“You’re Weird” Series of Greeting Cards

In this age of electronic communication, my extended family has kept alive the tradition of exchanging physical greeting cards. Even as an older adult, I still regularly receive greeting cards–with money–from relatives for birthdays and for Christmas. 

One particular birthday, I received the card below from a thoughtful relative.

It begins innocuously enough, featuring a puppy wearing headphones (Aww). Presented next to the puppy is a quote from Thoreau (Uh oh), suggesting that I move to the beat of a different drummer (Oh crap). That notwithstanding, the message written inside was actually very nice and warm.

I read it, thought about it, and then reread it to make sure I understood the true meaning of the message. Was I being called weird, on my birthday, but in a well-meaning, polite, and celebratory way?

Dear Tom, You are a wonderful, if somewhat odd, boy.

Thanks? I had very mixed feelings about it, as you might imagine. They make cards like this? Apparently so, I’m holding one. There’s a market for it? Who knew?

Two years later…are you fucking kidding me…again for my birthday, I received the card below (slightly redacted) from a different thoughtful relative. 

I looked at it, read it, then had my memory triggered. Wait, didn’t someone send me this type of “You’re Weird” card before?

I dug through a paper bag of old cards that I’ve kept and found the previous card. Damn! I wasn’t wrong. I did remember correctly. Granted, the exact messages, the designs, and the animals used to symbolize eccentricity were different, but the general message about being different was similar. And that kind of cemented it for me–I guess I am weird. I have independent sources telling me that, in the nicest way possible, and “celebrating” it with me.

However, I will say, given our family history, being weird or atypical and doing things differently can actually be a good thing.

But as a final thought, just out of curiosity, how widespread is this notion and how long has it been floating around? Is it good that I’ve ONLY received two “You’re Weird” cards throughout the years? Are others holding back their true thoughts? Actually, I don’t know if I want to know. I’m okay not receiving any more of these cards. Can we find some other personal quality of mine to acknowledge on my birthday? Is there a series of cards celebrating chronic halitosis?