father's day cards

Men and greeting cards have always had a shaky relationship at best. We know that you give one to your wife/girlfriend on Valentine's Day and her birthday, you give your mom one on Mother's Day, and that there are probably a few other times throughout the year when you may or may not give a greeting card to someone. Beyond that, they remain largely a mystery to us, and something we almost never think about. Women seem to understand the science behind greeting cards, so whether for a woman, or (more often) on suggestion from one, we occasionally buy them.

Nothing illustrates the complicated relationship between men and greeting cards quite like Father's Day. Greeting cards designed for men are like video games designed for girls... usually pitiful. Having just bought a card for my dad and father in law, let me tell you it was quite a challenge to find good ones. The cards-for-men industry in general is a lot like stuffed animals you get from the claw game, and really drag down an otherwise good mood. Subjects I saw include:

• tools he has
  
• how crappy a fisherman he is
  
• golf (especially sand traps)
  
• borrowing money from him
  
• beer consumption
  
• rude body function/incontinence
  
• how much he grumbles
  
• he has too many ties
  
• lots and lots of ego stroking

I'm not saying that I hate the idea of Father's Day cards, and I'm especially not saying that I wouldn't love to get one from the wife this year. I've always looked forward to the day when my kids give me Father's Day cards, especially home made. However, as a grown man trying to pick out good cards for my fathers, I found myself facing quite a challenge.