Author: ecards

Mother’s day – It’s about spending time, not money

 

Luckily for us, what moms want most on Mother’s day (and any day, for that matter) costs next to nothing. The one gripe many moms share is that their kids don’t spend enough time with them. There. Now, that’s one gift almost anyone can afford even on the tightest of budgets. I’m not suggesting that you be cheap. By all means, save up and spend on a special Mother’s Day gift …but, before you start wondering,
“What should I get Mom?” why not stop and think “What would Mom really like?”

This Mother’s day, you could take your mom out to a fancy restaurant where you will exchange pleasantries instead of the heart- to-heart that she wants, plan an extravagant outing where you will constantly be interrupted by phone calls from work, put thought and your savings into expensive gifts she’ll probably never use or send her on a luxury cruise to a faraway island, when all she wanted was to spend a few hours with you.

Or, you could

  • turn off your cell phone ( and other gizmos) for a day
  • pay your mom a surprise visit
  • bring her flowers or a simple, but thoughtful gift
  • make her breakfast or lunch
  • take her where she wants to go (shopping, to a play or show, to the lake, Church, to see grandkids)
  • talk to her…about your life, family, work, kids, dreams
  • really listen to what she has to say…about whatever’s on her mind
  • do something she loves with her – go bowling, take a walk in the park, help with her scrap book or gardening project
  • tell her how much you appreciate her and how she has made you who you are and how proud you are of her
  • send your mom a free Mother’s day ecard expressing your love, gratitude and admiration

For some reason many of us choose the tougher way out and spend more money than time on Mother’s Day, when a few hours with Mom is all it takes to make her feel loved and special.

This could be the year you reverse the trend. A perfect way to start may be with a free Mother’s Day ecard.

What is your idea of a perfect Mother’s Day? 

Mother’s Day Ecards

 

We all know the drill on Mother’s Day: maybe you bring Mom breakfast in bed; or you buy her a little gift, something she’s been wanting for a while.  If nothing else, you certainly make sure you buy her flowers, right?  So with all of these Mother’s Day Musts already laid out in front of you, why would you possibly want to add to that and send Mom an e-card, too?

      Simply put, sending an ecards this Mother’s Day is a great idea because it’s something unexpected.  Think about it: when you bring Mom her breakfast in bed, it doesn’t make her happy because she happens to be really hungry.  And when you bring her flowers, she doesn’t think to herself, “Finally, I have something to put in that empty spot on the window sill.”  No, Mom loves the things you do for her on Mother’s Day because of the unexpected surprises that your gifts and gestures are. 

      So when Mom wakes up on the morning of Mother’s Day, and sits down at the family computer to check her e-mail, just imagine how pleasantly surprised she’ll be to see an e-card—from you—waiting in her in-box! 

      Send Mom an mother’s day e-card.  It doesn’t take a lot of time, it’s free, and, best of all, it’s just the sort of surprise she’ll love to receive. And you can find mother’s day ecards here. 

Celebrate a Greener Easter

 

If you have been thinking about going green, now is as good a time as any. What could possibly be more fun and fulfilling than planning an eco-friendly Easter with your friends and family!

 Simple changes in your normal Easter routine will go a long way in conserving the earth. Remember to involve your kids in the process and discuss with them the importance of your efforts.

  1.  Recycle Easter baskets. Use previous years’ baskets. Or save up and use the baskets that you get fruit arrangements or bouquets in. Be creative. Remember the bath kit you received as a gift? Wouldn’t the container make a wonderful Easter basket? How about that straw hat you bought years ago? Invert it, add a fabric handle and you have an Easter basket that’s one of its kind! And if you do buy new Easter baskets this year, remember to save them for the following years! 
  2. Fill ‘em with eco-friendly goodies. Choose healthier Easter treats and preferably those wrapped in earth-friendly material. You could choose organic or fair trade chocolates or other options such as jelly beans, or even crunchy carrot bites or gummy beans. Eliminate the use of plastic wherever you can. Why buy plastic grass when you can make a far cooler and eco-friendlier variety with paper, scrap or cloth? Also pay attention to the packaging. Come up with fun projects you can do with your kids. For example, you could recycle their art work or other paper and make gift wraps out of them. They will be thrilled to see their art work put to creative use.
  3. Buy local.  Whenever possible, buy produce that is grown locally. When you go shopping for the Easter meal this year, why not stop by the farmer’s market? You may end up spending a little extra, but don’t you think it’s a price worth paying? Besides, you’ll probably meet friendlier faces and even feel healthier at the end of the day!

 This Easter, why not start or renew earth-friendly traditions that will breathe new life into our planet? Do you have tips for an eco-friendly Easter? Please share them with us.

And don’t forget to send free, eco-friendly Easter Ecards to your family and friends.

Easter in America

 

Easter is one of small handful of religious holidays—the other notable one being Christmas—that is celebrated by most Americans.  Though Easter itself is a specifically Christian celebration, religious and non-religious Americans celebrate the day in fairly equal numbers.

Long before Jesus Christ, according to the Christian Bible, died for mankind’s sins and then rose from the grave on the day we now know as Easter, most societies already had a holiday in place that fell at roughly the same time as Easter does today, and which rivals Easter in terms of popularity.  This is because along with being the purported time that Jesus rose from the grave, the period after the first new moon of the vernal equinox has long been associated as a period of new beginning. 

      After a long and rough winter period, people who based their livelihoods on the environment around them—whether they be farmers or more simple hunter / gatherers—looked forward to the beginning of Spring, as it symbolized the start of another fruitful season of harvest and warm, pleasant weather, for many months to come.

      For this reason Easter in America has turned into a multi-faceted celebration.  Most American Christians begin the day by attending a church service.  The Easter service, commemorating one of Christianity’s most joyous days, is understandably more festive than other services of the year.  There tends to be more singing, less sermonizing, and an overall feeling of good will and cheer in the atmosphere.

From there, revelers return to their homes and, owing to the more secular, spring-related aspects of the Easter celebration, a great meal is prepared and enjoyed by all.  This may seem like a fairly standard part of religious holidays, but with Easter, the roots of the feast part of the celebration have a much more practical, specific reason: years ago, non-Christians who were celebrating the spring season, were so confident in the fruitful harvests to come that they would prepare lavish meals, inviting all their neighbors and family members who could make the journey: the message seemed to be, “we’re soon going to have so many new resources, that we can afford to make such a great meal today.”

Another aspect of the American version of Easter celebrations is the leaving of Easter baskets.  Like Santa Claus and the gifts he leaves underneath the Christmas Tree, the Easter Bunny is said to travel to the homes of children around the world, leaving baskets of candy for them on the night before Easter.  And the gift giving does not always end as the children grow up.  Again, like Christmas, where children receive toys when they are younger, and more “useful” gifts as they grow older, children go from receiving candy baskets on Easter morning, to receiving baskets that are a mixture of snacks and various, but useful, small gifts.  Many American young people even receive Easter baskets after they leave their childhood homes, and travel away to college, receiving care packages of various essentials and knickknacks around the time of the Easter holiday. 

      It may seem strange that such a decisively-religious holiday would be so widely celebrated in America, and in such a wide variety of ways.  But the way Americans celebrate Easter is actually rather symbolic of the country and its history as a whole: America has long been known as a melting pot of different cultures and customs, and so it only makes sense that its marking of the Easter holiday is such a mash-up of different celebratory styles.

What do you spend on an Easter basket?

 

Do you keep track of how much you spend on Easter basket goodies, gifts and clothes?

Will you be making a conscious effort to cut back this year?

 According to one survey, parents said they spend $15 on average on each Easter basket. Some parents feel that the things they buy end up cluttering the child’s room and they would rather not contribute to it. However, since they don’t want to break tradition or disappoint their kids, they end up spending on the same or similar Easter goodies year after year. Some parents do say they fill the Easter baskets with useful, quality gifts, but these usually tend to cost more, taking the price tag of each basket to upwards of $ 30. If you have two or more kids of your own and nieces and nephews, well, this adds up to a figure you may not be prepared to shell out, especially when times aren’t rosy. Plus, add the cost of new clothes, meals and travel, and Easter could become an expensive affair, much like Christmas. According to one study, Americans spent $14 billion on Easter in 2008. There are indications that the figure may decline this year. Anticipating this, retailers are marking down prices and offering greater discounts. So this means you may find better spring and summer bargains than previous years. Will that encourage you to spend more this spring and summer? Or will you stick to your budget and buy only what you originally planned?

 How much do you plan to spend on Easter baskets? Do you have any money saving tips? Share them with us!

 (One sure-shot tip to save time and money, is of course, to send free Easter ecards, instead of splurging on expensive greeting cards. Have you checked out our cheerful collection of Easter bunnies, beautiful eggs and Spring themes?) 

April Fools—Origins and Evolutions

 April Fools Day is one of the most unusual “holidays” celebrated around the world today.  While other holidays center around strict rituals (like Ash Wednesday or Dia de los Muertos) or large meals shared between family and friends (like Thanksgiving), the whole point of April Fools Day is to play mostly-harmless tricks on people.  And as unusual as this day is, it’s appropriate, perhaps, that the actual origins of April Fools Day cannot be nailed down for certain.

            Many theories exist as to the origin of April Fools Day, but all we know for sure is that it wasn’t until the mid 1800s that historical and popular sources began to reference the day—though there are some reports of sporadic references to April Fools Day dating as far back as the 16th century.  The most popular theory of the origin of April Fools Day—though this theory, like others, cannot be verified—has to do with the Julian calendar.  It was Julius Caesar who first proposed a uniform calendar, setting the start of the year on January 1st, but the change wasn’t widely accepted until Pope Gregory, in the late 1500s, issued a decree stating that the year should begin on January 1st.      

            Even still, many countries, according to this account, didn’t immediately catch on to or accept the new changes, and continued to celebrate the new year on incorrect dates.  Those countries that did not move their beginning-of-the-year celebrations to January 1st mostly held on to April 1st as the beginning of their year—the reason for this is a combination of celebrating Easter (which, with the rising of Christ from the grave, is seen as a symbolic beginning for Christians) and the start of Spring (in which life blooms—again, symbolic of new beginning). 

            It is possible that from this confusion, the term “April Fool” was coined, describing those countries that still held onto the April 1st New Year date; but there really is no way to be certain: there just isn’t a reliable set of historical documents to verify this claim.

            But what really interests everybody is not the history of April Fools Day—debatable as it may be—but the pranks that have made it famous.  Every year, America’s National Public Radio (NPR) airs a fake broadcast.  NPR, known for its droll, down-the-middle approach to news reporting, uses April Fools Day to poke fun at its own style: for instance, last year, it reported that instead of sending rebate checks, the IRS would be sending Americans actual consumer goods.  And comic strip creators regularly switch places with one another on April Fools Day.  These artists will usually drop many sly references to the switch that’s taken place, but rarely do they outright say that they are “guest drawing.”  A couple of regular participants are Jim Davis (creator of Garfield) and Bill Keane (Family Circus).

            Over recent years, the Internet has emerged as a popular way to institute April Fools pranks.  One tradition has been for a user to post a link in an online discussion forum, usually using an attractive link title that purports to be particularly relevant to the discussion at hand.  When a user clicks the link, they are taken to a music video of Rick Astley’s song “Never gonna give you up.”  Over the years, this practice has come to be known as “Rickrolling,” and is no longer confined to April Fools Jokes. 

            Perhaps the first use of the Internet in pushing an April Fools prank was by Usenet.  In the early days of the Internet, Usenet was the most popular—indeed, one of the only—ways for different users to communicate with one another.  On April 1st, 1987, a Usenet member posted a message stating that the Russian KGB would be taking over control of Usenet.  Users of the service, not actually used to being pranked on the Internet, accepted the posting as truth, until the original poster came clean, the next day.

            

The Birth of the Easter Bunny

 

 So, how did the Easter Bunny get its name…and what does a bunny have to do with Easter eggs anyway?

Legend has it that the rabbit (actually, the hare) was a symbol associated with the ancient festival of the Pagans, celebrated in honor of the Goddess Eastre or Eostre. She was the Goddess of fertility and the festival marked the birth of new life. It  also coincided with the arrival of spring. Understandably, rabbits and hares, became associated with this Pagan festival owing to their fertility. Later, Christian missionaries, in the process of popularizing the Christian faith, adopted this Pagan symbol of fertility and incorporated it into the occasion representing the resurrection of Jesus which occurred around the same time of the year. The two festivals merged – Eastre became Easter, and the fertile rabbit became the Easter Bunny. The rabbit became a symbol of innocence and sacrifice, very similar to the lamb.

There are a few other stories that tie the loose ends of this unforgettable Easter character together.

In Germany, in the 1500s children were raised to believe that a bunny would bring them colorful eggs as gifts, if they behaved well. This tradition found its way to America in the 1700s. According to another legend, a group of kids once found colorfully decorated eggs hidden in the garden outside their home. Snuggled close to the eggs, as if in a nest, was a bunny, appearing as if it had laid the eggs. This image somehow found its way into folklore and thus paved the way for the now popular Easer Bunny. All these legends combined with the fact that giving decorated eggs as gifts was already a popular custom in Europe, gave rise to the Easter Bunny traditions we know today.

So there you have it. A bunny. A basket of colorful eggs. And a spring festival of fertility. All coming together to symbolize one of the most important occasions for followers of Christianity – the resurrection of Jesus. Easter 2009 is almost here.

How will you be celebrating? Will you be joining your family or do you live too far away? Are you taking your kids on an egg hunt? Or will you be celebrating the arrival of spring in your own unique way? Tell us!

No matter how you mark this occasion and regardless of whether you celebrate spring or life or Easter, there is sure to be something in our Free Easter Ecards section that will make you smile.

Wishing you a Happy Easter and a very joyful spring! Here’s to new beginnings…

Easter – Origins and Traditions

What I like the most about holidays is how they engage everyone in the family in activities of one kind or another. Take Easter, for example. It’s coming up in April and I know kids who are already excited about the Easter egg hunt, and the part where they get to color and decorate the eggs, about exchanging Easter gift baskets and visiting their cousins. But, it’s not just the kids who enjoy this holiday. It has a special significance for adults too. 

What is Easter?
Easter marks the Resurrection day of Jesus. It symbolizes a new life after death.

This is the essence of Easter Sunday, which falls on the first Sunday after the full moon following the first day of spring. It marks the end of Lent – the forty day period of preparation for the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and is a period of fasting and giving up sins. It ends on Easter Sunday, the day Jesus is believed to have come back to life.

Which brings us to the symbol most commonly associated with Easter

The Easter Eggs

Eggs represent life. And what better way to denote this renewal of life than with this universal symbol that people of all ages and cultures can relate to? There are several legends associated with Easter Eggs, the Easter Bunny and how they became embedded into this holiday.

According to one legend, Virgin Mary walked up to the soldiers at the Cross with eggs and while offering them the eggs, requested them to be kind. It is believed that after speaking to them, she began to cry. Her tears fell on the eggs which took on a brilliant splash of colors. This is probably how the tradition of coloring and decorating Easter Eggs began.

 Another famous story associated with the Easter Egg is that of the renowned goldsmith Faberge. He was commissioned by the Russian Czar to create a special Easter gift for the Empress Marie. His spectacular creation comprised of a Platinum shell egg which opened to reveal a golden one and inside the golden egg was placed a replica of the Imperial Crown. This first egg far exceeded the Czar’s expectations. In this way, the tradition of creating custom Easter Eggs as gifts for royalty began and was carried forward by several generations.

 Ornately decorated golden eggs were popular Easter gifts among royalty and affluent families of many countries for a long time. And the custom of gifting eggs, decorated with beautiful designs and colors continues to this day, signifying life, the birth of spring, hope and so much more.

 Where did the bunny come from?

But, what on earth does a bunny have to do with Easter? Or the eggs? How do you think the Easter Bunny was born? Leave your comments below. Our next post will have the answer. 

Personalize your Ecards, It only takes a minute!

 

Do you remember the last ecard you received? Probably not. If you do, then what specifically do you remember about it?

Chances are you remember it because it was personalized. With a note. Or the sender’s voice. Or picture. Or maybe all of those. Now, there’s no question that our free ecards are pretty cool by themselves. That’s why you send them! But what makes each of our ecards special is not what we put into it. It’s how you personalize it!

Follow these quick tips to personalize each and every ecard you send. It’s what makes the difference between another ecard and a message from your heart!

1. Add a personal note. Even if it’s just one line. Address the person you are sending the ecard to by name. Even something like ‘Have a wonderful year ahead’ or ‘I hope your birthday is as special as you are’, or ‘Lots of love and hugs from…’might suffice. Your personal note reflects your feelings or wishes and brings the ecard alive. 

2. Add a picture. We all have hundreds, maybe thousands of them. Digital pictures. So, why not share one with your ecard? Adding a picture instantly personalizes your ecard. A picture of you with your family. Or just one that reminds the recipient of you, the good times you shared or something funny. Whatever it is, it will only take a few seconds to add one, but it will bring more joy than you may realize. So, the next time you send an ecard, be sure to click on Add a photo! This feature is available with most of our ecards.

3. Add voice.  Remember the first time you were away from home or separated from a loved one? The first time you spoke over phone, you probably said to each other ‘It’s so good to hear your voice!’ The voice of a loved makes us feel better even when we’re across the globe. To use the Add voice feature available on many of our ecards, all you have to do is use your computer’s mic and sound recorder to record and store a short voice greeting, poem or song. Then simply attach it with your ecard to cheer up your loved one on his special day. Very few of you seem to be using this incredibly cool, yet simple feature. What’s keeping you? Let us know! 

We assure you, these three simple personalization steps will be completely worth it!

St Patricks?

 Saint Patrick’s Day may be better described as Saint Patricks’ Day—as in, celebrating the lives of two different men.

      The Saint Patrick of tradition was believed to a Roman born citizen.  On or around his 16th birthday, he was captured in Rome by Irish raiders.  After several years in captivity, he escaped and returned to Rome.  Perhaps surprisingly, he is said to have forgiven his Irish tormentors, eventually returning to Ireland as a Christian missionary.  This spirit of forgiveness is perhaps what led to his being adopted as the patron saint of Ireland.

      But another man, a Catholic priest named Palladius, is perhaps also a model upon which the Saint Patrick’s Day legend is built.  Palladius worked under the Pope in Rome, and traveled to Ireland.  After being ordained by Pope Celestine, Palladius is believed to have been the first Catholic Bishop sent to Ireland.

      Beyond this, not much can be said definitively on the lives of either the “original” Saint Patrick of Palladius.  Everything, really, dissolves into myth, and claims that are impossible to substantiate.  The only thing that can be said for certain?  Saint Patrick is  hero to the people of Ireland, and is held in reverence by both native Irish, and Irish descendants living all over the world.