OLD-SCHOOL GREETINGS
A list of the best paper cards to pick up this holiday season from indie Canadian designers,
It’s the time of year when your mailbox — not the digital one but the old-fashioned metal box near the front door of your house, apartment or condo building — starts to fill with holiday cards.
“I love receiving a great card. As our world becomes increasingly digital, I think it’s nice to have these little tactile items to remind us that we’re human,” says Jennifer Lindup, a freelance surface designer from Toronto who designs for home decor and fashion clients. Last year, she created an Etsy shop to showcase some of her work on cards, journals and art prints.
Lesley Pocklington, the designer behind the Swell Made Co., agrees there is something special about sending an old-fashioned greeting card. “Handwritten messages are becoming rarer by the day. Sending a card shows your recipient you’ve taken the time to send a thoughtful greeting. Opening the mailbox to find an envelope that’s not quite like the others, and reading a personalized message inside is delightful,” Pocklington says.
Buying a greeting card from an independent designer such as Lindup or Pocklington means you are not only supporting a small, Canadian business, but you are also sending a unique, handmade gift to the friends and family on your holiday card list. These cards tend to be hand-illustrated and printed in small batches.
Walk into many small stationery stores in Toronto and you will find a selection of holiday cards sourced from independent artists. Or if you prefer to shop online, we’ve rounded up seven made-in-Canada holiday greeting cards that you can click and buy.
Tip: Don’t forget to check the Canada Post holiday season mailing deadlines. In Ontario, Dec. 20 is the last day for local holiday card delivery before Christmas and Dec. 18 for outside Ontario.