Each and every year without fail, the number of occasions for which the average person finds themselves having to buy greeting cards spikes to an all-new high. It seems as if there are more and more ‘special’ occasions all the time which pop up out of nowhere and generally surprise us all at the very last minute. And when this happens, this is precisely when it becomes apparent that greeting cards are not what you’d call the cheapest things to come by – assuming of course you’re not happy to go for the bargain-basement budget lines that don’t exactly send the right message.
There is, however, an increasingly popular alternative to picking up store-bought cards, a movement that has seen more people up and down the UK than ever before reaching for the craft supplies and having a go at making their own. According to the craft experts at Handy Hippo, it’s a craze that shows no signs of slowing anytime soon and is at the same time proving so much more rewarding than most would ever believe.
Need a little more convincing? Here’s a quick look at five reasons why homemade greeting cards are simply superior in every way:
1 – It’s Fun
So right off the bat comes the totally undisputable fact that making cards at home with your own supplies is so much more fun that just heading to any standard store and picking a few up off the shelves. It might sound like a pain in the rear end, but just as soon as you get started with all those lovely sticky bits and pieces you’ll find yourself transported back to a time when this was exactly the sort of thing to give you the kicks. So, before writing the idea off as something you don’t have the time or energy to have a go at, it’s worth trying it out as you might be surprised how much you enjoy it.
2 – It’s Cheap
As mentioned a little earlier, one of the biggest benefits of all that come with making your own greeting cards throughout the year is the way in which it can save you so much money compared to the usual store-bought alternatives. It’s not as if store-bought cards are cheap at the best of times, but when you think about the fact that you have to buy dozens of them year after year, you start to get a good idea as to how much money you’re actually blowing on them. Of course it’s also fair to say that craft supplies and the likes don’t come free of charge either, but the costs are astronomically lower when you go it alone.
3 – It Means More
One of the biggest problems with standard greeting cards is the way in which they’ve become such a standard staple that’s given without any real thought or attention, they don’t tend to mean a great deal at all. It’s not like we don’t appreciate one when we get it, but at the same time it rarely carries any kind of deep sentiment. By contrast, when you actually make the effort to make the card yourself, you get to create it 100% from your own hands and include your own message – infinitely more meaningful than a card you picked up off the shelf.
4 – It Gets the Kids Involved
Another great bonus of DIY card making is that it allows you to get the kids involved in something that they will both enjoy and benefit from. Not only do kids tend to love getting stuck into these kinds of things that allow them to get messy, but at the same time it’s a brilliant way of getting them well and truly away from the trappings of 21st century technology. Needless to say, card making and crafts in general are so much better for them than staring at the TV hour after hour.
5 – It Allows You to Plan Ahead
Last but not least, when you set about a card making venture there’s a pretty good chance you won’t just make one and then pack up. Quite to the contrary, you’ll probably knock out a fair few all at the same time during the same sitting which means being able to plan ahead for a series of events to come. You know when those ‘special’ days of the year are coming, so it pays to plan ahead and get yourself ready ahead of time for maximum convenience and savings to boot.