Erin's Tech Space

It’s the holiday time of year and no matter where you are or what you do (or don’t) celebrate – you can’t avoid some sort of season’s greetings. So what happens when you’re inundated with invitations, hammered with “ho, ho, ho’s” or pummeled with pictures of relatives, friends and coworkers? Time to take seasonal overload by the hand and make merry. Here are some helpful hints to make your spirits bright and your inbox less intimidating!

If you haven’t sent out holiday cards to loved ones near and far, check out the tools at Shutterfly and MailChimp.

• Shutterfly is great for family, friends and coworkers and will create fun cards from your fave photos.
• MailChimp is a perfect choice for business relationships, as you can import your contacts from Outlook, Excel, etc. and create slick and savvy greetings that will arrive in HTML style!

Be sure to use your social networking sites to determine which greeting you should use, whether it’s Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah or Kwanzaa Greetings – you can often tell which is the most appropriate from Facebook, LinkedIn or other profile pages.

Don’t forget repeat customers, loyal colleagues and others who make the rest of the year bearable! Here are some great ways to make people feel appreciated without breaking the bank:

• Make a charitable donation in their name – bonus points for making it a charity that is tailored to them. (The SPCA for animal lovers, American Cancer Society for those affected by the disease, etc.) These donations can be made in any denomination which can be kept discreet.
• Socialize without the media – have a coffee, eggnog or beverage of their choice but nothing says caring like sharing your time with someone.
• Share something special – whether it’s a favorite family recipe, a memorable quote or other idea, sending along something that means a lot to you is a gift that will last long after store bought somethings.

From me, Steve and our dogs, Bogart and Brando – we wish you a safe and happy holiday season!