a Mass card is much more beneficial.

Of course this is just my humble opinion.
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You could sent both a Mass card and a cord from the card shop. 🙂 :gopray:

As for the pets and cards for them, there are times that I still miss Amber (a tabby cat I had when a kid) that has been gone fifty years. 🤷
 
KrazyKat said:
Animals are closer companions than people. They actually love us uncontionally.
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I have to disagree. Animals don’t have the capacity to love as humans do. Some of them like to be with us, they get used to us, and they like being fed regularly.

I love my animals (cats, donkeys, chickens, rabbits) but I am always aware that their main “emotion” is cupboard love.
 
tabycat said:
You could sent both a Mass card and a cord from the card shop. 🙂 :gopray:

As for the pets and cards for them, there are times that I still miss Amber (a tabby cat I had when a kid) that has been gone fifty years. 🤷
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Thanks for trying to help. But again… an assumption being made. I live in the Bible Belt of the southern U.S. Mass Cards are difficult to come by, here. I can only get them through my parish Gift Shop… when it is open. Or… from one of my mail charities… such as the Carmelites.

But thanks for trying to help! 🙂
 
EasterJoy said:
I think you hit the nail on the head when you wrote “I’ve had a lot of dogs and cats over the years.” How many of your sisters have died in the same interval?

The number of greeting cards available in a typical store does not reflect the seriousness of the event, but the frequency of the event. This is why there are lots of birthday cards in a typical greeting card display, quite a lot of “mere friendship” cards, and not a lot of condolence cards referring specifically to the death of a parent. It is not as if just being friends is more important than extending condolence over the loss of a family member. It is that presumably you send more trivial “just friends” cards in a lifetime than you do condolence cards.

The other thing is that people probably want more latitude in choosing a card for a bereavement than the role of the deceased in the life of the person grieving. People may choose cards that more closely reflect the personality of the recipient or of the deceased. That is probably why condolence cards are left non-specific with regards to the relationship between the deceased and the recipient of the card: that is, because that is not the unique aspect that card-buyers most want to cater to in their choice of cards.
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I run a small Catholic gift store.

I don’t carry ANY specific cards. All of the cards I carry are general cards that can be used for anyone. Oh, I have Sympathy Cards. And 1st Communion Cards. And Wedding Cards.

But if you want a “Happy 1st Communion, Grandson,” you won’t find one at my store. Why? Because those cards can only be sold to grandparents.

On the other hand, a generic 1st Communion card can be sold to anyone looking for a 1st Communion card.

So, I don’t know that anything is wrong with not being able to find a Sister Sympathy card. To me that is way too specific.
 
Personally, I think that the whole idea of ‘Loss of a Sister’ on the front of a card is pathetic. I remember a guy at work losing his mom and someone got him a card an on the front it was written in big red letters ‘Loss of a mom’. That was the first time I saw one that was so specific and I was amazed that he did rip the thing up. When my dad died, I would have been mortified if someone would have sent me a card with ‘Loss of a dad’. I can’t help but think I was very aware my dad died and I did not need a reminder of it in big letters. A simple ‘sorry for your loss’, let’s me know the person was thinking of me and the door is open if I want to talk. So in a way, I am not surprised there was no ‘Loss of a sister’ because frankly, I don’t think they would be a big seller

Angie
 
Anglewannabe said:
I can’t help but think I was very aware my dad died and I did not need a reminder of it in big letters.
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This topic just reminded me that I received only one card when my mother died - a lovely Mass card from good friends. When my dad died - nothing. After 9 years I still remember the Mass card!

For sure I didn’t need any “reminders” that a parent had just died, but a little spiritual support would have been nice.

An acquaintance from church just lost her daughter to cancer. We’ve been praying for the daughter ever since we found out she was ill (and I told Louella we were praying). A few weeks ago I was talking with her - she held my hand for a long time as we talked about her daughter. And I told her today that we would continue to pray for the family. Somehow, I don’t think a card, no matter how pretty, would help her any better than letting her know we were praying.

Of course, it’s different when the bereaved are a long ways away.
 
ClearWater said:
With animals, there are mainly just cat and dog sympathy cards, unless you’re at a vet!
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I’d guess they’d carry dog, cat, and then the more generic “pet”, since dogs are probably 45+% and cats 45+% of mourned non-human companions. Besides, nobody is going to stock “turtle” or “snake” or “rabbit”, let alone each of the miscellaneous but distinctive birds and rodents–it would be worse than nothing to send a parrot card for the death of a parakeet!–especially those that only last 3-5 years.
 
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