World Card Making Day Date in the current year: October 3, 2026

The tradition of sending or giving greeting cards can be traced back to ancient times. In ancient China, for instance, it was customary to exchange written messages of goodwill during New Year celebrations, a tradition that existed as early as the Tang dynasty and continues to this day. Handmade and even printed greeting cards were exchanged in various parts of Europe throughout the late medieval and early modern periods, but it was in the mid-19th century that the modern greeting card industry began to emerge.

Thanks to its emergence, greeting cards transformed from relatively expensive, handmade gifts that were delivered by hand, into an affordable means of personal communication. This was made possible by a combination of factors, including advances in printing that enabled mass production, and the introduction of cheap and predictable postal rates. Commercial Christmas cards are generally considered to have emerged first in 1843, followed shortly afterwards by birthday cards.

Today, the production of greeting cards is a multimillion-dollar industry. Cards are available for all sorts of occasions, including various holidays and important milestones such as anniversaries, baby showers, baptisms, birthdays, graduations and weddings. They can also be used to express various feelings or wishes, such as getting well soon.

However, many people dislike giving mass-produced cards because they are too generic. Rather than making them disappear, the greeting card industry has made DIY greeting cards even more valuable. In an age where you can buy a card for any occasion, receiving a handmade card shows that someone has gone out of their way to make it specifically for you, investing their time, effort, and money that went into the materials used.

In 2006, Paper Craft magazine launched World Card Making Day to encourage people to make their own greeting cards for their loved ones. Celebrated on the first Saturday in October, it gives you roughly three months to make enough cards for your loved ones and ensure they arrive in time for Christmas.

If you’ve never made a DIY greeting card before, World Card Making Day is the perfect opportunity to get started. If you’re an experienced card maker, it’s a great occasion to meet up with fellow scrapbooking enthusiasts for a card-making sessions to share ideas and techniques, swap materials, and simply have a good time.

Your first handmade cards might not be perfect, and you might decide not to give them to anyone, but don’t give up. There are plenty of online tutorials to help you master the basics, as well as scrapbooking forums and subreddits where you can get practical tips. With a little practice, you’ll be well on your way to creating beautiful cards. Investing in good quality materials would also be a good idea. Luckily, many craft stores offer discounts for World Card Making Day.