Valentine’s Day Cards: Is An E-Card An Appropriate Alternative For Your Sweetheart?


So, it’s almost Valentine’s Day, and you forgot to get your sweetheart a gift, even a Valentine’s card. You see online you can send a loved one an e-card for free, or a small fee. That’s an alright substitute, isn’t it?

USA Today is reporting that as a stand-alone gift, of course, it would be ridiculous. Mindy Kaling, star of The Mindy Project, said “An e-card is what I would give my little neice, An e-card is not sufficient for a Valentine’s Day gift.”

Her character on the Mindy show “would definitely be offended by an e-card from her boyfriend on Valentine’s Day.”

When you consider that nearly $19 million is spent for Valentine’s Day, sending an e-card could be considered a rather careless alternative. Also consider that when a person buys a Valentine’s gift, that gift is usually given in person, or delivered to that special someone. An e-card given to your significant other is delivered coldly, through the weaving wires of the internet.

Still, there is a market for Valentine’s e-cards, say, to friends and relatives, because even though they are relatively inexpensive, an e-card, done properly, can show some initiative and feelings for the recipient. Even the big holiday card makers, Hallmark and American Greetings, have internet presences that allow you to send e-cards. Hallmark, for example, offers a free musical e-card with the saying “When you’ve found that special person, love is wherever you go,” while allowing you to add a gift card, if you so choose. American Greetings offers a card that has hearts bouncing to a mariachi beat. Though American Greetings says it’s free, you will have to sign up for their “free trial,” which is $3.99 a month, and you will have to provide a credit card.

NBC Bay Area is reporting that there are apps that smartphones use to create inventive Valentine’s cards and pictures for your special someone. For example, Video Greetings Creator allows you to choose up to 10 frames and access your iTunes library to choose the music for your card, and can also include a personal message from you. Postagram allows you to take a picture and create a postcard that you can send nationally for 99¢, or internationally for $1.99.

You can also create meme cards that are quite popular on the social media sites. Someecards allows you to create a meme for your loved one, be it funny, sappy, raunchy, whatever.

So, if you are running short on time, or just want to embellish on the gifts you’ll be showering on your loved one, an e-card could help. However, as a standalone gift, you’re better off making a stronger effort. Unless you like staying in the doghouse, that is.

[Image courtesy of paolojacopomedda.com]

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