By Jana Persky
Editorial Director
If you think handwritten cards, cookies, or gifts are too cliché for your friend’s birthday, there is another way to demonstrate how much you care- Critter Yard Cards. Critter Yard Cards are eight-foot tall wooden cutouts of characters from various movies and television shows. Attached to the character is a message that is personalized to read “Happy 18th Birthday Sam!” or “Happy Sweet Sixteen Olivia!” Over the course of this school year, this product has really taken hold among students, as barely a day goes by without Spongebob, Homer Simpson, or Bugs Bunny adorning the entrance to the parking lot.
Junior Dan LoRusso had a possible explanation for the trend. “I think that after a lot of people saw them they liked the idea more and wanted to do it for their friends,” he said.
According to their website, Critter Yard Cards delivers to portions of Connecticut and New York. They have over 120 different character offerings ranging from Johnny Depp to Buttercup the Power Puff girl. Parents or friends can order them online or by phone, for a price of $60. Critter Yard Cards will then post the card and personalized message outside the school entrance, and take it down after the designated number of days.
Junior Nicola Scandiffio described the boards as “extravagant, but not in your face. You see it for thirty seconds in the morning, and then you move on, and remember whose birthday it is.”
Students seem to enjoy receiving their birthday wishes in a supersized format. “I thought it was fun having everyone in the school know it was my birthday, sophomore Gwen Van de Graaf said. “A lot of people wished me a happy birthday and all my friends got a kick out of it.”
While Gwen’s parents purchased her card, some students order them for their friends. Senior Kaitlin Hughes ordered a Pikachu car for fellow senior Katrina Mondonedo’s birthday. “[Katrina] said she wanted one, so I got her Pikachu because that’s what she wanted,” Kaitlin said. “It was worth it because she loved it. She was going crazy all day- all she did was talk about it!”
“I think its more fun if the boards are put up by friends,” sophomore Daisy Bishop said. “That way you know they care about you that much to embarrass you in front of the whole school.”
Freshman Eliza Ranieri shared a similar opinion. “When a parent gets it, its nice,” she said, “but it almost seems a little stuck up because your parents want to broadcast your birthday to the school.”
Students also enjoyed the daily reminders of whom they need to wish a Happy Birthday. “It’s always fun to see whose birthday it is, and if you know that person, to make a mental note to say happy birthday to them,” Daisy said.
“I usually try to figure out whose birthday it is when I drive to school,” Dan said. “Sometimes I get a good laugh.”
Sophomore Tyler Giggi said that the cards were a good gift. “It’s definitely appropriate as a legitimate birthday wish,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a particularly good joke or prank. If my friends got a Critter Yard Card for me, I’d probably think it was pretty cool, but it wouldn’t be a big deal if they didn’t.”
Reporting contributed by Olivia Marcus.
