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💌 National GREETING CARD Day ORIGIN & HISTORY
Neither the founder nor the creative origin of this holiday has ever truly been established. We do know National GREETING CARD Day is celebrated on the 1st Day in April.
BIRTH of Handmade Cards
The custom of giving greeting cards spans centuries, evolving from ancient traditions to the modern, mass-produced cards we know today. It all began with the ancient Chinese, who exchanged messages of goodwill during the New Year as part of their annual celebrations. The ancient Egyptians also shared greetings, using papyrus scrolls to convey messages for important occasions. This tradition soon spread across cultures, with handmade paper greeting cards becoming common in Europe.
Early Forms in EUROPE
🎨 Europe (1400s – 1700s)
By the 15th century, greeting cards began to take shape in Europe. Germany became the birthplace of printed New Year’s greetings, made with woodcut printing. This was one of the earliest mass-printing methods. Soon after, Europeans started swapping VALENTINE’s Day cards. One of the oldest surviving Valentine’s cards, written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orléans, to his wife Bonne of Armagnac, while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London, still exists in the British Library today.
INDUSTRIAL Revolution & MASS Production
🏭 1800s – Early 1900s
In 1843, the first commercial Christmas card was printed in London. This card showed a family at a dinner table and read, “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You.” This single product helped open the door for greeting cards as a commercial item.
As printing technology improved, greeting cards became more available. By the late 1800s, companies such as Marcus Ward & Co., Goodall, and Charles Bennett were printing and selling cards across England. They hired respected artists like Kate Greenaway and Walter Crane to create the designs. At the same time, greeting cards gained popularity in the United States, particularly after the expansion of railroads and postal services.
MODERN Greeting Card Industry
💌 1900s – Present
In the early 1900s, greeting cards became more affordable and widely available. The Hall Brothers Company, founded in 1910 in Kansas City, which later became Hallmark, helped shape the American greeting card industry. Cards for birthdays, weddings, sympathy, and other events became more common.
Alongside Hallmark, another major company emerged – American Greetings, founded earlier in 1906 in Cleveland, Ohio. It evolved into one of the largest greeting card producers in the world, introducing innovations such as greeting cards with sound and licensed characters. Other companies like Gibson, Papyrus, and Recycled Paper Greetings also entered the market, giving people more choices in style, tone, and design.
By the 1950s, advancements in printing and shipping made cards easier to mass-produce. They were no longer expensive, handmade gifts – they became an everyday form of personal communication, sold in corner stores, department stores, and supermarkets.
DIGITAL Age and Beyond
📱 2000s – Today
The late 1990s and early 2000s saw the rise of e-cards – animated, often funny greetings sent via email. Though quick and handy, they didn’t fully replace the feeling of a physical card. Even with the digital age, physical cards remain a lasting and cherished way to express love, gratitude, and celebration (much like iHEARTdays).
Modern greeting cards come in many forms. You can find pop-up cards, musical cards, handmade designs, and even plantable seed cards – whaaat?. Small, independent artists are now thriving alongside big card companies, selling directly online.
Possible ORIGINS
Since no organization or historical record claims credit, the exact origin of National GREETING CARD Day remains a mystery. Someone in the greeting card industry might have created it or perhaps adopted it over time by card lovers and stationery enthusiasts.
REASONS Behind the Holiday
National GREETING CARD Day highlights the tradition of sending cards to connect with others. In an era where digital messages prevail, the holidays are a gentle reminder to slow down and put something in writing – something personal, thoughtful, and lasting.
WHY that Particular Day?
April 1st is best known for APRIL FOOLS’ Day, but it may have been chosen to contrast the usual trickery with an act of sincerity. A simple card on a day filled with jokes becomes a genuine, unexpected gesture.
GOALS of National GREETING CARD Day
- Inspire to send – Encourage people to send cards for any reason—no occasion needed.
- Handwritten connection – Promote the personal and creative value of putting pen to paper.
- Support card-makers – Acknowledge the work of greeting card artists, writers, printers, and small stationery businesses.
- Highlight emotional impact – Remind people that small actions carry significant weight.
Why Greeting Cards ENDURE Today
In the digital age, physical cards stand out. A text is quick, but a card shows time, effort, and care. National GREETING CARD Day reminds us that connection doesn’t always need to be instant –sometimes, it’s better when it’s intentional. The holiday preserves a centuries-old tradition in a way that remains meaningful today.
Despite all the technology, the tradition sticks around because it works. People still want something they can hold, read again later, or stick on the fridge. Greeting cards continue to evolve, but their purpose hasn’t changed: sharing something real, with feeling.
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Last update on 2026-01-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
