Greeting cards and system for creating and methods of manufacture and use

A method of ordering and manufacturing a novel greeting card having a digital retrieval code for retrieval of a digital gift file, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. accessing a computer and directing the computer to connect with a computerized printed greeting card ordering system;
• b. displaying a plurality of stock greeting card choices, each of the stock greeting card choices being associated with at a digital gift representing published content for retrieval by the gift card recipient after receipt of the card;
• c. selecting at least one greeting card from the plurality of stock card choices;
• d. composing a personal message directed to the card recipient;
• e. selecting a digital gift from all digital gifts associated with the selected card;
• f. storing the personal message, selected stock card, and an identifier of the selected associated digital gift in memory component associated with the greeting card ordering system;
• g. printing the stock card on paper or plastic, including the personal message on a first portion of the card;
• and
• h. printing a digital gift retrieval code encoding for the selected associated digital gift on a second portion of the card.

A method of retrieving a digital gift encoded on a social expression item, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. receiving a paper or plastic postcard or greeting card having a digital gift retrieval code thereon which provides electronic access to a digital gift file representing published content;
• b. causing an electronic device to read the digital gift retrieval code located on the social expression item;
• c. decoding instructions encoded in the digital gift retrieval code to transmit an electronic signal to a website which provides the electronic device with access to an electronically retrievable digital gift file;
• d. decoding the digital gift identifier from the digital gift retrieval code;
• e. searching the memory component associated with the website for the digital gift file identified by the digital gift identifier of the digital gift retrieval code;
• and
• f. displaying the published content on the recipient's electronic device.