Changing the tone and revising the sentence structure for the presented article, while maintaining its essence, results in the following:
Many birthday cards could use an update when it comes to aging
Bredell, as Co-Director of Changing the Narrative, a movement against ageism in Denver, has been working to shift the conversation around aging.
Frustrated by "the plethora of birthday cards that mock older people, depicting them as weak, deaf, forgetful, and cranky," the group launched a contest, challenging artists to create birthday cards that "embody a more positive perspective on aging."
Bredel shared that the winning entry and similar designs send a powerful and essential message.
Birthday cards may sound innocent, but as Bredel points out, they have become a prominent example of harmful messages that can have severe health consequences.
"The way we think about aging affects how we age," she said, adding that research shows that negative perceptions of aging can impact physical and mental health and even shorten lifespan, while "positive aging perceptions" can help people live longer.
Schwartz, Editor-in-Chief of Stationery Trends, noted that "over-the-top" birthday cards have become the norm over the years.
But times are changing, Schwartz said. Overall, greeting cards have been becoming friendlier, she added, and companies that create cards with more positive messages about aging are gaining traction in social media and taking a growing share of the greeting card market.
"Many of these ideas have found their own communities and roots," Schwartz, who also runs a blog called "The Paper Nerd" on paper products, said.
Schwartz added that it's the typical trend for each new generation of greeting card artists to add their own touch. But this trend is different.
"It's cool that older generations are embracing this medium and using it to send truly remarkable messages and help redefine what aging is, what a birthday is, and what a birthday card is," Schwartz said, using the phrases "dominant paradigm" and "our culture" to describe the way aging has been perceived for generations.
Designers with diverse backgrounds from various states across the country have taken on the challenge of changing the narrative – each with their unique artistic style and perspective, according to Bredell.
Here are some current card designs and the inspiration behind them for the artists who created them:
She's respected her elders since childhood
Marina Kishkovic was surprised by the "subtle and not-so-subtle disrespect" towards older people she encountered when she emigrated from the former Soviet Union to the US more than 30 years ago.
She hears it in the words people use and sees it in the cards they exchange.
"My grandmother turned 89 years old. My grandfather died at 100 years old. Until her last day, she was someone you could consult with and have an intelligent conversation," Kishkovic said. "It's hard to imagine giving her a card with messages like 'You're outdated.' It's time to move on."
Many of the birthday cards she's seen over the years have left her feeling uneasy.
"It felt disrespectful and impolite to mock someone about something they couldn't control ... it felt so deeply ingrained that I didn't even consider that I could do anything about it," Kishkovic said. "It just felt like okay, okay, let's just leave it."
Kishkovic, an artist at Ampersand M Studio, said she created a birthday card for the "Change the Narrative" campaign that matches others in her collection, often containing wordplay and images of plants, fruit, and vegetables.
But Kishkovic, 45, said the campaign gave her the opportunity to offer an alternative. She created a card for Ampersand M Studio that is similar to others in her collection, which often features wordplay alongside images of plants, fruit, and vegetables.
The front of her card reads: "Thyme brings wise wisdom. Wishes for a wonderful birthday!"
Kishkovic said the response to the card has been "very satisfying" and informative. The card sold well, she said, and many people thanked her for creating it.
"Because we see that the market is dominated by negative cards, people comment when something like this emerges, and they say, 'This is the message I've been looking for' for my partner, friend, friend's friend. Parents."
When she becomes a grandma, not all the clichés will fit
Ritz became a grandma at 58. She soon realized that the images she'd seen throughout her life didn't match the reality of her own life or that of many other older people.
"We just don't fit the stereotype – no teeth, gray hair, rocking chairs, and all that," Ritz, who lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, and runs a website dedicated to "wrinkle-free grandparents," said. Ritz, now 66, has illustrated countless children's books. Through greeting cards, she found a way to tell more stories. She created her first card about 2013 and founded her own greeting card business a few years ago.
Ritz's winning entry in the "Change the Narrative" contest features a sunflower and says: "Look at the seeds you've sown on your journey and see how the future unfolds."
Ritz's card design is one of ten selected for the "Change the Narrative" contest in 2023.
Ritz said she tried to focus on the beauty she found in this stage of her life when creating her cards.
She observed the growth of her own grandkids, now 9 and 7, as she cared for them.
"I work on things that inspire them to learn more ... it's so much fun to see them shine," she said. "I learn from them, too."
Ritz said she believes that aging is a journey worth celebrating.
VanEssex was "stressed and exhausted" a few years ago as she made individual wedding invitations and birthday cards.
"I'd agreed to do all these things I didn't want to do because I'm a people-lover," she said.
But that changed when VanEssex, 36, from Dallas, got advice from Oprah to start saying no. She founded a new greeting card and gift company, Pineapple Sunday Design Studio, with the goal of "celebrating and bringing more positive energy to your daily life."
The "Change the Narrative" contest was definitely a driving force, VanEssex said, helping her fulfill one of her goals: to highlight the beauty in this stage of her life. "I want to inspire people to have fun as they age. This is the first time in my life that I'm able to work full-time as an artist and make a living from it. It's just a great time," she said. "Even if I'm here, I feel so grateful, because that's what we all feel after COVID, right?"
VanEssex's winning card design features a champagne flute with the message: "To many more years ... and to being the best you can be!"
VanEssex, the founder and creative director of Pineapple Sundays, said she drew inspiration for the "Change the Narrative" contest from her sister. The card VanEssex designed was one of ten winners selected for the event.
"My studio focuses on cards and gifts to celebrate and bring more positive energy to your daily life," she said.
"As we get older, we grow more. When we get older, we grow again and again," she said. "I feel like there's something to celebrate – not your number, but your growth and blossoming." "
VanEssex said that the message people should take away is that everyone should be valued, regardless of age.
She's had enough of the "damned, you're old" birthday cards. So she started making her own.
Golden tried searching Google for "fun" birthday card options, but was disappointed at the negative results.
"I was so annoyed ... I was surprised by how many cards I saw with the message: 'Damn, you're old!' and all these caricatures of older people," Golden recalled.
A few years ago, when she was working as a web developer, disappointing Google search results and a shift in the Greeting Card Contest inspired her to try creating her own designs.
Golden didn't enter the contest, though, as she was already volunteering for its organization and helping evaluate the entries. But the more cards she created, the more she enjoyed the process. What started as a side job has now become a new profession.
Smiling Fish Design Studio, which Golden founded, creates cards featuring witty phrases in bold, bright colors and shades of blue-green and red. The options include: "Older, wiser, sexier than ever," "Celebrate, because you'll never get old," and "The older you get, the better you get, both inside and out."
Golden quit her job as a web developer to start a second career as a greeting card designer with her business, Smiling Fish Design Studio.
Golden said the cards she designs have the potential to change the script of how we speak about aging.
Golden, 62, said her inspiration often comes from unexpected sources, such as critical comments on the internet.
Additional insights:
- Older people are often depicted negatively in pop culture and media, reinforcing stereotypes and perpetuating ageism.
- The impact of ageism on mental and physical health is significant, with negative perceptions of aging leading to both shortened lifespans and reduced quality of life.
- Challenging ageist stereotypes and promoting positive views of aging can help improve mental and physical health and increase longevity.
- The "Change the Narrative" contest was an effort to promote positive aging messages and challenge ageist stereotypes in birthday cards.
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