Fun & Interactive Ways To Spread Holiday Joy—This Week’s Recommended Websites!

Happy SMART Day Everyone!

click on photo to see card

Have you ever received a holiday e-card that was personalized with your name and photo?  If not,  you’re in for a fun and entertaining surprise from this week’s SMART Living recommended websites—e-cards from PNP Portable North Pole and JibJab.  Both of these websites will put a smile on your face and can get you and/or your friends and family in the holiday mood faster than you can say “reindeer!”

A website I discovered over the weekend is a PNP Portable North Pole and their “Message From Santa” that you can personalize in several ways.  It is both free and cute.  It made Thom chuckle when his photo and a few personal phases came up, so it is likely that you will get the same response from some of your friends and family as well.  It’s easy to use and takes only a couple of minutes to download a photo and pick out a few personal suggestions.  You can find it at: http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/home

         A website that almost always makes me laugh is JibJab.  You too may have seen their cute singing and dancing elves by email or on Facebook during a past Christmas season.   There is one Holiday Card Selection that is “free,” or you can select upgraded cards with characters dancing to “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”,  “Holiday Disco” (a personal favorite) and this year’s Spanish version “Feliz Navidad.”  The upgraded account is $1/month membership—but when you consider that a box of regular Christmas Cards cost about that much  (not to mention the Postage stamps!) then it is a small price to pay to bring joy and fun to the lives of your friends and family.  Just remember, what makes these cards so great and yes—funny, is the time you take to insert photos into the card and then see it how looks dancing and singing.  Definitely worth the time, effort and low cost.  You can find both their free and paid Christmas Cards at: http://sendables.jibjab.com/holidays

SMART Living 365 is all about creating holiday traditions that enrich your life –rather than anything that you do out of habit, routine or obligation.  And even though others might argue that this type of card isn’t very personal, unless you were going to include a handwritten personalized note in your card—trust me, this is just as heart warming!   (And most people don’t think a typed-up, copied Christmas Letter is very personal either!) So, if you’ve dreaded taking the time and money to send a traditional Christmas card, but would enjoy sending something creative, fun and entertaining, an e-card just might be the SMART answer to your quest!

“That so few now dare to be eccentric marks the chief danger of our time.”  — John Stuart Mill

“It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but even more to stand up to your friends.” – J. K. Rowling