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Story: Birthdays and wedding anniversaries

Birthday postcards

The practice of sending birthday cards began in the late 19th century and soon became popular.  Some, such as these, were in fact postcards, and the sender wrote a personal message on the back.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: Eph-A-CARDS-McLeod-Birthday-001; Eph-A-CARDS-McCarthy-011; Eph-A-CARDS-McCarthy-012

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Nancy Swarbrick, Birthdays and wedding anniversaries – Birthday rituals, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/38843/birthday-postcards (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 12 November 2012.