Most Americans love to send and receive cards for every occasion and for no special reason in particular. Messages of congratulations and encouragement have been exchanged for centuries, but only in the past century have they taken the form of greeting cards. More than anyone else, Joyce C. Hall, founder of Hallmark, is regarded as the architect of the modern-day greeting card industry. His business was started in 1910 in Nebraska and has grown into a multibillion dollar corporation. He took a fad for picture postcards and transformed it into a social custom which is part of American culture. Today there are over 40 thousand Hallmark stores throughout the country and the name "Hallmark" is synonymous with greeting cards.
Today cards are sent not only at Christmas, but also for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and weddings. If someone is going on a trip, then a "Bon Voyage" card is sent to the departing traveler. Should someone be moving into a new home, then an appropriate cards will quickly be sent to the new occupant wishes him the best in his new residence.

Cards are sent to congratulate and console, to thank and to celebrate. If someone is ill, a "Get Well" greeting cards will be sent to cheer up the patient. If someone has been promoted to a new position or acquired a new job then a "Good Luck" card is
soon to follow the good news.
There is a card suitable for every occasion and many for no reason at all other than to keep in touch with someone on does not see on a regular basis. Some cards are merely sent to reestablish contact with an old friend who has not remembered one's birthday or forgotten to send a card at Christmas. These cards are attempts to keep up relationships with cherished friends one hasn't seen or heard from in a long time. If one should be the kind of person who is always behind schedule, then there is no need to worry. Belated greetings for every occasion are in full supply.

The most popular category of cards is that which is purely seasonal. Easter cards are sent in the spring, while Halloween and Thanksgiving cards are sent in the fall. Valentine's Day cards are sent in the cold winter month of February, and graduation cards are sent in June. The most popular, however, are the Christmas cards which are collected and often displayed on fireplaces and around windows and doorways in the home. These are the most cherished of all because they come but once a year from friends of the distant past who have been separated by both time and space.
Americans look forward to receiving their Christmas cards in the same way that the Japanese cherish their nengajo. These cards make one feel connected to the past while looking forward to the future when they may meet again.
Many of these cards are bought in stores which specialize in stationary and party goods. Sometimes they are handmade and often they are humorous, but the sending of cards is anything but frivolous. It is an attempt to bind relationships, deepen friendships and unite people to the ones they love.