I think it’s more about the “blank cards in an envelope” part.That’s not really in the spirit of postcrossing and I can see why that would bother some people who might not have touristy card at hands. I do have them but many smaller towns in the Netherlands don’t.
13 Likes
Here in NJ, Columbus Day is considered Italian Pride Day and still celebrated widely. Columbus Day became a holiday because the largest mass lynching in America was conducted against Italian immigrants. It’s sad that this isn’t taught in schools. I don’t know what message you received, but I certainly write about attending parades and having Italian meals and such when it is Columbus Day. My area also celebrates St Patrick’s Day for a full month, with parades every weekend. Part of postcrossing is getting to know about other people’s culture, which varies from state to state, and region to region, not just from country to country.
5 Likes
I’m sorry - I do understand how it may not be fun for you, but this made me laugh, because now I want to meet the Queen Consort of the UK and tell her “Oh by the way, your name is also the name of one of my cats” 
To remain in-topic: in my profile I state that I’m a vegetarian, and once I got a card showing a chicken recipe, with a long detailed explanation on the back about how to make it perfect. I am sometimes a bit of a Pollyanna, so I like to think that the sender just missed that part and was really, really proud of that typical recipe from their area and actually wanted to share something tasty. But having been a vegetarian for most of my life, and being used to unkind remarks about it, the not-Pollyanna part of me wonders if it was just their way to slag me off.
(on the other hand, my husband makes a great vegan version of that recipe 
)
19 Likes
My least favorite messages are the meaningless “Happy Postcrossing from X” or “Hope you are well” type, where it feels like the sender put in zero effort.
My second least favorite are where the sender misunderstood something in my profile. For example I used to list “archaeology” as one of my “interests” and one person wrote on the card how cool they thought it was that I was an archaeologist, and what fascinating work that must be. I’m not, I just enjoy reading about archaeology. It made me really uncomfortable, partly because I wasn’t sure whether I should correct this misunderstanding in my hurray message, and partly because if I have the card out in my house and a guest sees it - or if I die and a family member goes through my things - they will think I was lying about myself. I’ve taken some things out of my profile, and reworded others, to reduce the chance of getting more messages like that.
@isabetta
“Vegetarian” can also mean different things to different people, and here in the US (especially among older generations) many people who call themselves “vegetarian” just avoid red meat (they still eat things like fish and chicken) so it may have been a complete misunderstanding, where the sender thought a chicken recipe would be perfect for a vegetarian. Big fail 
12 Likes
I don’t hate it, but I find it strange when people write on the postcard exactly what the first paragraph of their profile is. It’s surprisingly common.
22 Likes
When I see both of those cases, I think it’s because that’s their boilerplate text for postcards. I’m not a fan of those types of cards either, because they didn’t (appear to) make an effort to tailor the message to me. Interesting related topic: “One liner” generic postcards
5 Likes
This is more common for me than ‘Happy Postcrossing’ (or similar) ones.
1 Like
Hmm, I guess I do this occasionally…
But I don’t read the profiles of people I get cards from so I think it’s ok
2 Likes
That happened to me once. It was clear that someone drew two or more names, and then carefully read profiles in order to tailor a nice personal message to each recipient. And then I think they got their wires crossed, because my whole message was to “Renee” and about several interesting topics that are not on my profile. I just smiled and wondered what interesting things Renee was reading about (probably lighthouses, horses and bicycles). I wasn’t upset or offended at the message - just thought it was amusing.
PS - when I say “tiny”, I usually am praising someone’s cleverness in optimizing a small space and making it fun and appealing. It would definitely be a positive connotation. I had the great pleasure of spending a short time in Yokosuka and I have described the “tiny but beautiful container gardens” that I saw in front of many small homes and apartments. And I was passing along how impressed I was about the creativity and skill it took to make them so nice.
15 Likes
It’s really rare to read profiles that leave me scratching my head. I recently read someone’s profile that wanted a BLANK postcard and asked not to forget to put beautiful stamps on the envelope. There was no please nor a thank you. It’s like being invited to a party, but the host tells you to leave your gift on the porch and go away.
I will rephrase a wonderful card I received
Someone cares about you [your request] not me but someone cares.
19 Likes
I have received postcards from members of certain religions encouraging to look for God, to join them or adding some bible text. I understand it’s their way to connect and I always replied them with a kind message. But receiving those postcards made me uncomfortable. Even there was one from Germany with a big envelope and tons of postcards of their divinity. What should I do with them? I throw them away, it smelled so bad for me.
And I know there’s no message on my profile asking not to talk about religion or politics, but I don’t want a “don’t” on my profile. They want to talk about it, ok. I will register the postcards, but probably I won’t keep them. Yes, 4 of them are gone.
And there’s were another two postcard talking about the war on Europe. Asking me to pray for it. Maybe it’s just a phrase extra as they’re worries for those ladies. Again, I replied nicely and thanked for the Postcards.
As we say on my country, don’t talk about religion, politics or soccer if you don’t want to start a discussion/fight 
18 Likes
Your name is given to you by your parents but the username is something you chose. It’s possible people think you like that name or it has a special meaning to you and so they use it in the greeting. That would be my guess.
4 Likes
I don’t actually like those meeting postcards… i mean, bunch of signatures and ink stamped names and that is the message pretty much? 
well maybe some greetings from xxxx meet up or something. I really don’t understand what is this “tradition” to send such a signatures only message to a total stranger. But i’m fine with those, it just something i’m wondering oh why 
15 Likes
I had one yesterday where I was greeted by my username. It’s no big deal, but I do find it a bit odd.
4 Likes
And if you go to a meetup and want to send cards from it with a message on rather than signatures, would people look at you askance? Would people there get upset if you refused to sign masses of cards?
I do wonder if the tradition started at a meetup where the participants didn’t have much English and this was their way to send postcards without having to write a message.
8 Likes
Indeed, would be kinda interesting to know how this tradition started!
Yes, wondering also same thing now
1 Like
I am guilty of attending (organizing) meetups and signing/stamping cards there. For the meetup cards I send, I try to add two or three lines fitting to the respective profile, but that’s difficult sometimes. So yes, sometimes I do send cards with ‘only’ user-stamps.
While it’s not this 1000%-newbestfriend-directlinktoheartandsoul-connection some expect from every new card (it seems), one can still get some good nice fun out of such cards. Studies in stamp design? Studies of travel patterns? Counting the names you know from official contacts or from the forum? A statistic of popular colours?
Of course, if one really is bothered, one can always say so in the profile.
As for the origin of the ‘tradition’, there are others who maybe know. But I doubt it was lack of language skills.
An of course no one is obligated to stamp all the cards resp. let ones own cards get stamped. One can simply attend a meetup to spend some hours among folks who care about postcards (unlike other friends and family who maybe don’t).
(I’ve also seen users securing some space to write a message via post-it or washi, so combinations of (small) message and stamps are not unheard of; and some ‘meeters’ debate/propose limits of cards-to-be-signed, so maybe such cards with many stamps will become very exclusive on their own very soon )
11 Likes
I mean that could also be a language barrier. Or simply not the knowledge how to use the word.
And I lived in Japan and moved several times. And compared to German flats, Japanese flats are really really small in the cities, but not in the countryside. But in London or New York the flats tend to be even smaller … 
so I guess it always depends on the perspective.
Sometimes I get very religious messages, that is a bit unpleasent. Even missionary stuff … 
4 Likes
I don’t have particular feelings about getting meetup postcards with signatures.
Would I like a message on it? Sure.
If there isn’t a message, would I be upset? Nope
To me, these things are like
On date X, these people (Y) were at this meetup
It’s a little like how a photograph helps you remember, oh I had pancakes for breakfast on 16 May (for example)
If I get such a postcard, it kind of makes me feel like I was there too, in a small way.
15 Likes
Once I got a lovely card with a political mesage written by the sender. This person thought it would be a nice idea to praise the guy that ruined my country and tried to convince me how good have done him in my homeland, a place I flew away 15 years ago due social and political circumstances.
Of course I registered the card and answered with a “Thanks”, because I could be mad at that moment, but I’m always educated 
15 Likes