ecards – Page 16

Free Cards to Beat Back to School Blues

Nobody’s ever explained it to me.

How does summer pass by so quickly? And why?

It’s always been the case. Even when I was in school, it seemed as if the 10 months of the school year dragged on for ever, but the 2 months we were off – just went by in a flash.

When I was a kid, we lived far away from my grandparents, cousins and my extended family. Since we lived in a different country, we got the chance to visit them only once a year. Those summers were the best! It was like being in a whole other universe with no school, homework or teachers, no reminders of regular school routine. Spending your vacation in a completely different setting can be so refreshing.

Back to School Motivators – New School Supplies

Anyway, it would all pass far sooner than I liked. The only thing that motivated me to head back home and get ready for another school year was the thought that I would be getting new school supplies, crisp new notebooks, shiny new pencils and pens, a brand new bag, maybe, new uniforms and shoes. Those were the little things that made the transition back to school somewhat easier. Of course, back then, I didn’t have to worry about shelling out my hard-earned money for any of those things.

The Back to School Price Tag

Today, it’s a different story. As a parent, I see the back to school routine in a slightly different light. Yes, it means kids go to a new class to learn more than they did the previous year and that parents can breathe a sigh of relief as they wave to their kids getting on the school bus after spending two boisterous months at home. It means the house is quiet again, at least for a few hours everyday and that stay-at-home or work-at-home parents get some time to themselves once again. But all of this comes at a cost, of course. My daughter hasn’t started school yet, but I’ve heard that back to school purchases can cost anywhere between $200 and $400 per child!! Whoa! No wonder then, why I see that some parents are as concerned about schools reopening as their kids.

It’s always a good idea to spend money wisely and save where you can, regardless of the state of the economy. But the current crisis makes prudent spending a necessity.

In the next post, I’ll share some back to school money saving tips that you can use to cut your costs while still getting your kids everything they need.

Meanwhile, check out our free printable Back to School cards. They’re great for cheering up kids who’re not too happy about going back to school. And if you’re trying to find back to school deals, how’s a $0 greeting card for a start?

Don’t forget to share your tips on back to school saving in the comments.

What do July 4th and August 15th have in common?

August 15 Cards to Email Click here

One represents the birth of what is considered the world’s oldest democracy. The other represents the birth of the world’s largest democracy.

On July 4th, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, thus paving the way for 13 American colonies to becoming a sovereign nation.

On August 15th, 1947, India won independence after over 200 years under British rule – a victory that came at a very high price, including the partition of the country.

That’s about where the similarity ends.

Although these dates may both represent the Independence Days of the respective countries, when you look under the surface, the contrasts could not be any starker.

I won’t go into the details here as that would be beyond the scope of this post. But here’s a fact that reflects the vast difference.

The American War of Independence lasted 8 years. India’s Freedom Struggle lasted for about 100 years.

Of course, you can’t really compare the two situations. And citizens of one country can’t possibly understand how those of the other really feel.

But when you think about a country that was known as a flourishing land where ancient civilizations and cultures thrived, you can’t really picture it being enslaved by a modern country.

And yet history does not lie.

So, when I think about the fact that this Saturday, August 15, 2009 will mark India’s 63rd

Independence Day, I have mixed feelings. As someone born and raised in India, sure – pride, joy and nostalgia are in the mix. But so is a kind of sadness. I can’t help but admire the courage and patriotism of the countless, nameless, faceless people who made the supreme sacrifice to win a freedom they would never live to enjoy, the hardships and humiliation they encountered, the unquestioning faith they placed in the nation’s leaders and in themselves.

So, yes, while I will celebrate India’s Independence Day, probably by sending free ecards to my friends and family, listening to patriotic songs performed by Indian artistes and probably singing a few with my family, I will also take a moment to remember the sacrifice of those who made this day possible.

All over India, in schools, colleges and other institutions, Independence Day celebrations usually include a flag hoisting ceremony early in the day followed by a patriotic speech and cultural performances.

When you compare it with the fanfare associated with the Fourth of July celebrations, Indian Independence Day is a relatively somber affair. Perhaps that’s where the difference lies.

One marks the Declaration of Independence of a great country. The other marks the end of a long and hard struggle of an ancient land that should never have been colonized in the first place.

How to Create Your Own Printable Cards

If you have never sent a Printable Card before, we have good news for you. If you have been using the Printable Cards section on gotfreecards to wish your friends and family on special occasions, then we have even better news!

Introducing the new, improved, easier-to-use and better-to-view, personalized Printable Cards with photo.

If you want to send a Printable Card, here’s what you do.

1. From the several Printable Card themes available for the occasion of your choice, click on the one you like best.

2. Cover

Do you see the two tabs Cover and Inside? First, choose the Cover tab. (It is selected by default)

3. Image

· If you’re happy with the image there, leave it as it is. If not, you can rotate it, resize it, re-position it or delete it and replace it with an image from your computer.

· To resize the image – drag its corners. To rotate it – drag the curved, green arrow on the top right corner. To re-position the image, drag it to the position you want. To delete the image, click on the X on the top left.

· To upload a picture from your own computer, click on the Add Photo link on the right. Select the image you wish to upload. When the image is uploaded, it will appear in place of the default image. You can resize, re-position or rotate this image in the same way.

· Once you are happy with the image on the Cover, you could add text.

4. Adding Text

· Click on the Add Text link on the right. It opens up a Text Box.

· Type in your message. You can resize, re-position and rotate the text box just like the image.

· Choose the font, text size, alignment and text style from the options on the right. Add as many text boxes as you want and arrange them any way you like. So, there’s literally no limit to how creative you can get with your Printable Card.

5. Inside

· If you’re happy with the image and text on the Cover, move on to the Inside, by clicking on the Inside tab. If not, go back and make necessary changes.

· Upload an image from your computer, resize or rotate it, add text and customize it just as you did for the cover.

6. Printing Your Card

· You have two options. Choose Print on One Side, if you prefer a smaller sized card that is folded over twice. (The way you would fold a handkerchief) This is a compact printable card.

· If you prefer a larger card that has a single fold across its center, choose Print Front and Back. (This opens up like a magazine or newspaper.)

Happy Independence Day India – Aug 15th

If you have roots in India, then Aug 15 holds special meaning for you.

You may not have been around 62 years ago when India won her independence. But, surely, you have enjoyed the liberties of being born and raised in or having ties with an independent India.

As we approach independence day on August 15th, Indians are proud of the progress they’ve made in various fields. The past couple of years provided some great moments of pride to Indians across the globe – India’s launch of Chandrayan, her first Mission to the Moon, Abhinav Bindra winning the long-awaited and elusive Olympic gold and A.R Rahman winning the coveted Academy Award to name a few. But it’s not just the famous names and faces that make India proud. Everyday, there are millions of nameless, faceless people in various walks of life and professions ranging from army personnel to doctors, teachers, social workers, engineers, entertainers, scientists, religious leaders, homemakers and countless others hard at work to do their bit for their country, society and fellow citizens. August 15 is in fact a day to celebrate their spirits and hard work.

And yet, even after six decades, India is still not free from other self-imposed shackles that continue to plague her existence and stunt her growth. It is these negatives that come to light, far more frequently than the positives – maybe because they’re more abundant or maybe because that is human nature. Complaining is easier than appreciating.

India is still the land of the most ancient cultures and rich heritage. It is still where many religions of the world have their roots. India is still the birthplace of some of the oldest civilizations, languages, sciences and arts. This may not be immediately obvious to someone visiting the country today, or even to Indians living in India or abroad, as we may have strayed quite far from our origins in our quest for modernization. But, the core, no doubt, remains intact- buried beneath several superfluous layers perhaps- but intact nonetheless.

It is that truth, the core, the soul of India that we celebrate on Independence Day.

So, Indians – no matter where you are, be sure to spare a few moments of thought and prayer celebrating your great country and her heritage and wishing her a glorious future.

And regardless of your plans, spare a quick couple of minutes to send free Indian Independence Day ecards to your friends and family.

Summer – a great reason to send ecards!

Can free ecards really forge bonds or renew old ones?

I think it could.

You know how you never get around to calling or writing to some of your friends or relatives although you want to? Well, life happens. Sure. But, getting back in touch with people is easier than you think. It doesn’t take long. Nor does it cost you anything.

Think about it. It’s summer. The kids are home. You’re probably taking a few days off to go on a vacation with your family. Or at the very least, have a slightly less rushed schedule than during the school year. Now is a great time to drop a line to people you haven’t spoken to in a long time and say, “Hey!”

Our selection of Free Summer Ecards, Photo cards and Printable Cards lets you do exactly that.

You don’t have to wait for a birthday or special occasion to send someone a free ecard. Summer is as good an occasion as any.

Our summer ecards feature many different themes including beaches, BBQs and Back to School.

Maybe you want to catch up with a buddy but it’s been a while since you last spoke and you aren’t sure how to break the ice. Or you have family in another part of the world and you just want to let them know they’re missed. Sending a free summer ecard or a photo card with a recent picture of you and your family ought to do the trick.

Try it. It won’t take a minute. But it will make a difference.

Photo Cards – Share a picture, send an ecard at the same time

I don’t know about you, but I sure miss picture post cards.

When I was growing up, thanks to my dad’s job, we traveled and moved a lot.

Somehow, I developed a fascination for picture post cards. I would collect postcards wherever we went and mail at least a few out to my close friends. The idea that by sending them a picture of the places I visited or lived in would somehow bring them closer – stuck with me.

I enjoy receiving postcards too. I love reading the little caption below the picture that describes the spot and love learning about the experiences my friends have had in that place. Sadly, nobody sends picture post cards anymore. At least, nobody I know.

It’s so easy to call someone, text them or catch up over IM, Facebook or Twitter that picture postcards seem like too much work. Besides, who’s got the time, right?

But, there is something special about seeing a message accompanied by a photo from a loved one and for a moment – being transported to where they are, even if only in thought.

Since picture postcards started fading away, I think the closest thing to replace them are photo ecards. Like this one. Here, you can simply choose an ecard template, attach a picture you’ve just taken and send it instantly to your friends and family. In some ways, this is even better than picture postcards, because you get to send an actual picture of you from the place you are visiting and do it within seconds. So one minute you could be standing next to the Statue of Liberty and the next minute, your friends across the globe would have received your photo ecard! An ecard and a photo wrapped in one – what a cool way to send your summer vacation pictures to friends and family!

And don’t forget, Friendship Day is Aug 2^nd. So, go ahead and send a photo card to your best friends no matter where they are.

If it’s a picture of you standing atop the Statue of Liberty, even better.

Send a Free Photo Card now

Let Free Ecards go to work when you take a vacation

Birthday

Set Event Reminders!

Imagine this. You’re on a family vacation. As you sit sipping your favorite cocktail on a gorgeous pool-side deck in your ocean-front hotel, your kids splash in the water park; it’s a beautiful summer day and you think “This is life!” And then you begin humming a tune. It’s your favorite song (although you may sound completely off key). It brings back memories of college days. “Ah, those were the days”, you think.

And that’s when it hits you. Yesterday was your best friend’s birthday. And for the first time in your life, you forgot.

Everybody needs to unwind and forget about the daily grind once in a while. But, there are some things you can’t afford to forget, no matter where you are.

Although a phone call and a belated birthday wish may be all it will take for you to make up, there’s really no excuse to forget someone’s birthday. And a belated wish is well…belated. It’s never the same as wishing someone on their special day.

Well, luckily for you, this is an imaginary situation.

In real life, of course, you would have set the gotfreecards event and birthday reminders. So, the minute you checked your messages, you would have remembered what day it was and promptly called your friend to wish her.

Or, even better, you would already have scheduled birthday ecards to be sent to her on her birthday using our “Send now” or “Send on (birthday) date” feature. So she’ll know that no matter where you are, you still think of her and care enough to wish her.

And you can go back to sipping your heavenly cocktail and soaking in the July sun.

Birthday Cards

It is been a while since we wrote about our birthday cards. Now that all the major events of the summer like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and 4th of July, is behind us. We want to re-introduce birthday cards to our audience. We have close to 100 free birthday eacrds. They are funny, silly, apt and truly artistic. If you want to add photos to them just click on add phot and voice red button and upload your photo of choice.

We have also introduced a completely new feature all Free Printable Birthday Cards

have you had a chance to review that? It is an excellent resource for for the last minute birthday cards to print at home for the summer birthday parties. We have commissioned some excellent young artists for the artwork we are sure you will enjoy it. So gohead and explore …

Summer Family Time Ideas

Summer sure is funny. One minute you’re thinking, “What a great 4^th of July! Glorious summer days ahead.” and before you know it, it’s time for back-to-school shopping. Nobody really knows how the days in between whiz by so fast.

Between summer camps and family obligations, don’t overlook the many opportunities these months provide to bond with your kids. That’s what summer breaks are for, after all. Your fondest memories of childhood are probably those of summer breaks. Today, kids barely need the company or want the supervision of adults as they fiddle with their gadgets – text-ing, IM-ing, tweeting and downloading. So do you ever wonder how you can put the magic back into summer?

It’s easy. Try doing as many of these as possible. Feel free to add to the list and share your ideas for a great family summer time.

Get out with your kids more. Take a walk. Go swimming, hiking or biking. Take them to the park, museum, library or a picnic spot. Shoot some hoops. Drive around. Stop to admire scenic views. Just do the things that you always put off doing. Plan to spend at least a few minutes with your kids outdoors everyday.
Do crafts or other projects together. It could be as simple as going through your CD collection with your kids, listening to some of your favorite songs and organizing your media cabinet. (See how many birds you kill with that one?) Or, start a summer blog that you and your kids can update, describing the places you visit and things you do, adding photos and videos – a great way for you to get up to speed on the latest web technology. Create a scrap book or photo album. Use our free printable cards section and encourage kids to make personalized cards for grandma, grandpa or other relatives you may be visiting.
Organize ‘No reason’ parties. Why wait until a birthday to get all your friends and family together? Just pick a convenient day and invite everyone for a picnic in the park, a backyard BBQ or a pool party. Remember that sleepover you promised your kids, but have been postponing? You won’t find a better time than now. Or how about a neighborhood camp-out night in your yard? Imagine a dozen kids and grown ups lying on their backs, trying to identify constellations! Somehow, fun multiples when shared. With our Twitter Party Invite, you can send word to everybody within minutes. It doesn’t get any simpler. So go ahead and throw that summer party for absolutely no reason, other than to make memories with your kids.

Whatever you do, just don’t let the summer slip by without doing at least one new thing with your kids.

Share with us – how will you be spending time with your family this summer?

Photo Cards – Send Photo Ecards

It seems like every day Got Free Ecards introduces a new, exciting feature to its website. The newest upgrade is the re-designed photo cards. Now, Got Free Ecards has given users the ability to upload their own photographs for a long time, but now there is an entirely new feature! You’re basically building your photo cards from the ground up.

Step 1 Choose Frame and Effects: There are two tabs here to select from: “Frames” and “Effects.” Click on the “Frames” button, and choose your favorite border design for your photo. Then, do the same for “Effects,” to add a little animated flair to your card.

Step 2 Upload Photo: In the “upload photos” box, click “browse” That button takes you into your computer’s hard drive, where you can scan around for the photo you want to use. When you find the right one, click it once, and then click the “open” button. Do you see your picture displayed on the webpage now? Good!

Step 3 Select Music: Select the music track you require to match the frame. You can also not choose any music.

The final step is to fill in the information boxes at the bottom of the page, so we know where to send the card. And for sure add your own personal message just for the recipient!