Chinese Calendar

The Chinese believe that the animal ruling the year in which a person is born has a profound influence on personality saying "This is the animal that hides in your heart"
There are 12 animals and so each animal features every twelve years. The following table covers the period 1924-2019

Rat	1924	1936	1948	1960	1972	1984	1996	2008
Ox	1925	1937	1949	1961	1973	1985	1997	2009
Tiger	1926	1938	1950	1962	1974	1986	1998	2010
Rabbit	1927	1939	1951	1963	1975	1987	1999	2011
Dragon	1928	1940	1952	1964	1976	1988	2000	2012
Snake	1929	1941	1953	1965	1977	1989	2001	2013
Horse	1930	1942	1954	1966	1978	1990	2002	2014
Sheep	1931	1943	1955	1967	1979	1991	2003	2015
Monkey	1932	1944	1956	1968	1980	1992	2004	2016
Rooster	1933	1945	1957	1969	1981	1993	2005	2017
Dog	1934	1946	1958	1970	1982	1994	2006	2018
Boar	1935	1947	1959	1971	1983	1995	2007	2019

We all know a rat or two, thankfully the occasional tiger, a few snakes, several sheep, the odd cheeky monkey, more dogs than you can shake a stick at, and a few bores. So plenty of inspiration there, then.
No, but seriously, this might be useful for the special birthdays, that is, in 2008,

18th born 1990 Horse
21st born 1987 Rabbit
30th born 1978 Horse
40th born 1968 Monkey
50th born 1958 Dog
60th born 1948 Rat
70th born 1938 Tiger
80th born 1928 Dragon

The animal could inspire the design on the card front and here's a template verse that could be used

Today, you're (30), born in ('78)
According to Chinese legend, ah so
There's an animal lurking inside you
You're a (horse), don't ya know


Strictly speaking, it is about the year of birth but the concept needn't be confined to just birthday cards. Anniversary cards could use this theme, the year representing the birth of the subject's marriage.