Part of getting old seems to be seeing the things you love become extinct. Tea cups and saucers, clocks, books, hand sewing and embroidery, hand written letters, postcards, birthday cards, silver sets, so many things disappearing or becoming unwanted by the younger generations as they come along with new technology.

But, I notice the old things I love still last longer than the new things coming along. Maybe not in purpose but in strength and durability. New technology is made to break and be replaced. Can it be loved like the old things when it isn't made to last? I don't think there is enough time before a new one is needed and the old hits the landfill.

You don't have to be traveling afar to send postcards to people 'back home'. You can be a pen pal and write to people around the world. You can also join groups like PostCrossing. "A project that allows you to send postcards and receive postcards back from random people around the world".

But, what do you write on a postcard, especially if you aren't traveling, seeing new places and faces?

You can write almost anything, fairly short to fit on a postcard. Introduce yourself. Write about some interesting thing you did, or saw, or heard about. Write about your location - whatever image your postcard shows. Ask questions about where they live - you have their mailing address so you at least know where they live.

Don't assume you have nothing interesting to write about. If you are traveling and sending postcards home to family and friends you certainly have new things to make note of. Silly things that happened along the way. Something that you did or heard, smelled, touched, watched, or tasted. What do you think about the places you've seen. What would your family/ friend like to know about: history, hobbies, different customs, sports, food?

If nothing else, just write about your day. A postcard can be a snapshot of your day, your adventures, your ideas.

Don't forget to use good penmanship. Postcards are usually hand written. Although you could try out mail art, someone still needs to read or understand what you write.

What could you write about if you were sending a postcard today?

Tom Carter, artist, in Vancouver, BC. His style reminds me of the old postcards, hand drawn looking with that sort of range of colours. I would call it muted, for lack of a better word. They look like something you could find (if you were lucky) in a thrift shop, a little time worn and dated but a treasure still.

I made screenshots of two of his set of Christmas cards, posted to Facebook, this year. I am far too late to order a set of cards. If I can afford a set, they would be great for next year.

On June 1, 1871, Canada issued a prestamped, pictureless post card. It was called a postal stationery card and was sold for one cent at the post office. The cost included both the card and the delivery to any address within the Dominion. According to the 1871 Department Order No. 7 which authorized the government printed post card "The front or stamped side of the card is to be used for the address only, There must be nothing else either written or printed upon it." and "On the other or reverse side, any communication whether of the nature of a letter or otherwise, may be written or printed."

Postal Stationery Cards were used for business purposes to make appointments, confirm orders and arrange deliveries.

On December 9, 1897 the Post Office announced that "designs, illustrations, portraits, sketches or other forms of advertisement may be engraved, lithographed, printed, etc., on the 'address' side of the one-cent Post Card."

The Private Mailing Card: 1898 marked the end of the Pioneer Era and the beginning of the Private Mailing Card (PMC). Again, only the address was allowed to be written on the stamp side, and space was left around the image for any message from the sender.

Also found on many post cards was "Postal Card - Carte Postale" which indicated it was allowed to enter the international mail system.

The Divided Back: In December 1903 one of the most important changes in Canadian post card history occurred. The Official Postal Guide announced "The department has authorized...that a space may be reserved for communication on the face of the cards to the left of the address.... This space must be marked off from the address section by a vertical line..."

A Brief History of the Post Card

I like Old Postcards from Towns and Cities in Canada Mostly I have postcards which I bought myself during family vacations and adventures. But, some I have found in second hand stores, hobby shops and so on. The postcards I treasure most are those which are vintage, becoming antiques (100 years or more in age).

I really like seeing how each city used to look so long ago. The postcards are more like drawings coloured in shades of water colours, then photographs..

So many of the majestic, grand old buildings which were in cities then are now gone, demolished to make space for modern buildings, streets or parking lots. Other than these old postcards there aren't other pictures to remember so much of the architecture and the creative details which are missing from modern buildings built for efficiency rather than art.

Old postcards carry so much history. Not only forgotten cityscapes but a link in image form of life then. Postcards were sent in the days before cameras and photography were available to most people. There were no family vacation photos but you could buy a postcard and remember you were there.

Postcards are a Tresured Link to the Past

The sad part of history, architecture and antiques is that nothing last forever.

Postcards of old Canadian cities, towns and places I have been in the current time are a treasure. Old postcards show how a place used to look. How the streets, buildings and even the trees were when most of it was still new.

The street views are my favourites. Some still have just the horse and buggy going down the street. Often there are people in the background too. Not people drawn in as a feature in an illustration but real people who were there at the time the photograph was taken or there to be included in the artist's rendering for the images before photography.

Travels? History? Collectibles and antiques? Art? What do you think abut old postcards? Have you seen many in museums or libraries, hobby shops or other likely places? Or do you have a few yourself?