I GREET YOU - GREETING CARDS

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INTRODUCTION

Happy Birthday, Happy New Year, Happy Hanukkah, and Merry Christmas are just some of the many greetings adorning the numerous greeting cards that some very happy faces are opening right this minute around the world.

They have almost become an afterthought, but there is still a lot of beauty to be found in them. In their illustrated way, they convey a certain sentiment to the recipient on a special occasion.

My desire to convey and write my own verses is what at the end of the day has led me to poetry writing and writing in general. Funny how things works out in the end, right?

A LITTLE VERSE FOR YOU

Roses are red, violets are blue,

Joy is contagious, you catch it too.

I wonder how many variations of the above verses I have read over the years. Men are creative, no doubt about it. Especially when trying to poke some fun. Yet if you asked any of them, they would probably deny their creativity. Ironic, right?

Not that I am judging. I had never considered myself a creative soul when younger either. Though I have core memories of drawing and have always loved music, I never gave anything a real go. I guess I was not able to see myself as capable enough.

Yet in the right company, I started to open myself a little bit. I got inspired to start making homemade gifts, especially for birthdays. They were considered and still are as more thoughtful. And I liked the idea of putting time into each one. In all honesty, though, those first gifts probably sucked. But they were the starting point for something new. They inspired me to pursue new things and ventures.

I found myself perusing through the crafting world and ended up picking up cardmaking. I was quite passionate about it for a couple of years.

That passion has now been mostly replaced by writing, yet still, I have not put my stamps and dies to rest. I am warming up to the idea of cardmaking again.

Either way, giving away homemade cards became my signature. I would create my card and then find some verses online I liked.

I was fine with that until a thought came to me, ‘What if I wrote it?’ A desire to write my own verses began to grow in me. At the next opportunity, I pounced on it. It was not easy though, as it is with the majority of things we try for the first time. But it was the first step in my writing journey.

GREETING CARDS

Per Merriam-Webster Dictionary a greeting card is “a decorated card with a message of good wishes that is sent or given to someone on a special occasion”. (2) It is an illustrated message that expresses a certain sentiment. (3)

Usually, they are sent by mail and can be divided into two groups: seasonal and every day. Among the seasonal Christmas, New Year, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Valentine’s Day greeting cards stand out the most. (3)

Everyday cards on the other hand include those commemorating birthdays and anniversaries, and cards of condolences, congratulations, and so forth. (3)

Modern-day cards, while predominantly made from scrapbook paper, can be made from a wide variety of materials: leather, vellum, wood, cork, clay, … (3)

THE EARLY BEGINNINGS

Such illustrated messages were not unknown to our forefathers. They date back to ancient times. In Egypt, they exchanged scented bottles and scarabs with inscriptions, while in Rome strenae were often given. (3)

Wood engravers in the 15th century managed to produce the first prints that had a similar intent as the modern Christmas and New Year cards. Then there are the valentines - inscribed sentiments related to St. Valentine’s Day. The paper ones date back to the 16th century.

The greeting card industry continued to grow and truly set off in 1860. It left a big mark, especially in the USA, where their popularity has remained even to this day and age. (3)

HOW TO WRITE A GREETING CARD

I admit; for the most part, I had never followed any specific rules when it came to writing greeting cards. I just went with it.

Others do suggest you put some thought into it. Here are some basic tips to assist you:

Choose the right card appropriate to the occasion (4)
Start with a warm greeting: Happy Birthday, Thank you, Congratulations …(4)
Personalize your message: a joke, a memory …(4)
Keep it simple (5)
Be sincere (5)
End the card with a warm goodbye: Love, Best wishes, Take care …(4)

PUT PEN TO PAPER

The best advice I can give you is to simply put pen to paper. That is what I did and continued doing throughout the years. Slowly my writing has been improving little by little. With it grew my expectations, appetite, and dreams.

Greeting cards were merely the door to even bigger cravings. Soon I was writing short poems with the intention of one day perhaps writing a musical. A dream that seems far-fetched? Perhaps? A worthy dream to pursue anyway.

What I am trying to say is simple. It will take some perseverance and time. Your first attempt may not seem much to others but learn to cherish every single one of them. Through your perseverance, you will water that good seed that will eventually produce a good harvest.

CONCLUSION

Greeting cards are illustrated messages that convey certain sentiments. They can be divided into two groups: seasonal and everyday cards. Their origins date back to ancient practices both in Egypt and Rome.

Over the years they slowly evolved into today’s modern image so dear to many hearts even to this day and age.

SOURCES

Image created via canva.com.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary: Greetings card. Available at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/greetings%20card
The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. Greeting card. Available at https://www.britannica.com/topic/Christmas-card
English Path. A guide to writing creative and thoughtful English greeting cards. 3 May, 2024. Available at https://www.englishpath.com/blog/a-guide-to-writing-creative-and-thoughtful-english-greeting-cards/
Heide Hackworth & Rebecca Robinson. What to Write in a Greeting Card. 17 June 2024. Available at https://www.earthgreetings.com.au/blog/our-blog/what-to-write-in-a-greeting-card/?srsltid=AfmBOorXouUOD_Q2pWQ8JvZIXvBRtgAx3-GGSDJkImDDy73pzMIhtah3

Until next time!