Card Reading Day

Categories:: Special Interest
Tags:: Appreciation Fun
Where:: United States
Date change rule:: Every February 21
Holiday emoji:: 💌

Card Reading Day arrives every February 21, inviting us to delve into our treasured collections of greeting cards. This sentimental holiday celebrates the enduring power of handwritten messages and the memories they hold. Take time to reread old notes, reconnect with the senders, and perhaps send a new card to brighten someone’s day.

Deals
Platforms
Social
Hero
History
Timeline
Businesses
FAQs
Importance
Celebrate

Expected Card Reading Day Deals

While we await official 2027 promotions, history shows that Card Reading Day often inspires special offers from stationery brands and gift retailers. Look for discounts on greeting card bundles, personalized stationery, and unique gift items at stores like Hallmark, Papyrus, and independent boutiques. Online retailers such as Minted and Shutterfly may feature sales on custom cards and photo gifts, encouraging customers to create new memories. Craft stores like Michaels and Joann might offer deals on card-making supplies for those who prefer a DIY approach. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as February 21 approaches.

Platform Guide for Card Reading Day

Instagram

Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #CardReadingDay. Share photos of your favorite vintage cards or a stack of sentimental notes you’ve kept over the years.

Facebook

Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #CardReadingDay. Start a thread asking followers to share the most memorable card they’ve ever received.

X/Twitter

Mention @NatlToday and use #CardReadingDay. Tweet about the joy of finding an old card or a forgotten message from a loved one.

Card Reading Day Hero

Sir Henry Cole

Sir Henry Cole (1808–1882) is widely credited with commissioning the first commercial Christmas card in 1843 in the United Kingdom. A prominent civil servant and inventor, Cole was a key figure in Victorian-era innovations, including the Great Exhibition of 1851. His initiative helped popularize the tradition of sending greeting cards, laying the groundwork for the modern card industry and the sentimental value we now associate with them.

History of Card Reading Day

In Ancient Egypt, greetings were exchanged through inscriptions. This evolved by the 15th century when engravings were carved on wood for occasions like Christmas and New Year’s Day. But it wasn’t until the tradition of Valentine’s Day in the 1400s that greeting cards truly emerged. When postage stamps were introduced in England in 1840, Valentine’s Day mail increased. In 1843, the first Christmas card was designed by John Callcott Horsley.

From the 1830s until the Civil War, sentiment cards were most popular in the United States. Greeting cards started getting commercially produced by the 1860s and became widespread. Production of greeting cards decreased in the 1890s, and Germany became the market leader until WW1. This is when the United States became prominent once again in the greeting card industry. Hallmark cards became especially famous globally for their innovative production techniques and quality of cards.

Today, more people exchange greeting cards in the United States than in any other country. Even though eCards and greetings conveyed on social media have increased, tangible greeting cards remain popular. Christmas cards are the most popular in the seasonal cards category, whereas birthday cards are the most popular everyday cards.

Stationery companies and eCard companies campaign and encourage everyone to send cards on Card Reading Day.

Card Reading Day timeline

1800s

Valentine’s Day Cards

Valentine’s cards become affordable and popular.

1875

First Line

Prang introduces its first line of Christmas cards in the U.S.

1910

Hallmark of Cards

Hallmark, the largest and oldest manufacturer of greeting cards, is founded by Joyce Hall.

2010s

Greeting Cards Remain Popular

Seven billion greeting cards are purchased annually in the United States.

How Businesses Can Celebrate Card Reading Day

Local businesses can embrace Card Reading Day by creating sentimental experiences for their customers. Coffee shops could offer discounts to patrons who bring in an old card to share a memory, fostering community connection. Stationery stores might host workshops on preserving old cards or crafting new ones, promoting their products and services. Gift boutiques could curate ‘memory boxes’ or personalized card display kits, encouraging customers to cherish their keepsakes. The day offers a unique opportunity to celebrate nostalgia and the art of written communication.

Card Reading Day FAQs

When is Card Reading Day?

In 2027, Card Reading Day is observed on Sunday, February 21. This annual observance consistently lands on the same date, providing a reliable reminder to appreciate the sentimental value of greeting cards.

How popular are greeting cards today?

The greeting card industry continues to thrive in 2027, with physical cards holding a special place for many. While digital options exist, the tangible nature and personal touch of a mailed card ensure its ongoing popularity for expressing sentiments on various occasions.

What is the history of greeting cards?

From Victorian-era innovations to contemporary digital cards, the history of greeting cards reflects changing communication styles. By 2027, the industry embraces both traditional paper cards and personalized online options, catering to a diverse audience seeking to convey heartfelt messages.

Why do people keep old greeting cards?

The emotional connection to a handwritten message is a powerful motivator for saving old cards. In 2027, these physical tokens offer a unique way to reconnect with past memories and the people who sent them, providing comfort and nostalgia in an increasingly digital world.

Card Reading Day Activities

Read your old greeting cards
As the name of the holiday suggests, pull out your stack of greeting cards and read them. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll be glad that you held on to them.
Send a card
Send a card to a loved one, or anyone in your life who you appreciate. It will put a huge smile on their face.
Share on social media
Post your cards on social media and encourage others to pull out their greeting cards too. Let’s keep the tradition of cards alive!

5 Fun Facts About Greeting Cards

A card for everything
There are cards for every occasion, relationship, age group, and gender.
Card-giving is still very much a thing
90% of all households in the U.S. purchase at least one greeting card a year.
The number of cards received
The average person receives more than 20 cards per year.
People love receiving cards
Nine out of 10 Americans look forward to receiving greeting cards.
Publishers are growing
There are more than 3,000 greeting card publishers in the U.S., from small businesses to huge corporations.

Why We Love Card Reading Day

Cards have sentimental value
The whole reason we hold on to greeting cards is because they are so personal. A loved one’s hand may have moved across the card to write on it. The card is evidence of the sender’s handwriting and cards signify an event in time.
Keeping the tradition alive
Card Reading Day encourages everyone to send cards, keeping the tradition alive. We have become so used to sending greetings and wishes over instant messaging apps or social media, but there is nothing quite like the real thing.
Nurturing relationships
The cards themselves aren’t as valuable as the sender and receiver. At the core of Card Reading Day is nurturing the beautiful bonds we have in life, and reminding people how much they mean to us.