"Missing you" e-cards and messages for family back home

You don't need an occasion to send a card. A free "missing you" e-card, sent on an ordinary Tuesday, often means more than a birthday message, because nobody expects it. Make a free missing-you e-card, write a few honest lines, and send it on WhatsApp. It opens like an envelope on their phone, with their name on the front.

Here's what to write to each person in the family, and how to make it a habit.

How to make one

1. Open the missing you design.
2. Type who it's for: Ammi, Abbu, Nani, Bhai, or their name.
3. Write a few lines, up to 300 characters.
4. Add your name, tap Create my card, then WhatsApp.

It's free, and there's nothing to install on either side. Our guide to sending a free e-card on WhatsApp has the details.

Messages to start from

Simple

• "No reason, just missing you. Counting the days until I'm home."
• "Thinking of you today, and every day. Love from far away."
• "Just wanted you to know you're on my mind."

In Urdu and Roman Urdu

• "Aap bohat yaad aa rahay hain. Jald milenge, in sha Allah."
• "Ghar ki bohat yaad aati hai. Aap sab ka khayal rakhiyega."
• "Door hoon, magar dil wahin hai."

For Ammi

• "Ammi, I made your daal today. It wasn't the same. Missing you."
• "I hear your voice every time I'm about to do something silly. Thank you, and I miss you."

For Abbu

• "Abbu, I still check the weather in Lahore every morning. Missing you and the evening walks."
• "Thank you for everything you taught me. I use it every day out here."

For grandparents

• "Nano, I miss your stories and your duas. Please keep both coming."
• "Dada Jaan, I told my friends about your garden today. Missing you."

For a sibling

• "Missing you, even the arguments. Especially the arguments."
• "Thank you for looking after Ammi and Abbu while I'm away. I don't say it enough."

For an old friend

• "Remember chai at the dhaba after college? Missing that, and you."

Who to send one to

• Grandparents, who may not message much but love being remembered.
• A parent living alone, on a quiet weekday when nobody else calls.
• The sibling who looks after your parents while you're away.
• A friend from school you haven't spoken to in too long.
• An aunt or uncle who was like a second parent growing up.

When a card helps most

Some days, a card from far away means more than usual:

• After a hard week at home: an illness, a loss, or a worry in the family.
• On an anniversary of someone's passing, when the family is remembering together.
• When someone has moved, retired, or is in a new place.
• On the first day of winter or monsoon, when everyone at home is reminded of the old times.

For difficult days, keep it simple: "Thinking of you today. I wish I could be there."

Make it a habit

Set a reminder once a month to send someone back home a card or a voice note. It takes a minute, and it keeps you close in between visits. Rotate through the family, so everyone gets one in turn.

Want to send something they can hold?

Sometimes a card isn't quite enough. A box of their favourite mithai, a warm shawl, or something from a shop they love, with your words written by hand on a real card, can be delivered anywhere in Pakistan. See how to send a gift to Pakistan from abroad, or tell us what to send.

Make a free "missing you" card →