Why it’s still cool to send a greetings card

Let’s be honest-who wouldn’t admit to feeling a little surge of excitement at the sound of cards being posted through the letterbox and then landing on the mat? Sending as well as receiving them certainly seems to be a deep-rooted habit.

Since our distant ancestors began decorating the interiors of caves to mark important life events, we’ve been using images of some kind-and eventually words too of course--as a way of expressing our sentiments to others on significant occasions.

This evolutionary process led to the advent of the greetings card which first became fashionable in the Victorian era – and continues to this day.

Say it better with a card

Of course, in today’s world, we can send our good wishes to friends and family via text or social media messaging platforms in an instant. But while there’s no doubt these are sent with the best of intentions- can a quick message really beat the thrill of receiving a card?

As one of the UK’s leading online card outlets, Cards Galore Online are passionate believers in card ‘power’, we stand very firmly in the ‘no’ camp on that score! What may surprise you more are the reasons why it’s definitely still cool to send cards in the digital age – and here are our top reasons why:

Thoughtfulness

There’s something decidedly uplifting about receiving a card that has been chosen just for us in honour of a birthday, a new home, a new job or an anniversary. Or perhaps it’s been sent to offer comfort and support during an illness or another difficult time.

What’s more, sending a card to those we don’t see often or who live a long distance away lets them know we are thinking of them regardless of that fact. So even if you keep in touch with cousin Trisha in Australia on Whatsapp, the fact you’ve sent a card across the globe in time to reach her on her birthday will still mean a lot to her. You could even say it’s the icing on the cake-metaphorically speaking at least!

And imagine you’ve had a fall out with someone you care about. Who’s going to make the first move? Saying sorry face-to-face can be awkward but a suitable card will do the job perfectly for you meaning that things will have been smoothed over before you know it.

The Personal Touch

A card also represents the personal touch. Not only has the individual who sent it made an effort to choose one in the first place, they’ll likely have included a few words of their own, whether offering congratulations or condolences-or maybe just a simple; “love, Nana” in spidery writing.

Sometimes whether we opt for one design over another comes down to how appropriate the verse inside is. Often this will perfectly capture what want to say and will convey those sentiments to our friends and loved-ones more eloquently than we can ourselves. Time and time again people have told us that they honestly couldn’t have put it any better!

Enduring popularity

Many of us will hold on to certain cards we’re particularly fond of from those milestone birthdays, our wedding day or baby’s birth long after the occasion has passed. It goes without saying there’s sentimental value in a card sent by someone special who is no longer around-it becomes a treasured keepsake we can look back on again and again.

On top of that, the fact that every year in the UK we spend a whopping £1 billion or so on greetings cards is testament to their enduring popularity. By the way, that’s the equivalent of each of us sending 55 of them annually.

Staying Connected

Now more than ever, it’s important to stay connected to the people we care about. There’s no denying it’s a heart warming sound to hear the post arriving at Christmas time, or on a birthday or anniversary. It can feel like a tangible connection to family and friends-particularly for someone who lives alone.

You can’t beat the warm, fuzzy feeling we get when we open our mail, and the knowledge that your loved one has passed their physical touch on through the card they have sent.

There’s also the childlike joy of the idea of putting marks on paper, sending it off and two days later, someone else laughs somewhere else in the world. This just goes to prove the universal appeal of a humorous card!

Brighten Someone’s Day!

They’re often given alongside presents as a kind of support act but it’s fair to say that cards are more than capable of delivering the feel-good factor independently too!

A thoughtfully chosen card from a well-wisher can mean so much to the recipient whether they are personally known to us or not. Take for instance initiatives involving the sending of cards to care home residents and others facing isolation, as well as to key workers, during the pandemic. The goal was to brighten the outlook of the recipients and to get the message across that they had not been forgotten in challenging times.

And a recent Royal Mail survey revealed that 64% of adults prefer receiving a Christmas card over any other form of festive greeting and would you believe that 19% even prefer one to a face-to-face greeting! It’s clearly a measure of the extent to which we still value this tradition.

What’s more, it was revealed that three-quarters of adults also believe sending a Christmas card is a more meaningful way of letting loved ones know we are thinking of them than a social media message or text.

So there you have it. A trend that started generations ago, even in our high tech digital age it’s still cool to send a card!

Ends.