5th Annual National Place Card Day™- March 20, 2023
Michael Devine @michaelddevine
"My go to for chic place cards is always Mr. P's place cards. They have the best designs and colors to add an extra bit of dash to any table setting."
-Michael Devine
The Vernal Equinox
Welcome back to The B’ellow Bugle where we recently celebrated the 5th annual National Place Card Day™, a holiday created by, yours truly, Karen and Martin of The Punctilious Mr. P’s Place Card Co., in 2018. Observed on March 20th each year, the holiday celebrates the expression of welcome that the place card brings to every gathering. The festivities unfurled on the vernal equinox which marks the first day of spring. The vernal equinox is when the earth’s axis is neither tilted toward nor away from the sun and results in 12 hours of sunlight almost everywhere on earth. It evokes a unifying spirit to know that when spring awakens the senses almost everyone around the world experiences a balance of night and day. We love this cosmic equilibrium! So, on the first day of spring we planted our flag, or place card, to honor the goodness of gathering that is summed up by the 3 C’s of Mr. P: Celebrate, Cherish & Connect. It’s the pleasure and purpose of being together. It's the pleasure and purpose of our Joy Economy®.
When you use place cards to set your table and welcome your guests, you say so much about the best in all of us. You create a memorable sense of belonging. Here in this blogpost, we are delighted to share with you beautiful tablescapes and the heartfelt sentiments from a selection of our dear friends, acclaimed for their vision and style. They created their intentional gatherings with Mr. P’s custom place cards to cherish the people they brought around their tables as they celebrated National Place Card Day with us.
Maura Endres @m.o.endres
The Instagram Celebration of National Place Card Day 2023
National Place Card Day 2023 was marked by “yes”, our favorite word. We were so grateful for the "yes’s" from our friends who celebrated this holiday with us on Instagram. We thank them for graciously taking the time to set beautiful tables complete with custom name cards from The Punctilious Mr. P’s Place Card Co. They shared their memorable tablescapes via Instagram posts that provided intimate glimpses into their preparations. The gorgeous posts raised our pulses as they went live on March 20th, 2023, National Place Card Day. The deluge of posts was both exhilarating and affirming. We collectively created a joy reaction! The spectacular kaleidoscope of china patterns, table cloths, stemware, silverware, and spring floral displays inspired an insouciant childlike wonder. These IG posts are a marvel of the digital age that united us across distances and time zones. Overshadowing the concerns of our our daily toil, the celebration offered stolen moments to enjoy the charms of anticipation when we take in a table well set. We vicariously awaited the guests to arrive who would bring the table to life. Something about a named place at the table inspires the contentment of belonging, the kind of “yes” that invigorates us all.
Marian McEvoy a.k.a. @gustthepoodle
“An artful place card is a sure, simple way of showing your guests that you thought of each and every one of them as you planned the meal and set the table. Your guests have a visible, personalized place in your home— and maybe in your heart too!
-Marian McEvoy
Matthew Patrick Smyth @matthewpatricksmyth
“Every dinner guest enjoys seeing their name on a Place card. It’s a personal touch that conveys thoughtfulness. I still have my personalized place-card from lunch at Marian McEvoy's many years ago! It brings a smile to my face! Marian has reminded us, with her Instagram posts, how important and fun that final step is.”
-Matthew Patrick Smyth
Susanna Salk @susannasalk
“A place card is just another special way of saying, “I’m expecting you, and I can’t wait for you to arrive.”
-Susanna Salk
“When you use place cards to set your table and welcome your guests, you say so much about the best in all of us.” This "best" we refer to is the practice of kindness, thoughtfulness and graciousness. The “-ness’s” that are a necessity to a life well lived, filled with warmth. At work, at sports, in life, we certainly practice competition, so where do we practice the pleasant ”-ness’s”? One perfect place is at the table, of course, and practice makes perfect.
"Entertaining is like friendship - it takes thought, effort and caring. The best parties are fueled by a generosity of spirit and making guests comfortable. Having beautiful individualized place cards shows them you care both about a stylish welcome and giving proper thought about where they might enjoy themselves most at the table."
-Stacey Bewkes
Alessandra Branca @abranca
"I love place cards because it is always kind as a host to help people find their place as well as introduce them to new friends and reacquaint with wonderful old ones. It is also a wonderful way to accessorize and personalize a table!"
-Alessandra Branca
Jeffrey L. Davis @thecolumnguy
“I enjoy using place cards even if there is only two of us - it is one extra step in showing another how much you appreciate them.”
-Jeffrey L. Davis
Always with joy, yours truly, Karen and Martin