When my husband was deployed he had commented on the fact that all of the cards at the PX, which weren't many to begin with, would sell out quickly. Sometimes soldiers can't put into words their appreciation or affection and rely on the writings of the greeting card companies to express their thoughts for them to their loved ones back home. Did you ever pick up a card at the store and say to yourself "that is perfect for 'so and so'!" Because of that, I always try to throw in a few greeting cards for the soldiers to send back home.

 ***Valentine's Day is quickly approaching! Send a few in the next couple of weeks to make sure they get there in time to be sent BACK to the states in time!***

I sent packets of the valentine cards and stickers for those soldiers that may want to send them home.  I’ve also picked up packets of note cards – colorful ones and just picked up random cards to send.  I thought it would help to give them a chance to send something home that was a little more cheerful.

 

Some of the soldiers don’t have a PX!

 

Angelia

Check with your local gift shop, bookstore, or other small independent retailer and ask about purchasing their out-of-season greeting cards that are left over from last year. I have been able to purchase them for as little as 20 cents each because they don't have room to store them. I just purchased a large batch of Easter cards, many of them with "To my Wife" or "To My Husband" or other sentiments that make them a little nicer than generic ones. You can also ask about purchasing random envelopes (the ones that don't match up to cards) --some will just give them to you--which can be mailed out along with a writing tablet and black pens.

That's a good tip, MommaJ.  I always try to tuck in some cards, too.  I put in a variety: birthday, anniversary, thinking of you, etc.  Another good source for cards is older folks.  (I am pretty close to that category myself, so I hope none of you take offense!  )  My grandmother was on every mailing list known to man and recieved cards and stickers from all kinds of vendors in an effort to solicit her business.  She passed boxes of them on to me and when she passed away at the age of 99 I inherited the remainder of her mailing supplies, which I continue to pass on to my contacts.  A group of ladies at my church also gives me those freebie cards they receive. 

When I sent a pack of blank birthday cards to Afghanistan in 2004, I received a thank you note on a piece of corugated cardboard made into a post card.  It said "thank you so much - this is what we usually use."  That was it - I always send boxes of cards now.

I wanted to do something special for my first few contacts so I started to make my own "art" cards with rubber stamps. I couldn't make enough so I asked the owner of our local rubber stamp store if she and her staff would like to donate greeting cards that they had made.  She took a look at the anysoldier web site and was so impressed that she put a notice on her store web site inviting customers to participate.  Well, the response has been overwhelming and I'm so grateful to these folks for helping out.  You should ask at your local craft stores too.

TIP: I always search for "no px" or "no post exchange" to find the best places to send these cards.  

I too send them cards they can send back to their families.  The $ Store had boxes of Xmas cards and I think I must have sent 40 of them out in the Fall.  The guys seem to especially appreciate getting the Valentine Cards so thanks for the reminder, it's time to send them.   I sent a ton of all occasion and thank you cards in Xmas boxes this year too, ladies at a Senior Living Facility gave them to me, never hurts to ask.

Anita

 

Another source is thrift shops... 

There's another thread here on AS discussing all the places us junkies have found inexpensive cards, but thanks for the reminder that it's time to send for Valentine's Day

These are all such great ideas! I can remember it being SOooo important to me to receive mail from my husband while he was away. Email was wonderful, phone calls were as precious as gold, but there was something special when I was holding a card or a letter that he held in his hands and had written just for me.

With that said, if you come across a card that moves you, there is a spouse, a family member or a friend back here in the states that would love to get that card from their loved one serving. When you pick up an anniversary card for your husband/wife, a Mother's Day card for your supportive mother, or a card of encouragement for a friend going through a rough time, pick up a duplicate to send to your contact. I promise you that God will guide it to a person who needs it!

Thanks to everyone for helping the soldiers send their support back home!

Blow wind to where my loved one is. Touch him and come touch me soon. I'll feel his gentle touch through you and meet his beauty in the moon. These things are much for the one who loves. One can live by them alone: that he and I breathe the same air and that the Earth we tread is one.
Ramayana

 

Janet, I love your comment!  I find greeting cards in thrift stores, and I can tell that some of them have been collected by grandmothers.  Sometimes I find addresses on envelopes, or a card that was printed back in the '70's.

I always send greeting cards for my soldiers to send back home to their families too. Cards mean so much to a person! I got a call from my soldiers wife this afternoon and during our conversation she was so excited telling me she got a card from her husband yesterday. Of course she was excited to read it to me and as she was reading it I was on the other end of the phone smiling, hearing the words of the card I carefully had picked out for her  about a month ago for her husband to send to her I heard first hand how it made her feel and that was a good feeling.

Oh, wow!  What a nice *give-back* for you!  Way to go, Diana!

Our Dollar General and Family Dollar stores have new greeting cards (and nice ones) for 50 cents or 1 dollar....in English and Spanish.....for adults and kids....

 I was able to get some nice ones....about 20 for about 12 dollars....and mail to a contact...for them to send home.

Dollar Tree also has a really nice line of cards that are 2/$1. I buy a lot of my cards there, to send as mail and as blank ones to include in care packages.

I also often find sets of cards on clearance at places like Target, TJMaxx and Marshalls. Sometimes there may be a card and/or envelope missing from the set, or the box is all beat up, but when they go to clearance they're usually only $1-2 for a box of 8-12 cards.

I've been a "stationery addict" my whole life, and I'm finally whittling down my own collection of greeting cards, note cards, and stationery!

  Jenifer

 

I'm on the mailing lists of several organizations (AAUW, Paralyzed Veterans, Habitat for Humanity) that send out packs of blank cards as part of their mail solicitation efforts, and then I add them to care packages. Today I was at a group's luncheon and mentioned to the members what I use them for, and a dozen hands went into the air offering to bring the ones they also receive to our next meeting. No one wants to throw them away, so they are often collected until someone finds a good use for them. Ask your friends, neighbors, and fellow members to save them for you, and they will probably be thrilled to know they are going to a good cause. It saves you the cost of buying the cards--almost like a freebie. I also encourage them to keep one of the cards to send to an AnySoldier.com contact in hopes they will do more than send a card once they get signed up.

 
Another thing I have done for cards is scan artwork made by my nieces and print it off on blank cards. I bought packs of 50 foldable cards with envelopes from Wal-Mart for around $6.00. (They were in the arts and crafts section of the store.) I took the scanned artwork and added some text (such as "Happy Valentine's Day") on the front, and on the back I put my return address and e-mail info, and then put "artwork by Emily, age 9". I printed them out on my cheap but very trusty inkjet printer, and I have custom Valentine's that I KNOW will be a big hit with my soldiers!

You can also buy blank cards and envelopes at lots of craft stores, scrapbooking stores, and one of my favorite places for anything paper: Paper Source.