New Year’s wishes have been a tradition across cultures for many centuries. It began practically in ancient times with a simple blessing. It was only over time that handwritten letters began to arrive. And nowadays, New Year’s cards most often take the form of digital messages. How has time gone with New Year’s cards?

It’s really hard to pinpoint the exact time when the custom of sending New Year’s greetings began. According to some historians, the concept of greeting cards was born in the ancient Egyptian tradition of sending wishes scribbled on scraps of papyrus. Back then, they were delivered by messengers. A similar custom is said to have existed in Greece or China.

Handwritten letters

In Europe, the exchange of handwritten New Year letters, which contained poetry but also wishes for health and prosperity, later became very popular among aristocrats. Blessings were also included. We are talking about the period between the 15th and 18th centuries. The popularity of greetings then increased enormously with the introduction of the postage stamp. That was in 1840.

Until then, cards were delivered in person or by messengers. Moreover, advances in printing methods at a similar time helped to produce greetings cards in large quantities. The popularity of New Year’s cards at that time was particularly strong in Victorian England. People sent beautifully designed and touching messages.

━━ ( Source: Annie Spratt /  Unsplash+ )

Boom for New Year’s cards

In the 20th century, printed New Year’s cards and other greeting cards became a real hit during the year. After all, the advances in printing were really great, and in addition, postal services also became more widespread. Companies like Hallmark popularized New Year’s cards. Back then, cards mainly contained sentimental messages or vivid designs.

The Internet and greeting cards

Gradually, people started to move more and more into the online world. With the rise of technology, digital New Year’s cards also came into their own. Instead of the traditional printed New Year’s cards that were handed over in person or sent by post, the era of cards sent by email arrived. It is actually a convenient way to send a card instantly and peacefully to many people at once.

Social networks

In this day and age of social networks like Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp, we really rarely see the traditional form of New Year’s cards anymore. However, New Year’s cards as such have turned into a global phenomenon. Today, New Year’s wishes can be shared via stories or personalised messages, often accompanied by photos. However, GIFs are also used and video New Year’s cards are also popular. After all, written text is on the decline and video is playing a major role.

As artificial intelligence is also being used heavily today, it’s clear that even New Year’s cards are often generated by AI. It customizes the card based on the recipient’s preferences and both parties are happy. It’s just sort of less personal. Fortunately, even today, there are still those who traditionally print out New Year’s cards and hand them to loved ones in person. Alternatively, they send them by post.