When Eid arrived by post: Lahore remembers the fading poetry of handwritten greetings

In Lahore, the familiar clanging of the postman’s bicycle bell is gone. No voices are calling out to announce the arrival of Eid cards, nor are there stalls in markets or streets selling the colourful cards. Modern technology and social media, it seems, have permanently ended many cherished traditions.

One of these traditions was sending beautifully designed, visually striking Eid cards adorned with heartfelt poetry to loved ones. This tradition has now all but died out.

Across Lahore and the rest of the country, Eid card stalls are no longer visible in markets, alleys, or shops. A few years ago, before the social media era, Eid cards would flood the streets as soon as Ramazan began. Stalls, both inside and outside shops, would display cards featuring film stars, cricketers, hockey and squash players, historic sites, and floral motifs.

People would buy these cards for their loved ones in groups that included children, the elderly, and women. Everyone hoped to receive the most beautiful card, and the joy of sending and receiving them was a spectacle in itself. Eid cards were often displayed on tables, in windows, or above televisions, attracting the attention of visiting guests. Visitors would pick up the cards, read the verses, and note down particularly striking lines.

But social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube have ended this tradition, leaving it a memory. Urdu Bazaar and Shalmi in Lahore used to be central hubs for Eid cards. Bookings would begin even before Ramazan, and thousands of cards were sent across Lahore and other cities in Punjab. Large sellers would arrive early in the morning with thousands of cards, arranging them neatly on tables for buyers.

“Even if you see a card in a shop today, it is no longer a true Eid card but an ‘Eidi card’,” said Humayun, a shopkeeper in Urdu Bazaar. “There was a time when we would buy and sell these cards ourselves. Cards adorned with beautiful poetry were in high demand for friends and family.”

Read: Shoppers rush to markets ahead of Eid

Cards featuring famous personalities—actors, actresses, and sports players, including Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Majid Khan, Jansher Khan, Jahangir Khan, and hockey player Samiullah—were especially popular among young people. When the postman arrived, the bell on his bicycle signalled excitement throughout the neighbourhood. Families would rush to the door to receive the cards, which were carefully removed from their envelopes, creating a festive atmosphere.

“The joy of receiving an Eid card was unmatched,” said Humayun. “Even postmen were given Eidi as gratitude, and some would come on Eid itself to collect cards.”

The Postmaster General for Punjab, Zia Ullah Ranjha, recalled: “There was a time when, as soon as Ramazan began, the post office was filled with bags containing only Eid cards. In the final 20 days of Ramazan, announcements were made urging people to post their cards before a certain date. Government and non-government organisations, banks, and businesses would all send Eid cards to loved ones.”

However, the arrival of social media has changed everything. “The younger generation does not even know what an Eid card is. The sense of love and emotion that came with it has disappeared,” Ranjha said.

Today, most people send gifts instead of cards—jewellery, beautifully designed clothing, perfumes, and other items, sent both within Pakistan and abroad in large numbers. “The tradition of sending Eid cards has ended, but the sending of Eid gifts has taken its place,” he added.

Even the postal department once printed Eid cards for its own staff and sent them to various recipients, but that practice has ceased. “Now, a simple WhatsApp message or Facebook post has replaced the heartfelt gesture of an Eid card. Many messages are even deleted without being read,” Ranjha said, reflecting on the loss of a once-celebrated tradition.