American Greeting Cards

Origins of American Greeting Cards

The tradition of sending messages through greeting cards traces its origins to the ancient Chinese. They usually exchanged good will messages during the New Year celebrations. Yet another similar tradition can be traced from the Egyptians who also conveyed such greetings and messages on scrolls of papyrus. The western world took a while before catching on this and only started doing the same by the early 1400s.

The Germans are the people who are known to have created the first New Years cards in the West. Their version, however, were made of woodcuts and have been around since the year 1400. Valentines Day was the big force in making the exchange of cards quite trendy in Europe. In the mid 1400s, paper Valentines Day cards were being made by hand and exchanged in various parts of Europe. The oldest Valentines Day card can be found in the British Museum.

The early greeting cards were notably expensive since they were made by hand and are hand delivered. Things started to change in the 1850s when advancements in printing technology were made. Greeting cards were beginning to become a lot cheaper and more popular. Mass production of these cards was started by companies like Goodall and Charles Bennett, and Marcus Ward & Co.

As technology advancements went forward, modern American greeting cards have become a lot more affordable, attractive, and easier to design. Various kinds of greeting cards were made taking various themes. The following are different kinds of greeting cards that were introduced as the years rolled by.

Birthday Cards

Birthday cards are some of the most popular American Greeting Cards. They are bought any time of the year and often portray birthday greetings in various tones. Some birthday cards present the greeting in quite a comical way. Some birthday cards convey sincere serious messages while others are well suited to attract children.

Musical Greeting Cards

This is a type of greeting card that plays music when they are opened. They convey messages for different occasions.

Holiday Cards

Some holiday cards are some of the oldest kinds of greeting cards in the world. Christmas cards and Valentines cards have been around for quite a while now. Other greeting cards that celebrate other holidays are also sold in stores. There are cards for the New Years Day, Groundhog Day, and Christmas Day. Some of these greeting cards celebrate religious holidays while others are designed for national holidays.

Anniversary Cards

American Greeting cards also have cards in their repertoire for various anniversaries and special occasions. The messages conveyed fit various occasions that are special to family, spouses, kin, partners, associates, and more.

Photo Greeting Cards

These cards have gained popularity as the technology advanced. Photos are either inserted in a special slot on the card or they can be printed on the card itself. This sort of card can suit any occasion.

Dating and Love Cards

This also one of the popular cards sold in stores. They express messages of commitment, love, and strong affection. Some convey messages of passion, forgiveness, and at times nostalgia. These cards are intended to be more personal as compared to a lot of the other kinds of greeting cards.

American Greeting Cards that Show Sympathy, Concern, and Care

Since people also send greeting cards to express their sympathy and concern, a lot of people often purchase these cards to express those very sentiments. These always have a serious and concerned tone. At times the messages also convey support, encouragement, and inspiration for the recipient.

Electronic Greeting Cards

With the advancement in computer technology, a new trend came into the greeting card industry as well. Electronic greeting cards, also known as E-cards, became quite trendy. These cards can be sent to anyone electronically. Some E-cards are sent by email while others can be sent to your phone or other mobile device.

Greeting Card Tips

American Greeting cards are gifts to the recipient. These cards often become keepsakes and serve as mementos of the occasion for which they were given. A good idea is to send your greeting card with another token or gift such as flowers or small trinkets. If the card is meant for a serious occasion, such as sympathy for another’s passing, then one should send a card that is tasteful and fit for the said occasion. When ordering or sending E-cards, make sure you avoid scams.