I’ve noticed that a lot of people say that they don’t like multi-view cards. Why? They’re kind of a classic and quintessential variety of postcard, no? Indeed, I wouldn’t want to get one every, but now and again, no problem.
Likewise, I also don’t quite understand why some would not want a home made card, especially if someone too the time and care to reflect what they’ve read on your profile. My only thought around this is that I’m not in a position to move that care and energy forward. I’m not artistic; don’t have the time; for me, that’s just not my preferred angle in enjoying Postcrossing.
I do understand the aversion to cards made from product boxes, or blatant advertisements. But even those, now and again, I’m sure that sometimes they could even prove interesting.
Finally, though I have some really nice cards of NYC, Paris, and other truly iconic places and things, I resist sending them. Who doesn’t have a card of the Empire State Building or Notre Dame? Am I right on this in holding these back. Of course, this is not a scientific poll, but curious to get a few random opinions. Any other common cards that people get that they maybe sigh in disappointment because they have so many?
I suppose the only cards I really dislike are ones where I feel like no thought was put into them, or ones that are really thin, but the image of the card is less important. There are some type of cards I like more, but I don’t really have a type of card that I hate, other than potentially getting a sexist, racist or LGBT+ unfriendly card (but I’m fairly certain getting a card like that would be quite rare, I hope so at least.)
I don’t mind receiving homemade cards. My thought is that maybe the sender did that out of financial necessity, or they just don’t have easy access to purchased cards. I want Postcrossing to be affordable to as many people as possible. People should put some modest effort into what they write, but I’m willing to be flexible about the card itself.
I don’t have anything against the cards mentioned. I don’t like “handmade” cards that are obviously made to minimize the effort someone has to take - like a piece of carton with only the ID on it… But this happens rarely. Most people who make handmade cards take so much care and are so artistic.
I haven’t received a home made card yet. I never thought of it as an angle to save money. With that in mind, I agree completely. I’d rather more people participate, by whatever means.
And I just realize that I didn’t really complete my thought about home made cards in my original post… While I haven’t had a truly home made card, I have had people add their own artwork to the message and/or add stickers, color, etc. That has been great, but I do kinda’ feel bad about it because, although I take great care to curate a card that I think the recipient will like, I don’t put that kind of personal time into preparing those I send. In the end, I’m OK with that, as PC fulfills different things for all of us, I’m sure. I like the stamps and the image on the card and imagining where it came from, and, like I said earlier, taking care to send the right card, and that will be reflected in what I send out. Everyone’s approach will be different, which is what makes PC interesting.
I’m honestly not a big fan of multi-view cards or touristic cards, because they often look a bit like someone with no experience in graphic design made them. Sometime I think they used a couple of city pictures, scaled them down to a card size, put a colorful background to it and wrote the city name underneath it
I can make such a card in 10 min.
BUT, of couse not all of them are “bad”. I’ve seen really good and beautiful multiview cards too. So I neither ask for them nor say I don’t want them. If I receive a multi-view card I’m fine with it, like every other card.
I have seen profiles who ask for multi-view cards of small towns because they received like a bunch of NYC or Berlin cards.
I have some cards from south tirol laying around, but I would never send them because these are not cards from where I live. I would not like to receive a card displaying Paris from a person living in Moscow.
There is a whole thread about the “No homemade cards” as far as I know.
It seems like a lot of people had some bad experiences with “crappy” made cards, cut out cards from cereal boxes or similar. Some people like such cards, others don’t.
There are so many talented people out there, I would risk receiving one “bad” card, instead of no handmade at all.
But I would simply respect the no-homemade-wish and use my time for someone who would appreciate such a card.
For me personally, I don’t like snails or slugs or worms, even caterpillars are somewhat a no-no, but that’s just because I’m afraid of those animals.
I always add many stickers to my cards, but I don’t expect senders to do so as well. I do it for myself as well, as it’s a lot of fun choosing the right stickers. So don’t feel bad for not doing so.
I would like almost any card. My favorites are homemade cards actually! Recently someone sent me a cute photo of their friends cat! It was adorable. Although I do prefer longer messages. I understand if are not good with English or don’t like writing it’s still fine honestly. Uploading: 16110726232398072542679318796244.jpg…
I don’t like a card showing food (meals), because I feel sick looking at the food, that for me looks cold and weird. Even if I know I don’t have to eat it. (And I was really, really surprised food related cards are so popular!)
Also animals in cages makes me really uncomfortable, even a zoo postcard when the animal is in “freedom”. I don’t know why.
Not a fan of cards with perforated edges. That fourth side looks messy/cheap/unfinished/choose your adjective, so that’s why Harenberg calender postcards - yes or no? is a no for me
I prefer single-views just because then I can see the place / attraction properly. To my eyes multi-view cards might be a bit too crowded and some have like 15 different pictures on it and then it’s just messy and I can’t focus on the views as much as I would like to. This is why I prefer single-views but I have received some very nice multi-views too.
I’m also one who doesn’t like cards showing food. For me food is just a thing I need to stay alive, haha. Same is with restaurants, I really don’t care where and what to eat, I just eat because I’m hungry.
There are few multi view cards that are nicely designed. But most of them are done very badly. Also, the images are so small that, if you don’t know the places, you won’t enjoy the views.
As for handmade cards, there shouldn’t be any problem with that.
One thing that came up in this thread is sending postcards from places other than where you live. Some people apparently feel strongly to not get a postcard with a scene from Germany if the card is coming from the USA, for example. I understand the sentiment, which is why-- as I learn about Postcrossing --I am now sure to have local postcards at the ready. But for me, image does not have to match source. For me, it’s mostly about the image, so if you are from Japan, and have a striking image or card that you want to share from, say, Argentina, please do!
I received that card recently and quite shocked, i don’t mind handmade card, at all, in fact i love them becouse people put a lot of effort on them, usually, but a carton with a huge ID number on the front and a happy postcrossing on the back… it’s just making me sad.
I get lots of cards I don’t like a lot, but very few that I actively dislike.
The only cards I don’t like as a class are underpostaged ones. I hate receiving underpostaged cards. I have to guess - is this person just ignorant, or are they a scammer, should I just go ahead and register the card anyway or should I report them. Even if I do register, the fact that the card is underpostaged leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and then I have to write a message that is polite even though I am having negative feelings about this underpostaged card. So much negative energy goes into registering these cards…
So don’t feel bad for not doing so.
(I’ve received ~10 Harenberg cards, and they all have the perf)