How’s the World
Been Greeting You?
THERE’S A TIME FOR E-CARDS AND FOR PAPER. FIND OUT WHICH IS BEST
ALTHOUGH YOU’VE FINALLY
(grudgingly?) gotten used to
e-cards, for Mother’s Day and
Father’s Day you may insist
on sending traditional paper
greetings. But is paper still
best for most occasions? The
answer is a mixed bag. Lots of
people are sending e-cards—
more than 500 million were
delivered worldwide last year—
yet paper still rules (hear that, e-generation?). In fact, Americans bought more
than 7 billion paper cards last year, reports the Greeting Card Association.
To sort out what type of card works best for which holiday, we consulted tech-savvy etiquette expert Susan Callender ( ohmygaucheinc.com), who put her
stamp of approval on the following guidelines for greetings. —Laura Daily
CLOCK WISE, FROM TOP LEF T: ILLUS TRATION B Y ADHESIVE DESIGN; PHILLIP J BRI T TAN/GE T T Y; ILLUS TRATION B Y JENNIFER DANIELS; PE T-S TATIS TICS SOURCE: BISSELL HOMECARE, INC.
Whispering is out,
and socializing’s in
OCCASION
Libraries
Loosen Up
Okay, we know they may
not seem like the coolest
places to hang out. But
more of the nation’s libraries are adding fun extras to
get you to visit—and about
PROPER CARD
Paper. Or you’ll hear about your mistake all year.
Paper. Unless you have roses and chocolate
on standby.
Either. Facebook friends can get e-cards;
close pals deserve paper.
E-card. A quick way to remedy your oversight.
Either. Be the first with an e-card;
be remembered with paper.
Paper. Digital just won’t do. Period.
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RUFF LOVE
The human-animal
bond is mighty sweet:
24 %
of pet owners 55+
celebrate their
pets’ birthdays.
57%
of pet owners
55+ say their
pets are more likely
than their
significant other
to give them
welcome-home
kisses.
66 percent of Americans
50-plus are card-carrying
members, according to a
recent Harris Poll.
Embracing a new role as
community hubs, lots of
libraries are offering free
activities, from movie
nights to photo-editing
classes. You might also find
coffee klatches, knitting
circles, live music, fitness
classes, foreign-language
lessons—even workshops
on genealogy and numis-
matics. Heck, a computer
class at one New Jersey
library helped older visitors
navigate dating websites.
Hmmm…really brings a
whole new meaning to
“check it out.” —L.D.
