SARGODHA, Mar 05 (APP):In this era of mobile and social media connectivity, the old trend of wishing people on special occasions like Eid through sending ‘Eid greeting cards’ is vanishing gradually with the emerging trend of electronic greetings, just sending a short messaging service (SMS) to friends and family members or relatives.
It was observed on Thursday that as the Muslim community awaits Eid and prepares for the festivities, the trend of sending Eid cards with hand scribbled messages to family, friends, relatives and business associates is fast disappearing from our society. Eid cards have become relics of the past because of digital technology that allows for timely delivery and quick reply, said a shopkeeper Asmatullah. The tradition of sending cards in a stamped envelope is being replaced by other ways of connecting in many households, often with an electronic card or a photo sent, said a 50 year old citizen Rasheed Shah . It was once a routine for most families to spend time appropriately selecting, purchasing, writing and posting Eid greeting cards to friends and families. But now, it has become a rarity, said a 43 year old school teacher Khurram Shehzad.
Tayab Ashraf from Old civil lines said that people and especially children had a craze to send Eid cards to their love ones but know it has become an old tale for new generation.
“We used to exchange different kinds of Eid cards with unique designs and texts, once. I even remember there being some musical cards back in the day. I loved opening them repeatedly,” he recalled, adding: “Children these days do not even know what an Eid card is.”
However, the shopkeepers, who used to display a variety of Eid cards to attract customers, also complained about a fall in their business, saying that main reason of this dying culture is obviously the increasing reliance on electronic means, which offers faster and convenient mode of communication. In the past, Eid card business used to flourish after mid-Ramazan and continued until Chand Raat, said Kaleemullah, a shopkeeper who displayed hundreds of greeting cards on every Eid and other occasions. Many people wished they could have sent Eid greetings to their loved ones through cards, but since these were time consuming and costly they thought it better to drop the option. It is easy via mobile texts and internet because we have just to press the button to wish Eid to hundreds of our contacts in a short period of time.