New Year Ecards

2008 is almost here, and it’s nearly time for another round of sure-to-be-broken New Year’s resolutions. 

 I’ve had my share of foul-ups in that department in the past.  I have not, to date, run a marathon.  And I still eat more than my share of French Fries.  

But there is one resolution I’m making this year, along with many people I know, that I will keep: this year, I resolve to do more to remind members of the military that we, back home, haven’t forgotten them.

I’ve written about this in the past, and so I know it might seem like I’m beating a dead horse, but it’s that important.  It doesn’t matter what you think about their mission; the fact that these brave souls are in other countries, risking their lives on a daily basis under the American flag, is reason enough to hold them in the highest esteem, and to let not one opportunity to let them know pass by. 

You can send e-cards, of course (this is, after all, an e-card website).  You can also buy telephone cards for our servicepersons—there are countless websites out there collecting them, as well as those collecting care packages.  It doesn’t matter what you do, really—just do something. 

That’s my resolution this year—what’s yours?

Everyone gets presents on Christmas, and even though we smile and act like we’re surprised to have been thought so kindly of, in reality, if Mom or Dad hasn’t got us any gifts, we’d feel pretty miffed.  Similarly, on Valentine’s Day, if you don’t buy your significant other a gift, you’re making trouble for yourself.  Mom gets flowers on Mother’s Day, and Dad gets tools on Father’s Day.

New Year Ecards

   But what about those other holidays, where gift-giving isn’t exactly traditional?  That’s when you really have the opportunity to surprise the people you love.  And you shouldn’t have to break the bank, either.  For instance, on New Year’s this year, why not send out some free ecards from gotfreecards.com?  They’re absolutely free, and when your friends and loved ones open their e-mail boxes and see you’ve sent them an animated e-card, not only will they know you’ve been thinking about them, but they’ll also know you didn’t have to get them anything: you only did it because you care.

Personalized Printed Cards Delivered At Your Desk, Instantly! 

There’s just something about a paper greeting card that never loses its charm for some of us. We like to hold the greeting in our hands, feel the crisp paper, run our fingers over the words and pictures- as if we were trying to absorb the essence of the message. Most of all we like to see the handwritten notes and the signatures of our loved ones. While ecards may be viewed instantly and forgotten over time, printed cards can be saved, cherished and shared for years. Although ecards have replaced printed cards in many instances as the more convenient, inexpensive and quick mode of wishing one another, printed cards still retain that special quality that electronic messages cannot convey effectively.

So, this holiday season, if you are thinking of sending out printed cards, but are not happy with the impersonal and expensive store bought variety, you have a creative new option available at gotfreecards.com. 

Printable cards! 

In this section, you can actually design and create your own card and print it out in your home to send to family and friends. There is a template to which you can upload a personal or family photo from your computer or choose one of the many images available on the site. You can also choose from among the many message options and also add your own personal note. Print it out and voila! You have your own custom paper greeting card that you can sign, seal with love and send just in time for the special occasion! 

So, there’s absolutely no excuse to not send a wish to your loved ones this year. Whether you want to send an ecard or a printed card, it only takes a few minutes on gotfreecards.com.

New Years Ecards

Well, a new year is almost here.

           In less than two months from now, we’ll be saying goodbye to 2008, and welcoming in 2009.  As this year draws to a close, I find myself looking back on all the things that made 2008 a special year, and looking forward to all the ways that 2009 can be better.  In 2008, my little brother made the all-star soccer team; in 2009, he may get the opportunity to go professional.  In 2008, my father got a raise at his job; in 2009, he’ll get to retire.  In 2008, I left my hometown behind me, to look forward to greener pastures and new adventures; in 2009, I may move on once again.

           Anything and everything may happen, and that’s the beauty of celebrating the new year: we’re toasting to the days that have already gone by, and we’re toasting to those wonderful ones still ahead of us.

           This year, on December 31st, wherever you are when you watch that great ball drop in Times Square, remember not only to look back on the year that was, but to also look forward to the year that may be. And while you are at it send some New Years Ecards.

Christmas Ecards

When I was a kid, I remember spending Christmas Eve with my Dad’s family and Christmas Day with my Mom’s family. I thought that that was how it always was, and that is how it always will be. But when I started a family of my own, trying to see everyone important to us became more about driving to the next destination than it did about spending time with our loved ones.

To alleviate this stress, my in-laws began having Christmas one week early. That way, everyone was able to hang out together and celebrate all day long, instead of watching the clock. And I was able to enjoy my extended family on Christmas without trying to split the day up between them and my husband’s family. But when we started having kids, it all changed and everyone wanted to see the kids on Christmas so we were back to square one.

But this year it is going to be different. My husband and I have decided that Christmas is going to be at our house, celebrated with just our immediate foursome, and if anyone wants to see us, they will have to come to us! We will be saving on gas, on stress, and saving time as we enjoy our family in front of the Christmas Tree. And for those whom we will not be seeing, I am going to send them all FREE ecards from GotFreeCards.com. There are so many choices for Holiday Greetings ecards, that there is something for everyone. This Christmas is going to be easy, and I have GotFreeCards to thank!

Christmas Ecards

I went to a book store last week, to do some last-minute Christmas shopping, and I had to smile at this display of Christmas cards, situated right at the front of the store. 

            I go to this book store often to get coffee in their café and use their Internet connection, and so I remember seeing those Christmas cards, for the first time, several weeks ago.  At that time, probably the beginning of November or close to it, the cards were priced at full retail: close to twenty dollars for a box of fifteen, if I remember correctly.  I remember shaking my head and thinking, People would be crazy to pay that much for cards.

            A couple of weeks later, all the boxes of cards had sale stickers on them, which read: “ONLY $15!”  It was a discount, sure; but ten dollars?  For a box of Christmas cards?  And a couple of weeks later, they had been reduced again, down to ten dollars a box.  And then this past week, during my last-minute Christmas shopping, the cards were bargain-basement priced: three dollars a box.  And people were picking through them like crazy. 

            That’s a decent price, to be sure, but it just made me think: all the silly little things that we spend money on, that we really don’t have to…it’s ludicrous.  Why, for example, would people leap at the chance to buy these Christmas cards for even three dollars a box, with only fifteen cards per box, when they could get ecards for free, on gotfreecards,com, and send as many as they like?

            I suppose there’s always going to be a market for people willing to spend money on things they don’t need, but still…

Christmas Ecards

Our tree is up, the lights are blinking, and all of the non-breakable ornaments are in their place. That is, until morning when my toddlers remove the ornaments and try to touch the lights which is my cue to remove the whole thing altogether. I am excited to help my kids get ready for Santa Claus and put out the snacks for the reindeer. I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces Christmas morning when they behold the treasures Santa left for them the night before.

When I was a kid, I left a note for Santa on Christmas Eve: “Santa, please come into my room and wake me up when you get to my house so I know that you are real.” It is amazing to me to think I was so unafraid of Santa showing up in my room, because if he appeared today in my room I’d call the cops for sure! Anyway, when I woke up that Christmas morning, I was disappointed that Santa hadn’t introduced himself, but soon found his reply: “I can’t spoil the magic! Ho Ho Ho!” And he was right, Santa Claus represents the magic of the holiday season, and meeting him would have spoiled everything. Even today, though I know the real story, there is still a part of me that believes in the magic of Santa. Whatever your memories are of this festive season, be sure to share them with your loved ones. Make their holidays as bright as your memories by sending them Christmas ecards! And if you can find his email address, send one to Santa, too!

Sometimes, on holidays, when we’re far away from the people we love, the urge may be present to not spend any time on Christmas shopping for them: after all, opening Christmas gifts in March lacks a certain something, doesn’t it?

            But while you certainly don’t need to break your bank in shopping for those out-of-towners in your life, you can easily do something to let them know you’re thinking about them.  You can call them on the phone, of course.  And I usually write my best and oldest friends personalized letters every Christmas—even those I haven’t seen in years.  Another option chritmas ecards —and one I’m certainly taking advantage of—is gotfreecards.com.

            And, of course, don’t forget those farthest away of all: the men and women of the United States Military, serving in Afghanistan, Iraq, and all over the world.  I can guarantee you that one phone call, letter or e-card will mean a whole lot more to them than your Dad’s new lawnmower will mean to him.

Last year I decided I wasn’t sending Christmas cards.  There were too many other things to do, in getting ready for Christmas, that if I could eliminate any headaches, I would do myself a favor.  And one headache to eliminate was Christmas cards.

But it didn’t take too long after my mailbox began filling with cards from friends and family members that I panicked.  Even if I didn’t send out cards, I realized, I’d still have to write thank-you notes for those I received, which in itself would take more time than just sending out cards in the first place.

I rushed to the greeting card store, to buy a box of greeting cards.  But of course, being only a couple weeks before Christmas, the store was sold out.  An employee, though, suggested I head to the book store at the mall, because they usually sold Christmas cards.

Well, I went there, and she was right: they did have Christmas cards for sale, but the price was so exorbitant I nearly passed out after seeing the tag.  But I didn’t have a choice: I had swallow the sickening feeling and buy them anyway.

And so, at the end of it all, I had, in fact, bought Christmas cards that I had originally planned to not buy; and I certainly didn’t save any time or money. 

What I should have done—and what I am doing this year—is send my Christmas cards through gotfreecards.com.  Their animated free e-cards are easy to send—I only need to provide the e-mail address of the recipient—and they feature only free e-cards, meaning I won’t spend a dime.  

I learned my lesson from last year.  Hopefully, though, you can learn from my mistake, and avoid the stress in the first place

 

 

 

 

 

Free Christmas Ecards

Even when something as perfect as FREE CHRISTMAS ECARDS is readily available for everyone to use, there are still people who have some excuse not to use them. Here are the top 7 excuses people have for not using FREE ecards and an answer for each excuse:

Excuse #1) I want to write my own sentiment in the Christmas cards I send out this year.
Answer: You can add your own sentiments to every ecard at GotFreeCards.com.

Excuse #2) I want to be able to send pictures of my kids and the dog in my Christmas card.
Answer: This is also something you can do with each ecard!

Excuse #3) I don’t understand how to do it.
Answer: It’s easy! Just select the card you want to send, input the email addresses of the recipients, add your personal message, add any photos, and hit the send button!

Excuse #4) But I have all of these cute Christmas postage stamps to use.
Answer: Save them for something you HAVE to mail! No stamps needed at GotFreeCards.com!

Excuse #5) I want to send people something they can keep and show to their loved ones.
Answer: It will be on their computer! They can forward it to anyone they want to show!

Excuse #6) My grandma doesn’t have an email address to send it to.
Answer: GotFreeCards.com also has FREE printable cards that you can design yourself to print out and mail! Perfect for those Christmas stamps you’ve been saving.

Excuse #7) I don’t celebrate Christmas.
Answer: So send a holiday ecard, a thank you ecard, or any ecard you want! The choices are endless!

No more excuses! Send your free ecards today!