Who loves getting greeting cards? Everyone. Who loves sending them? Not many of us. This is where the cost of email reigns supreme. Well-wishers never need to buy stamps, paper, pens, or greeting cards - they end up saving gas, time, and money!



First it was the hype of sending emails, now its sending e-cards. E-cards are electronic greeting cards designed for any possible occasion or event. Most of them showcase simple animation and musical scores. Moreover, you can send a video e-card, which is a snippet of live-action or animated video designed to celebrate just about every occasion under the sun.

A popular video e-card on the Internet features a dog that eats a birthday card. It is a heavily viewed clip and it is hilarious. Remember the tired excuse about your dog eating your homework? It would be fitting to send your best friend, who is now working as a teacher, an e-card version of this old standby.

Another popular video e-card involves a birthday girl getting her face covered with cake. Since a birthday girl is not allowed to be angry with her friends, the resulting tension is pure hilarity. That's not fair, you say - true - but all is fair in love and birthdays. After all, preparing the party is always a thankless job.

Yet another video involves a dog with the lovable face of a bloodhound. It is also a birthday card and the message is very simple: "It's your birthday, so smile!" The recipient does not have to be a dog-lover to appreciate the lovable canine. A feline version would be fitting, though getting a cat to react the way this adorable dog does would be quite a feat.

Video e-cards are so straightforward to send. Choose the one that tickles your fancy, enter the recipient's email address, and off it goes. Certainly, sending birthday e-cards does not match the formality and forethought of sending a traditional greeting card - after all, there is something to be said for the touch and feel of paper and pen - but it is a quick and easy way of letting someone know they are in your thoughts.