To celebrate the Greeting Card Association’s 100th Anniversary in 2019 we collected together cards that had been send within the last 100 years and the stories behind them.
We received wonderful stories about cards that had been treasured. Beautiful cards that gave a real insight into relationships of grandparents and others, often people no longer with us, and a view into our social history.
This was also a really powerful way for card designers to see the impact of their work. The GCA is now has a digital greeting card archive of these cards. For more information on the history of greeting cards see this link.
Sarah’s shared this card her favourite great aunt Doe sent her from Chester back in 1990 (Doe was in her 80s). She included a letter which was all about the Middle East crisis and the new buildings in Canary Wharf which she wondered if Sarah could see from her home in Kent! Also day-to-day news about putting out the binbags for collection and a chest of drawers that was falling apart. The card itself, by Gordon Fraser, had a message: “Greetings dear Sarah. Just a greeting for Dad & Mum to take to you on their visit this weekend. Hope you all enjoy yourselves. Love Doe. PS This card is priced 7p so you can tell how many years it has been in my card drawer!”
Sarah came across the card in a big box of photos and letters that she was moving to do some decorating. “Both my great aunts – Doe and her older sister Renee – were great card senders and letter writers. They’d both worked for the post office in Chester as telephonists,” said Sarah. “It was a lovely moment when I opened that card and read Doe’s letter and message, all done in her lovely expressive style. My handwriting’s nowhere near as good! It was quite an emotional moment too as although that might not have been the last card or letter she sent me, she died a few years later after losing her sight. It prompted me to think about my childhood – I was an only child and an only grandchild and spent a lot of time with Doe, Renee and their younger sister (my grannie) Adeline. Three sisters living together – you can imagine the arguments! But lots of happy times too. I’ve been telling my own daughter Evie about them, so thank you #cardtokeep for prompting me to share!”
