{"id":2296,"date":"2011-12-12T12:01:14","date_gmt":"2011-12-12T17:01:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/?p=2296"},"modified":"2011-12-04T21:23:47","modified_gmt":"2011-12-05T02:23:47","slug":"why-i-don%e2%80%99t-like-e-cards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/2011\/12\/why-i-don%e2%80%99t-like-e-cards.html","title":{"rendered":"Why I Don\u2019t Like E-Cards"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I used to send out lots of cards over the holiday season. Yes, it costs a bit for postage and also takes time to address each card and write a message. But it was also nice to send people good wishes. I also love to receive the mailed cards as they make my apartment look more festive. I have a perfect space to hang them. But over the years my festive cards have dwindled. Why? E-cards!<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t like them because for me, they depersonalize the wishes behind a card. One year I actually got an email from a good friend directing me to a site where she\u2019d chosen 3 cards that I could choose from! That one email was sent to dozens of people on her mailing list. Impersonal doesn\u2019t even do justice to how I felt. It was addressed to \u201cmy friends and colleagues.” I know she\u2019s busy but this seemed the height of cutting corners.<\/p>\n

I could even see her sending a group card to people she worked with and acquaintances. But I do feel that close friends deserve at least an individual card instead of lumping everyone she knows together for one big wish and giving us a choice of cards. And what can you do with an e-card after you read it on the site it\u2019s on? I can’t put it with my other cards as it’s in my computer. Plus, getting an e-card means I have to go to the site and follow instructions, which takes time.<\/p>\n

I remember the first time I got an e-card from a guy I\u2019ve worked with for years. We always exchanged real cards, with a little note. I was disappointed to receive an email telling me where to go for the card he sent me. It just had his name on it. No personal wishes. I know he didn\u2019t mean to slight me. He was just trying to save time. After 2 years of getting e-cards from him I stopped sending him mailed ones. And since I don\u2019t send e-cards, that was the end of our holiday exchange.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve considered printing them out to hang up but it\u2019s not the same as hanging a card so I don\u2019t.<\/p>\n

In this age of fast paced electronic communication, I\u2019m saddened by how people are taking the easy route for sending good wishes. I have a friend who I often don\u2019t speak to for months, but every year since I’ve known him he\u2019s called me on my birthday. He\u2019s super busy but he always made time to make the call and it meant a lot to me. Two years ago he sent an e-card instead. I felt disappointed not to get his usual call. Since then the e-cards continue and I feel disconnected from him.<\/p>\n

I do think there\u2019s a place for electronic wishes. I\u2019ve gotten them from people who don\u2019t normally send cards but found out it\u2019s my birthday and quickly sent an e-card. That felt like a nice gesture. But if you want to make a good impression or show people you care, send a real card. As I said in my post on Thank You Notes<\/a>, personal notes stand out more in this day of electronic communication and will help strengthen connections to people you want to feel good about you. I\u2019m not angry or negative toward people who send e-cards. I know folks are busy. But I really appreciate the real cards I get even more!<\/p>\n

Sending a real card in the mail tells the person you think they were worth buying a card, writing something inside and mailing it to them. That can solidify your relationships, both personal and professional.
\n*********************<\/p>\n

Take the 31 Days of Self-Love Challenge<\/strong><\/a> –a pledge to start your year by doing something kind for yourself for the first 31 days of January–and get my book, How Do I Love Me? Let Me Count the Ways<\/a><\/strong> for free at http:\/\/howdoiloveme.com<\/a><\/strong>. And you can post your loving acts HERE<\/a><\/strong> to reinforce your intention to love yourself. Read my 31 Days of Self-Love Posts HERE<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Please leave comments under my posts so we can stay connected.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I used to send out lots of cards over the holiday season. Yes, it costs a bit for postage and also takes time to address each card and write a message. But it was also nice to send people good wishes. 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Daylle's books have been translated into over 10 languages and are popular around the world. She speaks for colleges, organizations and corporations. Through her company, Project Self-Empowerment, Daylle creates programs and materials to help people empower themselves. One goal is to raise the money to self-publish her book, How Do I Love Me? Let Me Count the Ways and give it away for free in colleges and through organizations, to give thanks for all her blessings. 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