Few animals are as recognizable as the hippopotamus; its blimplike image shows up on posters and greeting cards around the world.
--Hans Klingel, hippo expert

Hey ..  I figure what the heck ...  lay it on thick and maybe you'll do it again!

Above: A "Forget Me Not" card from 78th Street®
© AGC, Inc.

This should be a triumphant day  if you play your card right. Happy Birthday!

Above: A Boynton! card from Portal Publications
© Sandra Boynton

Above: A Carlton card
© AGC, Inc.

Above: A Hallmark Crown card (sent by my hippo pen pal Ruth Davis)
© Hallmark Cards, Inc.

... But I couldnt get this flower eating hippo in a box. So this picture will have to do.  The name is Happy and  it lives in the zoo. Have Fun on Your Birthday!

Above: A "Designs by Phillips" card
© Advance Cellocard Co., Inc.

Hope your Valentine's Day  Is GREAT BIG fun!

Above: A Hallmark Crown card
© Hallmark Cards, Inc.

YeP, iT'S ____________!  ...AND I WANT TO THANK YOU  FOR BeiNG THe WORLD'S BeST DADDY ON YOUR BiRTHDAY AND ALWAYS! I LOVE YOU!

Above: A "Forget Me Not" card from American Greetings
© AGC, Inc.

Unseasoned Greetings

Above: A Christmas card from Paper Magic Group (sent by my hippo pen pal Rosemary Clark)
© The Paper Magic Group, Inc.

On a recent trip to Long Beach, California, I met an artist named Sue Burch who very generously shared several stacks of her hippo greeting cards with me. Below is her BURCH'S BIKERS series. Click on the thumbnail to see the full-sized image. These black-and-white drawings are great fun to color! All images are ©Susan Burch.

Above: A "Suzy's Zoo" card
©Suzy Spafford 1976

Maybe you packrats out there can help me track down the following out-of-print cards (I'm relying solely on my memory for this, so bear with me if my information is incomplete or inaccurate):

• Artist: Sandra Boynton
  • Christmas card. Outside: The real Santa Claus faces hippo dressed in Santa suit. Inside reads, "Hippo Holidays."
  • Birthday card. Outside: Hippo, Birdie, two Ewes; Hippo, Birdie, two Ewes; etc.
  • Valentine(?) card. Outside: Hippo queen faces hippo jester. Inside reads, "Kiss me, you fool."
• Artist: Tripp
  • Valentine(?) card. Outside: Hippo dressed as Cupid
    (i.e., hippo with angel wings, bow and arrow, etc.)
• Artist: Don't remember
  • Friendship card. Outside: Two grinning hippos standing side by side, arms resting on each other's shoulder. Caption reads, "To know you is to love you."