Actually, it is the same in the USA, except when first meeting a new person (especially in formal settings) or when you are surprised to see a friend. If I go to a friend’s house we just greet each other with “Hi” but if I unexpectedly see them at a public event, I might say, “Hi Name!”
If you are introduced to a stranger it is considered polite to say “Nice to meet you, Name” and shake their hand (pre-pandemic) but especially among younger generations and in casual settings, just saying “Hi” without adding their name, and giving a little nod or wave, is far more common than the “polite” formal way.
I normally begin emails or PMs with “Hi Name,” and then move down a line, because I’m old fashioned about writing and want it to seem letter-like, but most people I know don’t even begin emails with “Hi” anymore, they just jump right in!
I always sign at the end of a card, and sometimes even introduce myself at the beginning, but I couldn’t care less whether someone uses my name in the hurray message. It doesn’t seem rude, it just seems like they aren’t in the habit of starting messages that way.
If I can’t read a sender’s name, I try to counter with enthusiasm: “Hi! Your card arrived in my mailbox today! I was very excited to receive it, because. . .” That way, in case they are someone who wants to be addressed by name, they’ll know I wasn’t trying to snub them.
I also got one hurray message where someone used my name with a question mark after it “Hello Tara(?)” which I thought was kind of sweet, that they cared enough to acknowledge they might not have made it out right. And if they had been wrong it would have smoothed over that awkwardness of “Oh no, now they’re going to see that they’re wrong and feel bad.”
That’s interesting though, how simple things like a greeting in the beginning of a letter or other kind of mail, changes with generations and time.
