What is Ephemera?
The word Ephemera (pronounced, "eh·feh·muh·ruh") is from the Greek word ephēmeros, meaning ‘lasting only a day’, with the life of the mayfly often used as an example.
Ephemera are collectible things were originally intended to be enjoyed or used for only a short time, but even today, in 2026, the definition of the word is still a bit unclear.
Maurice Rickards, author of the Encyclopaedia of Ephemera defines it as “the minor transient documents of everyday life.” However, this implies that ephemera is purely printed papers, which is not the case.
Ephemera can also include items made from metal, wood, cloth, plastic, and not all ephemera is printed; it can also be handwritten documents, hand-drawn original art works and more (there are so many more things we could add, but, well, you're probably losing interest so I'll leave it there).
And if I'm being really pernickety, not all ephemera is minor, some of it is important enough for people to want to hold onto it for decades, pass down to future generations or even display in museums. And, actually, it's not all transient- as proven by the fact that people can keep hold of them for decades.
Examples of ephemera include tickets, booklets, brochures, posters, postcards, greetings cards, maps, menus, letters, photographs, handwritten notes, packaging, children's artwork, bookmarks, receipts, and so many more.
Collecting Ephemera - Where it Began
The first mass-produced ephemera followed the 15th-century Printing Revolution, and the Industrial Revolution brought with it new printing techniques that created an explosion in the production of varied, colourful ephemera.
Ephemera collecting is a tradition that started in the Victorian era, when disposable paper items such as trade cards, die-cuts and greeting cards were collected and pasted into scrap books.
The Joy of Ephemera
As a child, I remember hoarding precious paper things- tickets, cards, receipts - anything I could get my grubby little hands on. I just loved everything about them- the colours, the feel of thumbing through thick papers, the pretty lettering. It all just made my tiny heart happy. They felt like colourful treasures, but it didn't matter if I accidentally dropped it in a puddle or spilled juice on it. Plus, owning tickets and cards made me feel instant grown-up vibes; important people need tickets and always have tiny pieces of paper in their pockets.
I also grew up in the 90s, which was a time of trading cards and collecting stickers. There was something quite magical about opening a pack of cards and thumbing through to find exactly what you need to complete your collection - the excitement, the anticipation and the screen-free dopamine hit. Swapping cards and stickers became a bonding experience, we formed friendships over our shared interest, we connected over desperate longing for that rare shiny that we both needed, and we bartered, haggled and negotiated over swaps.
And then there was my brief foray into stamp collecting. Again, I loved the colours, the tiny illustrations and the feel of the paper. I was never really that interested in the pristine, unused, 'proper' stamps that people collected. I just liked the used ones still attached to the corner of an envelope, with a post-mark stamped over them. I loved seeing how far they'd travelled and how old they were.
That's the joy of ephemera - it's all about holding a tiny piece of history in your hands. The fonts, the colours, the style, they all reflect a bigger picture and tell us about the design trends at the time they were created.
But it's more than just that.
These tiny paper trinkets are about storytelling. They represent journeys, thoughts, memories, adventures and real lives of real people. They are declarations of love, 'thinking of you' moments, confessions of deepest secrets, representations of days out, of time together, or time apart. They are a physical connection with the past.
And that's why we hold onto this sort of stuff from our own lives, too. If you've got a box of your own ephemera, you are definitely not alone. We all keep scrapbooks, albums, drawers and memory boxes filled with old greetings cards, photographs and handwritten notes. These keepsakes are a form of connection to moments that matter.
One of my most treasured possessions is a pair of origami paper pigs, made over 20 years ago by my then-boyfriend (now-husband) when he was at sea in Papua New Guinea. He made them whilst passing the time on ship, and posted them from one side of the world to the other. I was so grateful for that tiny piece of physical connection. Receiving something in the post that he had made with his own hands, and taken the time to send to me, made the long distance feel a bit easier.
Ephemera is having a moment right now
Why is Ephemera Popular?
There are the reasons we've already discussed- connection, style, memories and history, but ephemera is really having a moment right now, and I think there's another reason.
We've talked about the importance of analogue in other articles. People are craving that old-fashioned, screen-free nostalgia. We're all feeling a bit done with AI-generated, mass-produced, quantity over quality, digital life. As a collective, we're pretty much feeling done with doom-scrolling, phone addictions, over-working, group chat notifications, countless emails, rushing everywhere and single-use rubbish.
What we really want is a slower-paced, more meaningful life.
The Ephemera Era Enters the Room
We're missing that pure joy that we'd have as kids thumbing through our most precious collection of train tickets, swapping colourful stickers or opening a handwritten letter from a pen pal.
And that's why ephemera is a big deal at the moment.
What to do with Paper Ephemera
There are a few different things you can do with these paper treasures. Here are our suggestions:
Journaling and Scrapbooking
I keep seeing a post doing the rounds on Instagram where a lady took a tiny calendar and single hole punch at the start of the year. Every day she punches a hole from something from her day- packaging, tickets, greetings cards etc, and sticks it in her calendar. At the end of the year she'll have a tiny book of colourful collected circular memories. How lovely is that?!
But you don't have to go to such tiny extremes- you can stick bits in your journal, paperclip in pretty papers and tape in tickets. A journal or scrapbook can be a lovely way to preserve ephemera.
Curating and Collecting
Display vintage postcards in frames, collect old tickets in albums or create your own curated display on your wall. Collect something just for the pleasure and satisfaction - channel your inner 90s sticker-collecting child.
Selling Ephemera
Genuinely, there are people making a living from selling ephemera. I bought these sets of used birthday cards from an Etsy seller whose shop is filled with the prettiest vintage postcards, posters, greetings cards and packaging.
Sending and Gifting Future Ephemera
Be more mindful about the paper things you send or give to your loved ones. Choose keepsake greetings cards that your recipient will want to hold on to. Write thoughtful, meaningful, heartfelt handwritten messages inside. Print your favourite photographs and tuck them inside handwritten cards and letters for your friends and family.
If you're looking for future ephemera, take a look at our laser cut greetings cards here. We make the sort of cards that people frame or pop in memory boxes, AKA future ephemera.
0 comments