Greeting cards have had a long history of more than 600 years. They've evolved from the hand-painted parchment sheets presented for special events and as tokens of appreciation to the modern day e-greeting. The Egyptians, the Chinese and the medieval Europeans are known to have exchanged good wishes for their respective new years via these cards. In modern days, from being a personalized craft, greeting cards have become big businesses run by large corporations. Yet they've never lost their appeal. Be it a birthday, special event, anniversary, wedding or just a thank-you card, a get-well-soon card or a fun card to say hello, sorry or best wishes, the greeting card says it all.

There are cards for every possible occasion in people's lives. They also come in a variety of styles and according to different budgets and categories. Generally, they're accompanied by a matching envelope. Cards are still sent by post in many places, but can also be couriered, hand-delivered or of course, sent over the Internet.

There are literally thousands of categories of greeting cards.

Regular: These cards are in the conventional format of folded card-paper, with appropriate words both outside and inside and space for the sender to add their own greetings or note. Available in a variety of designs, sizes, materials and budgets, these cards come with their matching envelopes.

Personalized/Photo: cards provide the really personal touch. They are printed on photosensitive paper or they may have a photo-insert slot to add your own pictures. They're great for family occasions and events and also for close friends.

Electronics/Music: These hi-tech cards can play music like the Happy Birthday tune or Christmas carols. Some cards allow you to add your own personalized tune for special events like Valentine's Day etc.

Eco-Friendly: cards are printed on recycled paper and recyclable materials, using eco-friendly printing processes. Some cards are also reusable with removable inside pages.

Humor: Light-hearted jokes, one-liners, puns and even slightly naughty words can be used in cards to convey a humorous take on the event or occasion, depending on the relationship between sender and receiver.

On-demand: This is the latest trend in greeting cards, where completely customized designs with hand-painted or hand-crafted decorations are available, with your own special message printed.

All-occasion: Today, sending cards has become the norm even in small towns and villages. Cards are available for every event in a person's life, including divorce and death.
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