Tradition versus Modernity: Greeting cards fade as New Year wishes go digital

As the New Year approaches, wishes and greetings begin to pour in. People express their good wishes to friends and family in different ways. However, in the digital age, the way greetings are exchanged has undergone significant changes. A look back in time reminds us how greeting cards once played a major role in conveying New Year wishes.

Also Read: Pana Sankranti: Celebrating Odia New Year with tradition and modernity in Odisha

There was a time when people had been sharing beautifully hand-written lines filled with affection and humour on greeting cards and personally handed them to friends. For loved ones staying far away, greeting cards were sent through the post office, carrying emotions across distances. These hand-written messages made celebrations feel more personal and meaningful.

Nowadays, those traditional greeting cards have almost disappeared. Social media platforms have taken over the space once occupied by paper cards, pushing this old tradition into gradual decline. With this shift, memories of the past are slowly fading.

This change has also affected livelihoods. Greeting card shops no longer see crowds of customers. Traders have suffered losses as demand continues to drop. In Balasore market, where once 50 to 60 seasonal greeting card shops operated, finding even one or two has become difficult. Shopkeepers now wait, hoping that someone might buy a card from their remaining stock.

Amid the rapid pace of digital life and in our march towards modernity, another tradition stands on the verge of extinction. Personal bonds appear to be weakening, while platforms like Facebook and Instagram increasingly dominate how people stay connected.

“Previously, we had been using small greeting cards. Nowadays, we are wishing our near and dear ones on social media platforms by using our photographs or GIFs (a format for files that supports both animated and still images). Things have become easier due to digitalisation. But, obviously, those days were better,” a young college girl, Shreya Padhi, expressed to OTV.

Reported By: Chandrakant Jena