There is nothing I dread more than finding the perfect holiday cards, addressing them, then spending the next week or so forgetting to purchase stamps. By the time I get the stamps, it’s past the holidays and the cards are still sitting on my dining room table.

So what does my holiday card rant have to do with social media? Well, recently I came across a great post that asked the question “Has Facebook Replaced the Holiday Card?”   For example, the post cited that “last year, 1.8 billion Christmas cards were sent by snail mail. This year, the number is expected to drop to 1.5 billion.”

While I realize we are still talking billions of cards, which is still a lot in the grand scheme of things, I do think social media plays a factor in the e-greeting trend. Admit it, how many of us use Facebook to keep up with our friends’ birthdays?

The holiday card situation also seems to be a hot topic at many PR firms – should we do traditional cards or e-cards? Yes, there is always that personal touch of a real card, but now e-card services are adding more and more customization opportunities. Plus, sites like someecards.com and JibJab can sometimes be more hilarious.

While I won’t back the claim that Facebook is replacing holiday cards – since I am still receiving them in the mail – I do think social media makes it easier on us, well some of us.  So, what is your take on mass e-greetings? Is it at least better than mass e-mail pitches? Or, do you enjoy the good old fashion cards?

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