The holidays are quickly approaching — and card companies are vying for your business. Now’s the time to become choosy fast. But the sheer number of options can be overwhelming, so we’re here to help narrow them down before you’re belated. Thankfully, many companies realize a bunch of us who are pressed for time, and they’ve got great options.
Just Wink. This downloadable app takes about two minutes to download, and then another five minutes before you’ve got the most adorable (if a little cheeky), free e-card posted. They’ve got everything from photo cards (grab a photo you’ve already got stashed on your phone) to regular cards, which you can email, text, Facebook or even send via mail. The app is easy to use, they’ve got tons of cards to choose from — and bottom line, it’s quick. It’s a free download to your iPhone, Android or Kindle tablet. Digital cards are free to send, and physical cards are $3 including postage.
Paper Culture. If you want a high-quality card and you have a million other things to do with your time than to spend hours idling over your cards, consider this company. Once you’ve decided on one of their modern designs — they offer photo and nonphoto cards in all sorts of sizes and shapes, which are printed onto 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper — they’ll take over the rest of the work. For the cost of a stamp per card, they’ll address, stuff and mail your cards for you. They’ll even plant a tree with each order and send you a free keepsake box. The cost is $1.39 to $2.29 per card at paperculture.com.
Minted. Hipsters will be awed by an upscale greeting card company called Minted. They crowd source designs and art from independent designers, and then they sell the designs as greeting cards. Any designers are welcome to participate, which gives artists a forum to break into this world and get their work noticed. Designers get a commission for each sale. When you click on each card, you can learn more about the designer. For procrastinators, they have a few options. They have a “Find It Fast” feature, where you can upload your picture and see how it looks in many different holiday cards at once. You can compare the cards quickly before moving onto the next step.
Card Store. Choose your card on the go from your computer or your Android or iPhone app — and select from hundreds of designs and more than 50 brands. You can even create a digital signature.
