October 2008 – ECARD

Free Halloween Ecards or Bags of Candies

In the official Top 10 list most expensive holidays, Halloween should really be somewhere near the bottom. But one year for me, it was more like #1. I had just had my first child the week before and was feeling pretty depressed. Not only was I no longer getting comments on my lovely pregnancy glow, I wasn’t getting any sleep either. So the day before Halloween, my husband gave me a $100 bill to purchase some Halloween candy for the trick-or-treaters, in the hopes that it would cheer me up.

It was my first venture out of the house since my son was born, so I was feeling overwhelmed. But I was certain that purchasing Halloween candy was going to pull me out of my funk! Once I was in the store, I was in awe of all the choices, so I started piling up my cart with every candy I saw. The lady at the check out line said “Wow! Having a party?” and embarrassed, I lied and said “Yep! All the neighborhood kids are coming!”

When I got home and brought in all of the bags of candy, my husband was speechless. I had spent all $100. I then was brought to tears, as I discovered that Halloween candy purchases are final and can’t be returned. To make matters worse, we had less than 30 trick-or-treaters that year, and what looked like thousands of pieces of candy. In the end, I was not cheered up at all, but rather even more depressed due to my frivolous Halloween spending.

If only I had GotFreeCards.com back then, to pull me out of my funk, my Halloween would have been so much better. I would have been able to shop for ecards all day if I wanted to, and sent them to all of my friends, without spending a penny! I would have been able to enjoy funny and scary animated Halloween ecards at no expense to my now poor husband. THAT would have made my Halloween. So this year, yes I will buy a few cheap bags of candy for the trick-or-treaters. But to really get into the spirit of Halloween, I am going to send free ecards to all of my friends, and a special Halloween ecard to my husband

Tips to make Halloween Trick-or-Treating a fun trip!

Halloween is almost here. As you get ready to take your kids trick or treating, here are some tips to make the evening more enjoyable for everyone.

* Plan to be home from work early. Start for work earlier than usual if you have to or get the day’s work done in advance. Leave enough time to make dinner, get dressed, get your kids dressed, handle last-minute costume emergencies and leave on time for trick-or-treating.

* Make sure your kids eat a healthy, filling meal before leaving. You don’t need an expert to tell you – hungry kids get cranky soon. This way, even if you get delayed on the way or are held up in traffic (in case you are driving them to trick-or-treat), they won’t be hungry for a few hours.

* Set some candy rules before leaving. It’s tough for kids to resist temptation when they have dozens of candies readily available in their pumpkin baskets. To avoid them from filling up on candies, set a reasonable limit before leaving. Teach them to practice self-control by allowing them to save up the treats for later in the week when they finish homework early or do well in a test.

* Check your city’s weather forecast and plan accordingly. Take along raincoats or an umbrella. If it’s windy or cold, kids could put on the Halloween costumes over their warm clothes or sweaters. Make sure little ones are properly clothed in warm outfits.

* Try to go trick-or-treating in a group with friends. Not only is it more fun, it’s also safer, especially if you are new to the neighborhood.

* Plan your route before leaving home. Regardless of whether you are going to walk or drive, follow a route and plan the number of stops you will make. This way, you will save time, energy and fuel. Even if you lose your group midway, you will know exactly where to find them.

Have a safe, spooky and happy Halloween!

Halloween— Relax!

It’s almost here: Halloween!

Hands down, Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. Don’t get me wrong: I love getting together with relatives who live far away on Thanksgiving, and seeing the looks of joy on family members’ faces as they open the perfect gift on Christmas warms my heart, but Halloween still stands above the rest, in my book. The reason: it’s just about having fun.

Sure, there’s an important, and in some cultures sacred, history behind the origins of Halloween, but for most of us, it’s turned in to a big, light-hearted celebration. For at least one day out of the year, we don’t have to be solemn in our thanks; we don’t have to empty the bank account to buy gifts; we don’t have to juggle our celebrating with the stresses of cooking a big meal for the extended family. On at least one holiday, all we have to do is enjoy ourselves. And I don’t know about you, but I feel like I deserve that kind of a break, if only once a year.

So in celebrating Halloween this year, you don’t have to get your friends a free e-card from GotFreeCards.com to show them how thankful you are. You don’t have to pick out the perfect animated e-card to show how deeply you care. No, on Halloween, you can send someone a free halloween ecard just because it’s a fun, funny thing to do.

Enjoy the holiday!

Halloween costumes don’t have to cost a fortune

Are you tired of spending money on ridiculously expensive Halloween costumes that your child will wear only for a couple of hours? No worries! There are ways to make Halloween, and almost any other occasion, fun for your kids and family even if you are on a tight budget. Here are two thrifty saving tips to get cool Halloween costumes without blowing your budget.

Make your own costumes. Get creative.

Used gift wraps, old night gowns or bath robes, bed sheets, old curtains, table cloths, chart paper, cardboard can all be used to make a unique Halloween costume that can’t be found in stores. With your imagination and a little creativity, you can make this ‘annual Halloween costume making’ a fun, family project. What a great way to save money and spend quality time! Besides, you can come up with your own themes. One family I know dressed up as a garden salad bowl once. The parents were celery and spinach, the kids were carrots, broccoli, peas and beans! What a wonderful way to get kids to like vegetables! Can you think of a theme that will engage your family?

Buy costumes a year in advance. If you are sure you will be purchasing a costume for your kids next year, then why not buy them now, at a bargain price? Plan ahead. Stores put up Halloween costumes on sale the day after Halloween. You will find great deals on some very good costumes. This is the perfect time to buy next year’s Halloween costumes at a steal. Remember to buy children’s costumes a size or two larger.

Remember, having fun does not necessarily mean having to spend a lot of money. Spending more time doing what you like is more important. So, don’t let the economy, job cuts, fuel prices or anything come in the way of your celebration. By being creative, you can still celebrate in style. And while you are at it send out free ecards to your loved ones.

Flying Pumpkins – Halloween Ecard

There are many things about Halloween that are frightful: scary costumes, spooky music, and haunted houses. But those things are to be expected, and therefore are not quite as scary in the long run. But what about the unexpected things of Halloween? As a child, and yes even as an adult, I tend to let my imagination go a little too far and found myself more scared about things I had yet to see but imagined to be truths.

For instance, we always hear about Witches flying on broomsticks. The idea of a little old lady with an eerie laugh and a tall pointy hat being able to elevate into the air on a broomstick just gives me the chills. If I were ever to see this, I would surely pass out from sheer fear. And then I take one step further and ask myself, “What do jack-o-lanterns do at night when everyone is sleeping?” While it may not sound scary right now, wait until nightfall and think of it then. Do they sprout arms and legs and walk around? Or do they grow magic wings and fly around, annoying Witches on their broomsticks?

To me, this is the essence of all things scary on Halloween, the possibility of the unknown. This is why I love the animated Halloween ecard, Flying Pumpkins; it gives me the chills every time! So share this ecard with someone you care about or maybe just someone you want to scare! Happy Halloween!

Halloween Ecards to the Rescue

When the Holidays start creeping up on the calendar, our loved ones that are out of town become prominent in our minds. We want to be near them during the gatherings and celebrations, so we call them and email them, closing the gap on the miles that separate us. But imagine living in another time when phone calls were not always reasonable to make and email was non-existent.

It seems hard to picture; your loved one is in another state or country and being in touch with them is close to impossible. Even if your loved one was just one town over, being able to communicate with them was only conceivable via the reliable postman. Writing a letter, putting it in the mailbox, and not knowing if it got there until you received a letter in return was a typical scenario not that long ago.

Today, technology has taken us so far that with the touch of a few keys on our computers we can send our out of town loved ones an animated greeting card through the “air” from our computer to theirs, at no cost to anyone. So take advantage of the technology of today, and send those you miss a holiday ecard, starting with Halloween!

How will you celebrate Diwali?

Deewali or Deepavali, the most popular festival of India falls on Monday, Oct 27, 2008. How will you celebrate?

There are different beliefs, rituals, mythological tales and legends associated with Deepavali, the festival of lights. Even the name has variations ranging from Diwali, to Deevali. In Hindi, its expansion ‘Deepon ki Aavali’ means row of lights, which are used to represent this festival. Some believe that this is the day Lord Krishna destroyed Narakasur, the demon. Others believe that this is the day Lord Ram vanquished the demon king Ravan. No matter what the belief, this festival celebrates the victory of good over evil. It is one of the festivals that is celebrated in almost every state and region of India. To some, it represents the birth of a new year. Rituals like playing cards all night are believed to bring in prosperity. For others, it is an auspicious day to buy gold or a new house or appliances.

Deepavali is celebrated in different ways. People meet friends and relatives, exchange sweets and goodies, wear new clothes, worship in temples, decorate the house and porch with lamps and rangoli. Blockbuster movies hit the theatres. Prime time programs revolve around interviews with film stars and how they celebrate the festival.

Amidst all this fanfare, the true significance of the occasion tends to get lost. Now might be a good time to remind ourselves the real meaning of Deepavali. A lamp or light symbolizes dispelling the darkness of ignorance and evil in each of us. Ravan and Narakasur represent the demons in us. Each of us possesses the noble qualities that Lord Ram and Lord Krishna propagated. Deepavali is a reminder of the eternal flame glowing within us. It is this realization that leads to enlightenment, bliss and everlasting peace.

So by all means, celebrate Deepavali with friends and family. Exchange gifts and deewali ecards. Wear your finest clothes and jewelry. Treat yourself to a feast and fireworks.

But in addition, why not start and end the day spending a few quiet moments looking inwards?

Wish you a very peaceful, safe and happy Diwali!

Birthday in July

When I was growing up, I had a friend in the neighborhood whose birthday was on December 27th—just two days after Christmas. I often told him how unlucky he was, to have a birthday so soon after Christmas: there’s no way he would get enough presents! Me? I was lucky, I thought, because my birthday is in the summer, and so my gift-receiving days were spread pretty evenly apart through the year.

Of course, now that I’m older, I realize it’s not just about maximizing gift-receiving potential, and I’ve often wondered what it would feel like to celebrate a birthday in a snowstorm, rather than at the beach. The important thing, either way, I’ve learned, is to surround yourself with people you love, and who love you. That is what makes a birthday special, and not gifts.

But gifts are nothing to sneeze at, either. At gotfreecards.com we have free e-cards that you can send to your friends and loved ones on their birthdays. You can show them how much you care with our animated e-cards, and save money by not splurging on expensive gifts, too.

Even though I still wonder what a winter birthday would be like, I’m perfectly happy to be able to blow out my birthday candles, and then jump in the pool.

Halloween Ecards – A Romantic Message

While Halloween is a time for treats, costumes, and pumpkin carving, it can also be a time for romance. The treats can be a box of chocolates given as a gift out of love, the costumes can be matching as a way of telling everyone he or she is your “match”, and pumpkins can be carved with a loving message.

Carving jack-o-lanterns on Halloween is a skill; it can take years of practice before you achieve the perfect carving. The moment when you set the finished product outside and light the candle, and the light flickers inside the toothy grin of the pumpkin, you can just feel the excitement and the thrill of Halloween. I once tried to be creative and carve initials into my pumpkin, but it didn’t quite work out and my creative carving just turned into a big hole.

This year, I want to be a bit of a romantic and carve a heart into my pumpkin and find some fireflies to light it up. But alas, I am not that good! So I turn to GotFreeCards.com, find the very romantic Pumpkin Love animated ecard, and send it to my loved one! It conveys the very message I wanted to do with my own pumpkin, without the risk of a carving mishap! And where in the world would I find fireflies to light up my pumpkin? Right here at GotFreeCards.com, that’s where.

Ecards and politics –a healthy mix?

With the presidential elections around the corner, there is no shortage of material for late night comedy shows, humor columns and comic strips. Politics and the candidates have made their way into ecards too. As election day nears, more and more ecards are being created with politics as their theme. Some ecards mock at one or both the candidates, their running mates and their catch phrases. Others have more universal themes revolving around politics. Either way, these ecards serve as stress relievers. Witty lines, cynical comments, spoofs on politicians are all popular concepts. Who doesn’t like to share a hilarious ecard with friends and colleagues? And some of these jokes are in fact quite clever. But, the fact is that politics, as such, is a very serious issue. Especially this election is being slated as one of the most crucial in America’s history. Considering the current economical situation, the next president of the US will have a pivotal role to play in shaping the country’s and the world’s future. So, is it really ok to take things lightly and to make jokes out of the campaigns? Does that diminish the graveness of the situation and mislead people into believing that everything is fine when that’s far from reality? Do these jokes and wisecracks cause today’s youngsters to take an important responsibility lightly?

Or do we need these lighter moments to take our minds off the bad news all around?

What’s your take?