Greeting Cards

The tradition of sending greeting cards has been traced back to the ancient Chinese who sent goodwill messages each New Year. There is evidence that the Egyptians were also early greeting cards senders as they sent their messages on papyrus scrolls.

In Europe the custom of sending greetings cards seems to have begun in Germany in the 1400s when New Years messages were sent on wood cuts. By the 1800s greeting cards were no longer a handmade, hand delivered and expensive gift but an affordable and popular way of sending messages. This was certainly due to printing advances but the introduction of the postage stamp made greeting cards an extremely convenient form of personal communication.
The greeting cards industry is now massive with cards sent for all types of occasions from anniversaries to Valentines Day to Mother’s Day. Greeting cards are also sent at religious times of the year, for example Xmas cards at Christmas time and Easter is also acknowledged by the sending of a card.