People Who Keep Every Greeting Card They Ever Received Usually Have 10 Rare & Sweet Traits
Monkey Business Images | Shutterstock There are two types of people in the world. The ones who think greeting cards are useless and the ones who save every single one they've ever received.
Anyone who holds on to the cards they receive sees them as more than just pieces of paper. They're a little piece of history that reflects the emotions and love between the person who wrote the card and the person who kept it. There are a lot of different things that can cause those emotions, but these traits stand out most to this sentimental group.
People with these rare, sweet traits keep every greeting card they've ever received:
1. They have strong emotional memories
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Research has proven that memories formed based on deep emotions are stronger than other memories. This isn’t unique to all card collectors, but it would make sense for them to have deeper emotional connections than others.
Some cards are sent out of obligation, but most come from people who really care. Someone will be more likely to keep them when they can remember how they felt at that time and what the gesture meant to them.
2. They love things that feel meaningful
Everyone has certain objects that feel particularly meaningful to them. Those are the things that bring them comfort, and they would never think of getting rid of them.
A lot of people probably wouldn’t think a card has the same meaning that a family heirloom does, but people who keep their cards disagree. Although the card has no tangible value, it’s special to them because of who it came from and why it was sent. Throwing them away would be like throwing away a part of themselves.
3. They appreciate effort
When someone puts forth effort, it takes something away from them. This is why most people try to do whatever takes the least effort and are more likely to put it in when it’s going to benefit them.
Sending a card is a selfless act. It’s obviously a way for someone to show they care, but it also requires them to buy and mail the card. They’re putting effort in, and they’re not getting anything out of it themselves.
People who keep those cards notice that in a way others don’t. They don’t just hold onto cards because they’re nice, but also because they show that someone did something just for them.
4. They see a connection between the past and present
Concepts like healing your inner child and making younger you proud are pretty obvious examples of therapy speak, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some truth to them. Everyone is influenced by their past in the life they live now, whether it’s for better or worse.
People who keep the cards they get are probably the ones who want to hold onto something from their past. Even if they have some bad memories, they still see how those memories play a role in who they’ve become. They don’t want to forget how far they’ve come or the people who helped them along the way.
5. They enjoy feeling nostalgic
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It’s understandable that people’s past experiences would affect the way they think about nostalgia. While some might try to avoid those feelings, people who save cards love revisiting what their lives were like before.
Psychology professor Krystine Batcho, PhD, called nostalgia “an emotional experience that unifies” because it shows people how different pieces of their identity are related. This is something people with a box of old cards love to reflect on as they retrace their journey.
6. They want to remember things that are temporary
Human nature makes us all want to look for things that are permanent, so we feel like we have some control over our lives. The truth is everything changes over time, and accepting that makes life a lot easier.
People who collect cards aren’t trying to make things permanent when they can’t be. Instead, they’re able to acknowledge that relationships and life stages transition. They hold onto their cards to remember the important things from the past, even if they aren’t part of their life now.
7. They have patience for the things they care about
There are plenty of people who would probably argue that keeping cards isn’t very practical. Even the people who really want to save their cards probably aren’t going to look at them super often, and they’ll just take up space in the meantime. That’s reason enough for some people to throw them out.
This is where card collectors’ extreme patience comes into play. They don’t always follow the most logical path if it’s not what’s really important to them. Instead of getting frustrated with their emotions, they accept them for what they are.
8. They care more about memories than things
The debate over whether it’s better to spend money on experiences or things has gotten a lot of attention over the last few years. Researchers have found that most people feel happier when they spend their money on an experience that creates a lasting memory instead of buying more possessions.
This principle applies to people who save the cards they receive. They see all of the memories associated with a card when they look at it instead of thinking that it’s a worthless piece of paper. That’s what they want to hold onto.
9. They treasure their relationships
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People send greeting cards to the people they care about. Even if a relationship changes over time, that card still serves as a snapshot of that moment in time when the giver and receiver meant a lot to each other.
Solid friendships promote better health, so people who keep their cards are doing themselves a favor by keeping their connections strong. Throwing away cards isn’t an automatic sign that someone doesn’t care about their relationships, but it does feel a bit different.
10. They don’t forget to be grateful
Gratitude improves people’s physical and mental health, which is probably why it’s so popular to keep a gratitude journal or spend a few minutes mindfully reflecting on the good things that happened throughout the day.
Most people would probably struggle to remember something specific that they felt grateful for last month, though. That doesn’t mean the gratitude stopped working, but it does change over time.
People who keep cards know that gratitude is powerful but impermanent. They want to keep a tangible reminder of the things they’re thankful for, even if it takes up a little extra space. The people and events that have meant the most to them are something they never want to forget.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
