Skip to main content

When a card came out of the blue ...

This post is prompted by a remark made by my good friend Wei Lin. She saw me reading a card I had received from a friend recently and said: "Traditional cards are so old-fashioned."

I wondered if that was true and decided to probe into the issue. A Google search revealed numerous articles on the debate between traditional paper-based cards and e-cards. Tracey Grady's examination of the pros and cons of each type is informative.

In my opinion, e-cards are not substitutes for the real (traditional) ones and they shouldn't be. I treat e-card e-mails with suspicion because spammers could be using them to download viruses and software onto my computer.

I have never sent anyone an e-card and I don't plan to; I dislike the cold impersonality of conveying greetings electronically.

I have always liked sending and receiving cards the traditional way.

The ritual of going to a bookshop, browsing at the card section, picking a suitable one for the recipient and then walking to a post office nearby to mail it always gives me immense joy. After that I will proceed to the nearest cafe for a nice cup of coffee to muse on my choice of card.

Admittedly, the traditional method of buying and sending cards can be time-consuming, if you have deadlines to meet. But it is worth the effort because the giver gets as much pleasure as the receiver, if not more.

Hallmark market researchers talk about "the emotional power of an unexpected card" and "sending a card is one of the biggest little things you can do to make someone's day".

"People are returning to a focus on basic human connection, reaching out and letting people know they’re loved and appreciated or just to say thanks," said Tressa Angell, Hallmark senior product manager.

I totally susbscribe to that view and I think we should often tell our family, friends and loved ones how much they mean to us.

The current economic recession is not likely to harm card sales, say industry watchers. Indeed, cards can be replacements for gifts during times of financial difficulty.

Make your own cards, if you feel so inclined. We must stay connected with those who matter to us.
Labels:

Comments

A. Nymous said…
I can't believe you still kept that card. I don't even remember giving it to you. How long ago was that?
20 July 2009 at 04:06
FAEZAH ISMAIL said…
when you were nine or ten. i thought it was so sweet
20 July 2009 at 13:05
mer mer said…
I like traditional card too! I like the feeling of holding it when I received one. It's warm!
20 July 2009 at 14:24
Faezah Ismail said…
i am glad you feel that way too. how about handmade cards from you??? i am sure you will find many fans who will want to buy them from you.
20 July 2009 at 20:58
A. Nymous said…
That's so awesome. =D
21 July 2009 at 16:26
Anonymous said…
I've kept most of the cards given to me for all occasions. Many are irreplaceable, including for sentimental reasons. They serve as reminders of those people who appreciated me and who took the trouble to send me the cards. E-cards are convenient for those with no time to send out physical cards, but they have a limited lifespan and after a while, they are gone and no more. In any case, it is good to always be given the choice, so that we can do whatever is most practical in each case.

O.C. Yeoh
4 September 2009 at 20:08
Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Dealing with death of a loved one

Today marks the end of Rabiaa's mourning period. She had completed four months and 10 days or 130 days of grieving, the stipulated period for expressing sorrow for Muslim widows.  The death of her husband on Dec 30, 2020 was expected  but it still came as a huge shock to her. It was too sudden, she felt. Yet  observers would not agree. Her husband became bedridden in mid-November after a collision between his big bike and a car which had come from the opposite direction after taking an illegal turn.  In addition to being bedridden, Anwar, lost his voice which was the direct result of the  brain injury he had suffered after the accident. He was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury. How does Rabiaa feel now? The pain is bearable but the memories remain as vivid as ever. She is still unwilling to clear up all of her husband's things and some items remain in their original positions as before he became bound to the bed. His belongings connect Rabiaa to Anwar and sh...
2 comments
Read more

Buah Tarap: A chance encounter

You learn something new everyday. My friend Alina is very fond of repeating this. And I agree with her. Today I tasted the Buah Tarap (Tarap Fruit) which is said to be unique to Sabah/Borneo. My colleagues and I arrived in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah this afternoon; we are here for the RHB New Straits Times Spell-It-Right Challenge which will take place at the Suria Mall over the weekend. After checking into the Beverly Hotel we walked to a nearby eatery for a spot of tea. It was then that I chanced upon the Buah Tarap and began snapping away. My colleague, who had eaten the fruit in Bandung, Indonesia, was excited to see it. He bought one for us to try. The stall vendor split the fruit into two and we bit into its flesh. Everyone liked it but describing its flavour remains a challenge. The fruit, which looks like nangka (jackfruit) or chempedak,  has an unusual combination of tastes: it is sweet but not as sweet as the jackfruit nor as chunky. Words fail me. It feels so lig...
5 comments
Read more

Next stop, Sungkai

The locomotive joins the failed train A routine trip to Kuala Lumpur Hospital for a medical check up turned out to be a nightmare for Rabiaa Dani and her husband. Their ticket was for a day train ride to KL Sentral , leaving Ipoh railway station at 8.20am, and returning to Ipoh at night. The couple arrived safely at KL Sentral Station and proceeded to the hospital immediately. Everything went well at the hospital. They even managed to sneak a shopping trip to KLCC for a quick look see before returning to KL Sentral for their 7.40pm train back to Ipoh. The train (9032), like clockwork, departed at the scheduled time. Both Rabiaa and her husband fell asleep about ten minutes after the train had left KL Sentral station. They woke up shortly before hearing the sound of a heavy object hitting something; the train came to a halt soon after. Replacement train at Sungkai station Their nighmare had begun. Rabiaa and her husband later learned that the train had hit a pig...
Post a Comment
Read more