Kate Reveals Who She Was Thinking Of...

Last week (22nd to 28th Sept 2014) was National Thinking of You week.  Organised by the Greeting Card Association, we were all encouraged to send one greeting card a day for a week. Why? To help create a wave of love - to send a greeting card and raise a smile - because receiving a greeting card makes us feel special and warm inside.

As the owner of Love Kate's the online greeting card shop, I wanted to get involved personally.  We ran an offer that was enjoyed by many in the run up to the week, giving away a special £5 money off voucher to anybody buying their seven greeting cards.  We hope, helping them to come back and shop again and spread even more love!
 

Love Kate's help customers celebrate National Thinking Of You Week

Naturally I love greeting cards, so the prospect of sending cards myself during this special celebration week was very exciting.  I love the concept as well that you don't need to wait for a special occasion to send a greeting card to someone.  So that's exactly what I did every day last week.  To be honest once I got going it was very hard to stop at just seven!

Day 1:  
This one was an easy choice for me.   My younger half-sister has just started a Maths degree. Having taken my own daughter to Chichester Uni to become a student-teacher-fresher on the same weekend, I wanted to send Rebecca a card with a nice message.  Cue Boofle....

Good Luck at Uni

Rebecca popped up on Facebook a couple of days later to say thank you for the card, we had an online 'chat' and it seems she's settling in well so far.

Day 2: 
My second card was sent to friends we met on holiday when all our children were younger.  Since then have visited each other a few times, but recently we've all been too busy to meet up.  We send Christmas cards every year and are all friends on Facebook which is great.  I picked a cheeky card that was blank inside and wrote: "...hello from all of us in Cornwall to all of you in Cheshire, we must meet up soon..."

Let's catch up and have some fun

I've not heard anything yet.   But I like that.  Maybe we have a card on it's way back to us?  Or visitors even!

Day 3:
On Wednesday I found a wonderful card that said:

 "a good friend knows all your stories, a best friend has lived them with you."

Do you remember?

I posted the card off to one of my closest friends who lives in the midlands.  Of course, I can't possibly tell you what I wrote inside this card....

I'm sure a reply will be in the post as Stephanie, my friend, was a prolific letter writer when we were younger.  Oh how I used to look forward to those letters!

Day 4:
My fourth greeting card has had the most amazing reaction so far.  These knitting hamsters reminded me of my mum and daughter a couple of Christmases ago...  I knew 'Granny' had had a busy week so sent this card and said:  "...this reminded me of you and Jazzy... ...put your feet up and do some knitting...".

I saw this and thought of you!

On the very next day my phone rang and one very emotional Mum was telling me the card was wonderful and it had absolutely made her day.  It had indeed made her smile.

Day 5:
On Friday ( and even though it is September) I sent this festive Christmas card...

My husband has a young grandson in Australia.  This Christmas they are coming home to visit. Inside this card I wrote: "...Grumps & Granny can't wait to see you at Christmas, hopefully it will snow and we can build a snowman just like the one on the front of this card..."

It's going to be a Happy Christmas

...Oh and I also told him we were very much looking forward to him introducing us to his baby sister too.  The card was bursting with excitement, just like we all will be in December I'm sure.

Day 6:
On Saturday we'd been invited to a little party, to help our friends celebrate moving in together.  I had no problem writing this greeting card wishing the 'happy love birds' a long and happy future together.

To a very special couple

The card was unexpected but I could tell it was appreciated. Over the course of the evening I enjoyed talking about National Thinking Of You Week and telling some friends all about the cards I'd sent.  I could tell next year many of them would be getting involved too.

Day 7:
The final day.

On Sunday I hand delivered this card to say thank you to a friend who had helped me out with a project I have been working on recently.  He offered me his expertise and went 'over and above' the call of duty.  This card summed that up perfectly for me.

Thanks for everything...

He smiled as he opened and read the card, and I could tell he was grateful for my gesture.

So did I help spread a wave of love?  Yes I think so.

Most importantly I enjoyed being involved, in particular taking the time to pick out the right card and writing a special message inside.  A longer message than I would normally write in a Birthday card it has to be said.  It felt personal.

I know from the people responding to me so far that they enjoyed receiving a greeting card and genuinely liked the concept of this special week.  I'm confident that Thinking Of You Week will be an overwhelming success next year, hopefully even more people will take part and share the power of a greeting card and the written word.  I know I will.