Are postcards a thing of the past?
By oldchem1
@oldchem1 (8132)
November 2, 2010 8:05am CST
I have noticed that in recent years I receive less and less postcards.
At one time the first thing people did when they went on holiday was to buy postcards and sent them out to family and friends.
However I can't remember when I last received a post card from friends and family; I still buy and send them but only for my daughters I have to admit.
Do you think it is because people are still keeping in touch by mobile and the internet these days when they are away or is it just laziness and the fact that we have become a little removed from snail mail?
I decided that I would send my new granddaughter her own postcard from my last holiday and marked it 'Olivia's First Postcard' - enclosed is a picture of her ';reading' it!!
Do you still send and/or receive postcards, or do you have a theory on the demise of the lovely postcard?
5 people like this
23 responses
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
2 Nov 10
I not only still send postcards and greeting cards, I am in the business. I've learned that people don't send them because they are often expensive, it's kind of inconvenient, and most the cards they buy, they forget to send. That's why my card business is all online. It's easy, convenient and every card that is bought gets sent.
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
2 Nov 10
No, we order them online, but the people we send them to get real cards in the regular mail. Not ecards in their inbox.
@CatsandDogs (13963)
• United States
11 Nov 10
I've wondered the same thing a few months ago! lol I guess going through some of our things and running into some old post cards made me think about that. Plus I wondered if the postage for post cards have gone up since all the rest of the mail has. If I ever get a chance to go somewhere, like a vacation where we get post cards, yes I'll send them.
@srinivas2036 (188)
• India
3 Nov 10
yes i do agree that now a days the usage of postcards has become low. And we find very rarely people writing postcards. Because every thing in this modern world has became fast. People are not able wait even an hour to get the news.. Thats why a revolution came in the communication systems. But it made the old systems to slowdown.
but even now also there are people who are using postcards. We will get the information from colleges and something official through postal only.
And more overs felt its a nice feeling to write a love letter to their lover... Thats why these are still not completely forbidden..and often used by people. ANd yet not became completely the thing of past
@tuamora (79)
• United States
3 Nov 10
I know a lot of people who still utilize postcards. I love taking pictures and have no clue what to do with them. I was thinking of making them into postcards. I just have no clue how to turn those pictures into a money making mechanism.
My friend's mother came to visit me a couple of months ago, and she had me drive to the tourist places to find good postcards to give to her friends. She told me that they requested her to bring them one.
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
3 Nov 10
I miss receiving post cards. It is sad that they seem to be a thing of the past because of the internet and email. Sometimes when I go somewhere I try to look at souvenir shops and try to see what I can give as gifts that are unique. But I do hope people still send postcards.
@joey_matthews (8354)
•
2 Nov 10
Postcards are not things of the past but they arn't being sent anywhere near as often as they use to be. I wanted to send postcards back from my holiday this year but i couldn't find any that i liked because most places that use to sell them dont anymore.
@maximax8 (31053)
• United Kingdom
2 Nov 10
I collect postcards on my travels and I get them in most locations. I was shocked when I saw the price for postcards in Tallinn, capital of Estonia. I sent ten postcards to family and friends when I was in Mossel Bay on the Garden Route in South Africa. I kept asking the people if their postcard had arrived. Sadly they didn't ever arrive. In Canada this summer on my trip I had my net book with me. I sent emails and messages on Face Book instead of postcards.
I think postcards will soon become a thing of the past due to people sending emails and Internet sites like Face Book. It was lovely that you sent your granddaughter Olivia a postcard from Menorca. I rarely receive a postcard now which is a shame. I will send some postcards on my trip in 2011. It would be great to keep the practice of sending postcards alive.
@incredibleDNA (1742)
• Philippines
2 Nov 10
People are now more comfortable with internet rather that of the snail mail as it's more convenient as you don't have to go to the post office or something. Tho my mom had received one tho last year from her best friend
@achilles2010 (3051)
• India
3 Nov 10
When I look back I recall we used postcards eons ago. Recently my sister in law sent me a card to greet me for my birthday. She kept asking me for several days to know did I receive the card. I kept wondering why is it taking so long to arrive. With advent of messaging and internet it seems that postal department has turned more lethargic than before. Ten to fifteen days is a normal time any postcard would take to reach the destination. Whereas, a message or e-greeting you would receive in a jiffy. I do agree that postcard does give your feelings a personal touch. I have almost forgotten what my own handwriting looks like. I will have to write and see.
@devijay78 (1573)
• India
2 Nov 10
Hi oldchem. I used to send postcards when I was little, say till about 16 years. Then slowly e-cards and mails took over and I found it easier to send one online. But I did recieve one from my sister last year. She sent me a postcard of a hindu god temple in USA. That was something very nice of her to do and I felt good recieving it. But I still do write letters and send them by mail. Usually it is to my grand mothers who live in other parts of the country. And my husband sometimes. 
@asyria51 (2861)
• United States
2 Nov 10
I still send out post cards when I go on vacation, but due to the economy, have not been anywhere in the past year and a half. I do think that the art of sending a letter has been lost. Too many people are wired. I still send letters with pictures that my daughter drew to her grandparents and great-grandmother. I include a note about how she is doing. This is on top of emailing, talking and video conferencing with them. when my friend was overseas, and had limited internet, we wrote back and forth constantly.
@Carrino (26)
• Singapore
2 Nov 10
Yes, mobiles and internet technology are replacing these old methods now.
I believe that, Human are always lazy, you can't see it but they are shown.
Human will always go for a convinent way, saving all the troubles.
However, I believe that postcards can be kept for a long time, unlike computer, they will be erased if anything wrong happen.
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
5 Mar 11
Hi oldchem1. I think that postcards have became placed on the back burner. It seems like many people choose to send emails and make phone calls when they want to communicate with others. I don't mind sending postcards to my family that are far away. I plan on doing so with my cousin that lives in Japan now. I think that it is fun to send postcards to many people that we love. This is a cute picture of your grandchild and her postcard that you gave her. How sweet of you!
@Humbug25 (12540)
•
2 Nov 10
Hey there oldchem1
My mum recently went on a short cruise and my last words to her was, don'r forget to send us a postcard, needless to say, she did. I was away on holiday last week with the kids and it wasnt until I got home did I realise that I hadn't sent my mum one. I think we were so busy that the thought didn't cross my mind even though we were holidaying in the same county to which my mum lives, I was still annoyed with myself that I hadn't sent her one!
I rarely go on holiday so I guess it didnt really cross my mind. My aunty who lives in the US sometimes sends me random postcards. I love getting postcards!
I rarely go on holiday so I guess it didnt really cross my mind. My aunty who lives in the US sometimes sends me random postcards. I love getting postcards!
@scififan43 (2434)
• United States
29 Jan 11
I do not rember when I recived a post card as well. I am sure I have in the past but I think it has been a while. in the days of inernet and cell phiones I think they are becoming obsolete. but I have seen post cards in gifts shopes in the past and I am sure people still buy then for soviers.
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
2 Nov 10
I don't think that postcards are a thing of the past. they are a good way to give those away from you a taste of where you are. They aren't as easy to find anymore, but they are still there.