HISTORICAL COMMENTS BY GEORGE CHEVALLIER 5-3-14

The Greeting Card

With all the electronic methods of modern society, we have forgotten one of the most important pieces of humanity – the greeting card. How many of us just get on the computer and email a birthday greeting when we used to send a card. Of course, cost is a major factor in the demise of one of the old stand-bys. It costs nothing to send an email. I have always used Hallmark cards and noticed that they have risen in price considerably over the years. I guess the new technology within the card figures in the cost. The card I just sent to my granddaughter had buttons to push (five of them) and each one triggered a mechanism that vocalized a different birthday greeting. It was clever but expensive. I bought it more for its entertainment value than the greeting. After all, she’s only four and can’t read past “Pop-Pop”, so the spoken word relayed my message.

The greeting card actually predates the postcard but the post card was very popular in the early part of the 20th century. This was probably because of the cost. The era of the “penny post card” lasted for many years and people have made a hobby out of collecting the various holidays. I always liked the Fourth of July best because of the patriotic themes and the colors. Halloween is the hardest to collect although Labor Day cards are the scarcest. Vacation views are still sent in large numbers.

In years gone by, I could always count on my mother sending me a greeting card on every holiday of the year. She was never officially voted the United States Post Office’s best customer but, if they had such an award, she would have been right in contention for the honor. She never missed a holiday from New Years right through to Christmas including my birthday. She understood what it meant to someone to be remembered by some tangible means.

The idea of sending cards is personal and can be done at one’s leisure by the sender. The person receiving the card has something to put up on the mantle and enjoy for days. And we underestimate the powerful impact that a handwritten greeting conveys.

There are also tricks involved with cards. My favorite is when my house is not at its best and I have someone coming over. I just keep a stack of “Get Well” cards handy and put them out on the mantle. Everyone thinks I have been sick and understands why the house is not 100%.

The “money card” was always a favorite with kids. If the sender used one of those cards that have the distinctive shape of a money card, it sort of gave away the mystery inside. Any card from a favorite aunt or uncle just might contain money and they were always eagerly opened.

So, along with the written letter, the greeting card is disappearing from modern society. From what I have seen of the results that our children learn about penmanship in school, I guess the computer is certainly much more legible. Maybe it is more legible, but not nearly as personal. There is still magic in the handwritten message and it conveys your personal thoughts so much better than any old greeting card.