New Yr greeting cards, diaries, calendars struggle for relevance in digital age

Kolkata: From carefully picking the best card for a close friend to choosing the most elegant one for a favourite cousin, exchanging greeting cards, diaries and calendars was once an inseparable part of New Year celebrations. As December set in, shops selling seasonal cards, pocket diaries and wall calendars bustled with customers. However, in the era of WhatsApp forwards and digital reminders, these once-essential items have steadily lost their relevance.

The few stores in the city still dealing in greeting cards are now gasping for survival. One such shop is located at Hog Market in Esplanade. A single table filled with colourful, glittering cards is the only capital of Amlan Das, who has been selling greeting cards from the same spot for the last 34 years, having inherited the business from his father. “We once earned a decent living from selling greeting cards. Now the sales have totally collapsed. At times, one or two cards are sold in an entire week,” Das said.

A similar picture emerges from Free School Street, where a shop that once depended on seasonal card sales has now diversified into grocery items to stay afloat. The shop owner, said: “This time of the year, we used to keep our shop open longer because sales surged during Christmas and New Year. Now hardly any customers come looking for cards.”

Still, a handful of buyers continue to value the tradition. College student Semanti Das, who was browsing through a stack of cards, said: “It’s true that exchanging cards has almost disappeared, but some of us still prefer them for special occasions.”

Another business facing a steady decline is that of diaries and calendars, which once witnessed peak sales during the year-end season. Shops along Chowringhee Square now wear a deserted look, with footfall dropping sharply. Traders say, “retailers used to buy heavily during December, but now they rarely turn up.” Bulk orders from offices, corporate houses and institutions have also shrunk drastically. Companies that once placed orders of around 500 copies are now ordering only 70 to 100.