There was a time when greeting cards were more than just a polite gesture. They were not something you copied from the internet, paired with a glossy digital picture, and clicked “send.” No, greeting cards were chosen carefully, handwritten with thought, and given with intention. Each card carried a piece of the sender’s heart — their time, their effort, their words.

Somewhere along the way, many of us lost that tradition. The world became faster, busier, more digital. We started relying on ready-made texts online. With one click, we could pass along a borrowed sentiment — beautiful words, yes, but words that belonged to someone else. What we gained in speed, we lost in feeling. The cozy, heartfelt, and deeply human moment of holding a paper card with original handwriting began to fade.

I remember when greeting cards were everywhere in our lives. For me, it wasn’t just about receiving them — it was about creating them. As a child, I would cut and glue pieces of paper together, add a drawing, write something inside, and give it to family or friends. They weren’t perfect, but they were mine. Handmade cards had a charm that could never be found in a digital image. They said: I thought of you, I made this for you, I care enough to give you something with my own hands.

Over the years, my wife and I have continued to treasure every card we received. We keep them in big boxes — and those boxes have become like time machines. From time to time, we open them, and the feeling is incredible. The moment you pick up a card, even one with faded ink or yellowed paper, you are instantly transported back to the moment it was given. It’s the same feeling as looking at old photographs, only stronger, because the words written inside were meant only for you.

In those boxes are the stories of our lives. There are cards from our childhood, signed by friends we no longer keep in touch with but who once filled our days with laughter and games. There are cards from our wedding day, carrying the wishes of those who celebrated that milestone with us. There are birthday cards for every age, each one a small reminder of how quickly the years pass. There are cards from the birth of our son, filled with joy and congratulations from people who shared in that most precious moment.

We have cards from old friends, relatives, colleagues, and neighbors — some who remain close, and others who have drifted away. We even have cards from people who are no longer with us. And that, perhaps, is the greatest treasure of all: to open a box and find the handwriting of someone you loved, someone whose voice you can almost hear again through the words they chose. Those cards are not just folded pieces of paper — they are pieces of life, preserved in ink.

This is why greeting cards matter. They are not just about words; they are about presence. They remind us that someone stopped, took time, and thought of us in a way that can be held, touched, and saved. A digital message disappears with the next scroll of a screen. A paper card stays.

And maybe — just maybe — it’s time to bring this tradition back into our lives. Not for every occasion, not every week, but enough to remind the people we love that we are willing to give them something lasting. A handwritten note, a heartfelt line, even just a few words written in your own style, can mean more than the most polished sentence found online.

Cards are small treasures, and like treasures, they grow more valuable with time. Ten, twenty, even fifty years from now, nobody will be opening a box of saved emails or scrolling through old text messages with misty eyes. But they will be opening boxes of cards — and finding within them not just paper and ink, but memory, love, and connection.

So perhaps the next time you want to wish someone well, stop for a moment. Don’t copy and paste. Don’t send only a picture. Instead, sit down with a card and a pen. Write something real. Something simple. Something yours. Because those words, once given, may live far longer than you realize.

And who knows? One day, someone you love may open a box, find your handwriting, and feel your presence again — just as warm, just as real, as the day you wrote it.

GK

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Published by georgi.kisyov

33 thoughts on “The Treasure of Greeting Cards”

    1. Hello,
      Thank you so much! 💌 There’s something so special about both sending and receiving a real card — it’s like exchanging a little piece of time and care. I’m glad you still keep this beautiful tradition alive. 🌿
      Have a great week.
      GK

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  4. Love this one! It truly is rare now to get a card or letter in the mail. Besides the digital reasons, there is the mail. I’ve had letters or cards take 3 months to get there and some never make it all. Still, it is wonderful to send and receive a card so sometimes I risk it anyway. – “They are not just about words; they are about presence.” ~ Rosie

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    1. Hello,
      Thank you so much, Rosie 🌿 You’re absolutely right — even with all the delays and uncertainties of the mail, there’s something special about taking that chance. A handwritten card may travel slowly, but it always carries heart. And when it finally arrives, it feels like time itself paused just long enough to deliver a little presence, just as you said. 💌
      Have a great new week.
      GK

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    1. So beautifully said — “the magic of handwriting transmitting thought” couldn’t be truer. 💌 A handwritten card really is heart speaking to heart, and that’s why it lingers — on the mantle, and in memory. I’m so glad you still keep this tradition alive. ✨
      Have a great new week.
      GK

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  7. Some time ago I discovered the exquisite beauty of Cicely Mary Barker’s flower fairy illustrations. You can read of her life on Wiki. I purchased a book of postcards, each containing a different type of fairy. I would detach one from the book some days the mood struck and send to someone special, for no reason at all. Just to celebrate the lost art of handwritten notes. Thank you Georgi for agreeing with this wonderful sentiment.

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    1. Hello Kathy,
      What a beautiful practice — and Cicely Mary Barker’s fairies are such timeless treasures! 🌸 Sending those postcards just for the joy of it captures exactly what I love most about handwritten notes — the art of giving a piece of your heart without any occasion.

      I actually wrote a new book inspired by this very feeling, The Christmas Card Helper — a collection of original messages meant to bring back the magic of personal, handwritten cards. It’s my small way of celebrating this lost art and helping others rediscover its warmth💌✨. You can find more information on my website page. Here is the link: https://georgikisyov.com/my-books/
      Have a great new week.
      GK

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    1. I love that! 💌 There’s something so special about sending cards or postcards “just because.” It turns ordinary days into little celebrations. And the fact that you and your friend exchange them even though you live so close — that’s exactly the kind of connection the world needs more of. ✨
      GK

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    1. That’s truly wonderful 💌 Adding a handwritten note makes every card unique — it’s like giving someone a small piece of your heart. And yes, receiving one feels just as special. Those are the moments that stay with us long after the holidays are gone. ✨
      GK

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    1. Hello,
      That’s such a wonderful idea! 🎥 Turning your cards into a slideshow keeps their spirit alive in a new way — like a digital scrapbook of kindness and connection. What a beautiful way to preserve those heartfelt moments. 💌
      Have a great new week.
      GK

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  12. Well said. In my view, these appreciations, care and skills could be lost on a generation that is fed a diet of, “copied from the internet, paired with a glossy digital picture, and clicked “send.”” Without wanting to sound too gloomy – which is unavoidable, I think – it’s hard to see how such skills can return to a generation who have never experienced it in the first place! Thank you 🙏🏽

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    1. Thank you so much for this thoughtful reflection 🙏🏽 I completely understand what you mean — it really does feel like an art that’s slipping away. Many younger people haven’t had the joy of choosing a card, writing with care, and waiting for it to arrive. But I still believe these gestures can return, one handwritten note at a time. When someone receives a real card, they feel the difference immediately — and that feeling can spark something beautiful in every generation. 💌

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  13. I love this – this year I’ve got married, had a birthday and been diagnosed with cancer and have received so many beautiful cards for all of these things. Some of the messages that my friends have written have bought a tear to my eye and I will keep these cards forever. Your writing is brilliant

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    1. Hello,
      Thank you so much for sharing something so personal and heartfelt 💌 What a journey this year has been for you — filled with love, celebration, and challenge. I can only imagine how much those handwritten words must mean, especially now. Cards like those carry strength and tenderness all at once — little reminders that we’re never alone, even in the hardest moments. I wish you healing, peace, and many more beautiful cards filled with love. 🌿✨
      GK

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    1. Hello,
      Thank you so much for your kind words! 🌿 I truly appreciate it. Writing about something so close to my heart makes it even more meaningful to hear that it resonated with you. 💌
      Have a wonderful new week.
      GK

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    1. Hello,
      Thank you so much! 💫 I’m really glad the post inspired you. It means a lot to know these thoughts resonate — sometimes the simplest traditions, like a handwritten card, remind us how deeply small gestures can touch the heart. 💌
      Have a great new week.
      GK

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  16. Beautifully written. I have kept almost every card and I often re-read them and what joy and warmth it brings me. Thank you for this reminder.

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    1. Thank you so much 💌 I’m really touched by your words. There’s something so special about re-reading old cards — they carry voices, memories, and feelings that never fade. It’s like opening a small window to the past and feeling the warmth all over again. I’m so glad the post brought that joy back to you. ✨
      GK

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  17. I have a friend. He is a old classmate from high school. Without fail he sends greeting cards on every holiday, anniversary, birthday, or celebration. He has done this for as long as I can remember. And I have tried to include him in my greeting card mailing list. However he has exacted the process so cleverly, that I receive cards on the day of the celebration, or day before if it is a weekend. I always have let him known how appreciative I am to be remembered. Still, he is the king of greeting card senders in my book.

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