Maxine is NOT a Baby Boomer Mom I Identify With

Every Mother’s Day someone is always sending me a card. This year I received several from girlfriends around the country.

One card stuck out. It was one of those “Maxine” cards. They’re a part of the Hallmark Shoebox Greeting Card collection. As I stared at the character on the front of the card I asked myself, “Why would someone think to send this to me?” Maybe she thought I had a “Maxine-like” personality or that I would just get a kick out of what the card had to say.

The Maxine cards were created 1986 by a man named John Wagner. The Hallmark artist said the crabby character was inspired by his mother, his maiden aunts and his grandmother.

Now that may have been OK 20 years ago, but things have changed since then. When a group of bloggers, which included myself, were invited to the Hallmark Headquarters last year to offer input, a few of us tried to tell them that Maxine needed to be updated. Many Baby Boomer women don't see themselves in that image. Don't they know 50 is the new 30? Maxine can still be sassy---but you could add some classy to that as well.

Let this blog serve as notice to my friends: Next Mother’s Day, send money instead and don’t worry about the card.