UK/EU GIVEAWAY: Harry Potter pop-up cards from Cardology

We have our first holiday giveaway to share, this one for our UK/EU readers from UK-based Cardology.

One usually thinks of a card as accompanying a gift given for a holiday, birthday, baby shower, etc. The recipient keeps the present, but the wrappings and card end up in the recycle bin (or worse, the rubbish bin), quickly forgotten. Cardology 3D pop-up cards are gifts in themselves, meant to be kept, not tossed. The founder of Cardology, Dipa Shah, says, “In this fast paced digital world we live in, there’s nothing like the surprise of receiving snail mail; wondering who it’s from and what’s inside. There’s something special in its permanency, its tangibility, the fact that you can revisit the words on paper again and again, a keepsake that enables you to connect along that invisible thread to the sender time and time again…” Cardology cards are charming keepsakes that you can personalise with a heartfelt message for the recipient.

Cardology cards in general, and their Harry Potter collection in particular, are meant to be displayed permanently, perhaps on the bookshelf with your Potter books, or wand and souvenir collection. Cards are sturdy and the paper is foiled in places for a festive, magical touch. They are designed in the UK and assembled by hand.

The Patronus card seems ideal for an anniversary or Valentine’s Day with its “After All This Time?….Always” message. The pop-up doe unfolds from Hogwarts letter-style envelope. As with all Cardology cards, a notecard is included so that you can write your message and the recipient can keep it tucked away inside the base of the card when it is on display.

My personal favourite is the Hogwarts Castle card. The foiled cover says, ““Here, help will always be given to those who ask for it…” Once unfolded, the back of the card shows the inside of the castle, exposing staircases, stained glass windows, and some famous rooms from the series such as the Potions classroom, the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, and Umbridge’s very pink office.

This next card says, “Likely to be found at Platform 9 3/4 at 11 o’clock on the first of September“, which means it is, of course, the Hogwarts Express. The iconic steam engine pops up from the pebbled base, with a trolley carrying Harry’s trunk and Hedwig’s cage vanishing through a platform barrier alongside.

An alternative, albeit not officially sanctioned, way of getting to Hogwarts for the start of term is via Flying Ford Anglia. This pop-up card has definitely lost its invisibility as you can see Harry and Ron and Hedwig inside, none of them looking best pleased about the situation.

Speaking of Hedwig, she gets her own card, as well she should, in which she perches, wings outstretched, on the sign for Privet Drive. You can see #4 in the background, looking tidy and calm and giving no hint of the magical goings on inside.

Not to be outdone, Fawkes gets his own card, in which he is perched in Dumbledore’s office with the Sorting Hat, the Elder Wand, and Dumbledore’s spectacles on a pile of books in the background.

When I first looked at the Golden Snitch card, I thought that it was depicting two Dementors invading the Quidditch pitch. Turns out it is two Seekers silhouetted in black. Ok, my mistake, Dementors do not ride broomsticks, but I still think they evoke Dementors.

You can view the rest of the Harry Potter card collection on Cardology’s website.

Thanks to the generosity of Cardology, our UK and EU-based fans can enter to win the Harry Potter pop-up card of their choice. Tell us 1) which card you want, 2) to whom you intend to give it (not by name — you can just say, “my girlfriend” or “my brother”, etc.), and 3) why you think the recipient will like it. We will pick two winners on 8 December, so get your entries in by midnight, 13 December. Send your moving card story to: [email protected].

Cardology would also like to offer Leaky readers a 10% discount for any cards in their Harry Potter collection. The code is: LEAKY10. Remember, cards can only be sold in the UK and Europe at this time. If you live outside of those areas, perhaps you can arrange with a UK/EU-based friend to purchase some cards and forward them to you via owl post.