Sending or giving away greeting cards has been an age-old tradition dating back to ancient China where people exchanged written greetings during the New Year, and by ancient Egyptians who sent their greetings through papyrus scrolls. It was not until the 15th century that handmade greeting cards started being used and exchanged in Europe and Germany.
Around then, greeting cards were expensive as they were handmade with costly materials and then hand-delivered. Now, you can get greeting cards anywhere and with just a few dollars, which is quite handy especially if you forgot to buy a gift.
But with creative tools and materials such as craft paper, shimmer paint, markers, and pens getting cheaper, making your own greeting cards from scratch isn’t the expensive venture that it used to be.
If that doesn’t convince you to make your own greeting cards, perhaps these known benefits can help:
Therapeutic and Relaxing
It’s known that engaging in any creative activity or hobby can have a de-stressing and therapeutic effect. Card making is a cheap and relaxing way to cheer you up whenever you’re having a bad day, or could help you take your mind off the things that are making you anxious. Card making can be a form of meditation as you focus closely on the style and layout of your card, and as you carefully implement and translate the design in your mind into a special piece of paper.
Mind Sharpening and Creative Self-Expression
Card making could be a mind-sharpening tool. As mentioned earlier, your mind would be focused on the card’s design, layout, materials to be used, and other matters. That said, it keeps your mind active. It forces you to think outside the box and be more creative. You can even give yourself an extra challenge of only using materials and tools in your house or room, so you’d be obliged to think creatively and design a beautiful and virtually no-cost greeting card.
Social Tool
Personalized cards are a social tool, and not just because it’s a gift to another person. Card making is an activity you can do with friends and family, but even if you prefer doing it on your own, having people see that you’ve made your own greeting cards can be a way to spark conversation and you may even end up giving or exchanging tips.
Beautiful and Personalized Gift
Whether or not you gain the other benefits listed above, there’s no denying that you’d still end up with a beautiful and personalized gift that the recipient would be thankful for. Not only would they know that you remembered them and whatever occasion or milestone they’re having; you also put a part of yourself—your time, effort, and soul—into a personalized gift that they’ll treasure.
Greeting cards may have had started getting a bad reputation recently, being the go-to gift whenever you forget to buy one. But making your own cards not only lets the other person know that you invested time and effort into it, but also allows you to work out your mind, be creative, and relieve stress. Check your calendar for the next birthday celebration of anyone in your family or circle. Perhaps you still have enough time to make personalized greeting cards for them.
