PESHAWAR, Dec 9: With Eid, Christmas and New Year round the corner, people can be seen thronging card shops and post offices to post greeting cards to their friends and relatives.

It was thought that with the advent computer technology the old tradition of sending Eid greetings through the post will fade away, but it has not.

“I know sending greetings through e-mail is much easier than the traditional mode, but people find it more touching to send and receive greeting card through the post,” said a visitor at the GPO. He added: “Not everyone has excess to an e-mal. I think the demand for greeting cards will not die away.”

Also, selection of cards is an agonizing task. You have to be very fortunate to walk into a shop and spot the right card for the person in mind and walk out within minutes. But it is not always so. Normally you would have to pick and pluck tens of cards before deciding on one. The prices of these cards range between Rs5 and Rs250.

Bookshops and stalls in Saddar Bazaar, Qissa Khwani and University Road are hot spots of card lovers until late night.

Some shops this year are displaying jumbo-size (12X18”) cards. Humorous cards with caricatures and cartoon characters including Pink Panther, Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, are selling like hot cakes.

Cards with romantic messages are also in abundance. And there are many who buy them.

An owner of a card gallery on University Road said: “Due to internet clubs on almost every street we were fearing lower sales this year. Surprisingly, we continue to receive customers in large numbers.”