Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Video E-cards: The Future Is Now

By Fabian Toulouse

How many of us love sending email greetings? How about receiving them? Emails used to be the most expedient way of sending greetings, especially when compared to the traditional pen-and-paper snail mail. Snail mail, on the other hand, can easily be misplaced or even stolen. To send an email, you don't need stamps, paper, pen, or a pricey greeting card. You certainly don't have to send your greeting cards three weeks before Christmas!

After the hype of emails came the popularity of e-cards. E-cards are designed with simple animations, like a laughing Santa Claus or blinking Christmas lights. They are usually embedded with sounds and some e-card services allow you to pick your favorite songs. Additionally, there are now video e-cards, chalked full of funny clips.

A favorite video e-card is the one featuring an attractive woman saying 'Ho Ho Ho.' Now, this is terribly sexist, for sure, and some people might see it as insulting, but it does managed to make some people laugh. Be careful when sending such videos - you don't want anyone to take it the wrong way. Someone who can take jokes and thinks little of women will surely like this e-card. After all, what's Christmas without merry macho laughter?

Another favorite chauvinistic video is the one featuring a woman holding a road sign that says 'Slippery When Wet.' Listen closely to the background audio to find out know what exactly gets slippery when wet. Spoiler: it is nothing salacious, but it is humorous nonetheless. Make that chauvinist pig in your life laugh, especially after a stressful day at the office.

Video e-cards are so easy to send. Just choose the video you fancy, type in your friend's email address, and send it. If you are feeling creative and want something different, then you can also shoot your own video, add your own songs, and send it to that lucky recipient. Sending video e-cards cannot compete with sending a bona fide card in the mail, but it is the next best thing. Well, it's close enough.

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