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0Beyond paper — The culture of giving cards
The tradition of sending greeting cards has withstood the rise of digital communication. Though often inexpensive, cards can convey our thoughts and emotions. Their rich history spreads over centuries of civilisations across the world, building a culture of card giving along its way.
It was written in a 2011 edition of Souvenirs, Gifts, & Novelties that since the earliest days of written interaction, special occasions such as birthdays and seasonal celebrations have been recognised through handwritten notes and letters.
Ancient Egyptians wrote scrolls. In China, wishes of good fortune were sent in decorative red envelopes around Chinese New Year. And similarly, cards featuring classical Persian poetic verse written in calligraphy were exchanged. These gestures paved the way for the culture of greeting cards.
Before the printing revolution of the 15th century, only those with lots of money would write cards. Since then, they have become more accessible, meaning more people could communicate from a distance. As industrialisation continued to sweep through the 19th century, sending cards became a widespread practice.
During the Victorian period, greeting cards became quite elaborate in design. They were adorned with lace, ribbon, and intricate illustrations. The cards themselves became keepsakes, treasured for their beauty and sentiment.
Nowadays, we see a variety of designs. Most cards still leave a blank space inside for a handwritten message. Some cards can even be designed online to include pictures of loved ones, adding a more personal touch.
According to Ken Research, from 2024 the global greeting card market was valued at around $19 billion. With that, and increasing concerns about the environment, many manufacturers are changing how they make their cards.
They're using recycled and other environmentally friendly materials, like bio-degradable glitter and paper made from sustainable plant fibres like bamboo. So, we can continue our kind tradition of card giving without harming the planet.
词汇表
greeting cards [ˈɡriːtɪŋ kɑːdz] 贺卡
withstand [wɪðˈstænd] vt. 经受住，承受，顶住
souvenir [ˌsuːvəˈnɪə(r)] n. 纪念品，纪念物
novelty [ˈnɒvlti] n. 新奇事物，新奇小玩意儿
scroll [skrəʊl] n. 卷轴，长卷纸
decorative [ˈdekərətɪv] adj. 装饰性的，作装饰用的
Persian [ˈpɜːʃn] adj. 波斯的，波斯人的
poetic verse [pəʊˈetɪk vɜːs] 诗行，诗句；诗体、韵文
calligraphy [kəˈlɪɡrəfi] n. 书法，笔迹
pave the way for 为…铺平道路，做好准备
accessible [əkˈsesəbl] adj. 易得到的，易使用的，普及的
industrialisation [ɪnˌdʌstriəlaɪˈzeɪʃn] n. 工业化
sweep through [swiːp] 席卷，横扫，迅速蔓延
elaborate [ɪˈlæbərət] adj. 精心制作的，复杂的，精致的
be adorned with [əˈdɔːnd] 装饰有，点缀着，佩戴有
lace [leɪs] n. 蕾丝，花边
ribbon [ˈrɪbən] n. 丝带，缎带
intricate [ˈɪntrɪkət] adj. 精细复杂的，精美的
illustration [ˌɪləˈstreɪʃn] n. 插画，插图
keepsake [ˈkiːpseɪk] n. 纪念品，珍藏物，信物
sentiment [ˈsentɪmənt] n. 情感，情意
personal touch 个性化色彩，个人风格
manufacturer [ˌmænjuˈfæktʃərə(r)] n. 制造商，生产商
bio-degradable glitter [ˌbaɪəʊ dɪˈɡreɪdəbl ˈɡlɪtə(r)] 可生物降解的闪粉
sustainable plant fibres [səˈsteɪnəbl plɑːnt ˈfaɪbəz] 可持续植物纤维
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