The Calling Card

Social Media. Cell phones. Emails. They all have their purpose when it comes to communication and stopping in for a quick visit. But they all have one thing in common – they are very impersonal. 

It may sound old fashioned, but there is just something special – and much more personal - about having and using a Calling Card. Listen in to discover what these are, how to use them, and then learn how to create one for yourself!

Transcript

Calling cards were at one time the social media of the day.  Without telephones or computers, your choices for communication were relegated to letter writing or home visits.

In Victorian England, it was considered a gross breach of manners to just stop in.  Instead, the accepted form of visiting was to stop by and drop off a calling card.  Your card would be handed to a butler, who in turn placed it on a silver tray.  Your part of the visit was then concluded, and you would return home to wait for a response.

The butler would take the card to the lady (or gentleman) of the house, and he or she would instruct the butler how to respond, with three options:

The first response could have been a sealed envelope that included your calling card. If your calling card was returned in this way, it was over.  You would not be visiting that person, as this method was a polite way of stating you aren’t welcome.

The second response could be no response at all. Calling cards weren’t just to let someone know you would like to visit.  It was also a manner in which to state whether or not your visit would be welcomed.  To not receive a return calling card meant the same thing as having yours returned – which also means your visit wasn’t welcomed.

The third option is receiving the one called upon’s calling card. When someone you originally called upon was willing to accept a visit from you, then they in turn would send you one of their calling cards.  On it would be a day and time that would be convenient for a visit, and a notation of tea, if it was being served during that scheduled time.

As you can imagine, the higher the social status, the more control you wielded over who could visit and when, as well as who wasn’t welcome to ever cross your threshold.

Calling cards were usually kept in a silver tray that stood sentinel by the front door.  The more prominent a caller, the closer to the front of the stack their calling card would be.  This was used to signify the ‘importance’ of not only the caller, but also the one being called upon.  To be called upon by royalty or high society members increased your status tremendously in society, and their card would be front and center on that tray.

When it came to the design of a calling card, initially, they were simple.  The only thing on it was a name.  Titles were rarely used, unless it was the calling card of a physician or member of the military.  The background was either white or cream.  The name was often hand-printed. A woman’s calling card was rather large for the time, at somewhere around 2-3/4” x 3.5”.  A man’s tended to be a bit smaller. 

With the invention of lithography, calling cards began to be more ornamental.  Scrollwork, flowers, bluebirds and other adornments were added.  The names were being printed, rather than hand-written, and the more ornate the better.

Even during the height of Victorian England, business cards were in use. However, these were used strictly as a business tool.  Never was a business card used for a social occasion.  To do so meant to violate the strict usage of calling cards for social reasons and could ostracize you from society.

So, if this is such an ‘old-fashioned’ social practice, why would we want to use Calling Cards today? With telephones, emails and social media, there no longer seems to be a need for social calling cards anymore.  However, I still believe they are one of the most useful tools in a Homemaker’s arsenal.

Why should you have a calling card?

One great reason is if you are moving to a new neighborhood. If you find yourself in a new location, one of the best ways to introduce yourself is through a calling card.  This is especially true if you have a dog or children. Simply visit your new neighbors with a calling card in hand.  

Introduce yourself, your children and your dog. Let the new neighbor know that if your dog gets out, they can simply call you and you will come get them.  (And if the pet makes a mess in their yard, assure them you will clean it up quickly!) This also works for cats and other pets. (Ahem…like cows.  I am seriously thinking about getting all of our cows calling cards…)

If you have children, the new neighbors will be aware of them, and can help keep an eye on them.  If they are where they shouldn’t be, they can call you, and you can quickly come retrieve them.  If they break something, assure the neighbor you will replace it.  (Even better, make the children repair the damage themselves, or use their allowance to pay for the damage, call the repairman, and be present while the repairs are being done.  This should quickly alleviate any further damage!)

This also works in reverse. If you have a new neighbor moving in, stop by with a plate of cookies and a calling card. This way, if they have any questions, such as who to call for trash pickup, the best internet service, or the phone number for a plumber or electrician, they know they can call you for a little bit of help.

Calling cards can also act as gift tags. If you find yourself in a position of offering a gift, tuck one of your calling cards with it so the recipient knows who sent it. 

When you take food to a funeral, tape a calling card to the bottom of the dish.  If the dish needs to be returned, the family knows where it should go.   If it doesn’t need to be returned, then they know who provided the food, and can more easily send thank you notes when needed.

Sometimes, our gardens produce more than we can use.  In that case, we often send a box, bag or basket of the excess to a neighbor.  Stick a calling card in with the goodies, so they know who to thank if they aren’t home to receive them initially.

Whenever you find yourself meeting new people, a calling card is an excellent way to exchange information.  Offer them a card with your information written on the back – whether that be a phone number, email address, or other social media information.

Now that you know why you should have them, it’s time to think about creating your own. Calling cards today can be as simple or as elaborate as you choose.  It’s best to choose something that fits your personality, rather than your business persona.  I’ve met professional people who have turned out to be potters.  Me?  I want to get to know the creative person inside that business suit!

The best calling card is one that has some design and just your name.  If you need to offer more information, simply write it on the back of the card.  This way, you give out only the information you want them to have.  If and when a relationship builds, then you can choose what other information you want them to have. In some cases, you may also want to add a contact phone number – but I’ll leave that choice up to you. 

There are so many software versions that can help you create a calling card. Although you can do one in Word and other word processing programs, I find they are limiting with the graphics.  My favorite place to design calling cards is Canva.com.  You can sign up for the free version and find almost everything you need to design your calling card.  If this is a one-time thing for you with graphic design, I recommend the free version.  If you want more graphics, colors, and design ideas, and plan to use it for more than just calling cards, then the paid version gives you more to choose from.

Are you ready to revive the tradition of the calling card? Sometimes, we just need to do something special for ourselves.  We need a creative outlet, but don’t necessarily want to pick up a crochet hook. Instead, dip your toe in the waters of graphic arts, and design your very own calling card.

You will quickly find how indispensable these become.  And when you make yours, please show me what you created by sending me an email at julie@thefarmwife.com.  I would love to see what you designed!

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