Archived Posts from December 2007
I love getting cards. Ever since I was a kid, I always counted how many cards I received for my birthday and for Christmas. One time, I got two dozen Get-Wells from my friends just for spending a night at the hospital! I used to keep all my cards in shoe boxes as reminders of how much people care about me and my family.
As a grown-up, I still like getting cards, but these days it’s mostly to hear from old, far-away friends and see how much their kids have grown since the last year’s card. And for each card I receive, I send one of my own. It’s easy to make personal cards now – just upload the picture, type the greeting, and when the box of cards arrives in the mail – just scribble a few words about how much has happened in your life, how busy you have been, and how you should definitely get together soon with your friends. That’s it – stamp on, and off to the mail box.
And then it occurred to me – if I have so much to say to my friends and family, why not make Greeting Podcasts instead of just cards? The kinds with picture slides, a voice-over, maybe some favorite holiday music? Maybe make one from all of the kids for Grandma? She always says she doesn’t need anything – bet she would enjoy a picture-and-sound story from her grandkids? And don’t you say that a Podcast is too much for our Gran – she has her very own iPod (from last Christmas…) and has figured out very well how to upload books-on-tape to keep her entertained during long drives.
Well, maybe it is a little late this year, but for next holiday season I will definitely consider replacing my 200 cards that go out to all parts of the world with a little piece of Web 2.0 – maybe an interactive slide show, or a Podcast that would truly mean what I always write on the card – “Keep in touch!”.