It’s easier than ever to connect with people on social media and messaging apps, so is there still a place for physical greetings cards in 2023? OK, I may be slightly biased, but here are a few lovely things about paper cards which I don’t think the digital experience can replace…

Sending a card intrinsically includes time and care

It’s so speedy to send a DM – sometimes I hardly think about it as I type ‘happy birthday’, add an emoji, and hit send. It’s almost a reflex action, right? Especially if I’ve forgotten the day altogether and just been prompted by Facebook. It’s different when we receive a card by post. We know that someone has taken the time to choose a nice card, write a message by hand, dig out our address, and head over to a postbox, and that’s quite a special feeling.

Happy post makes us smile

Most paper post is super boring (or worse: it’s a bill and about to cost us money). Didn’t it used to be more interesting than this? Maybe all the interesting stuff has shifted online and just left the mundane admin to come through the letterbox. Maybe it’s a sign of age. Either way, it makes physical cards more exciting than ever… something that’s a little surprise, without being scarily unpredictable.

Add even more smile points if it’s a lovely card at random, outside of a birthday or Christmas.

Dopamine boost for you!

OK, so the card itself isn’t for you. But doesn’t your inner magpie light up when you find that absolutely ideal card, whether it’s their favourite animal, colour, an in-joke you have, or the wording that hits the exact notes you wanted to say? It’s like completing a quest: hold that card, and say yes with a fist pump (subtly if you’re in an actual shop, loud as you like when you’re shopping online).

Beautiful art to display and keep

Even if it’s only propped up on the bookcase for a week or two, a card lasts a lot longer than the average digital scroll or app notification. And some of us keep our favourite cards for years and years.

Supporting small creative businesses and artists

If you love supporting small local businesses, creatives and artists, buying a card is a fab way to do it. Whether greetings cards are their main business, or an extra source of income while they work on other artistic projects, these little sales can make a huge difference.  And it’s heart-warming to know that someone sees the value in our work, and chooses us over the big companies.

Buying small also means that a higher percentage of the profits are likely to be re-invested in the local community, rather than going out to multinational corporations.

A physical connection between you and the recipient

Isn’t it a lovely thought that each card is touched by you the sender and the person you send it to? Even with a large national or international postal system in-between, there’s a little tangible human connection there. I held this in my hands and now you do too.