A similar custom (wearing a red or white flower on Mother's Day) has prevailed in this particular part of the South (TN, MS, AR + perhaps elsewhere in the South?) on both Mother's Day and Father's Day (red for live parent, white for deceased parent) except that we use roses rather than carnations. Roses are plentiful (NEVER bought) and are cut from one's own yard or that of a friendly neighbor. The practice was strictly (Religiously at Church!) observed in the '40s, '50s and into the '60s, began to fade in '70s and '80s and, in the '90s and '00s is rare, but is still considered a thoughtful, sentimental touch. As for "greeting cards", all of which have become as "pricey" as the incidental gifts themselves, the general practice, (cutting across all income brackets) is 1. to skip card (and "gift-wrap") altogether, or, 2.to create one's own card via computer or otherwise, or, 3. if a commercial card is irresistibly clever, to purchase it, but affix personal message on sticky notes to permit the card to be re-circulated. Such re-circulated cards are sometimes deemed to acquire a certain dog-eared panache in the process and, further, one hopes, may aid environmentalists in their efforts to preserve rain- forests. (Now where is that tongue-in-cheek emoticon?)
