ELECTRONIC GREETINGS DAY
Observed annually on November 29th, Electronic Greetings Day encourages us to send an electronic greeting. At the same time, the day reminds us of how much things have changed.
The convenience and speed of sending an electronic greeting allow more people than ever to participate in this thoughtful process. We all enjoy it when someone remembers our birthdays, anniversaries, and other important life events. While greeting cards continue to be used, electronic greetings are far more cost-effective and mean equally as much.
Since the advent of the electronic greeting, social media and other messaging systems are expanding our communication methods. We can send a birthday wish through a messaging system and include a favorite memory. If a friend is sick, we show we care by simply clicking a button and sending funny videos. When we miss someone, these days we’re never very far away. We can send them a video message. Wait, we can do better than that. With our smartphone or computer, video chats keep us connected, too. The miracles of technology continue to expand and bring us closer all the time.
HOW TO OBSERVE #ElectronicGreetingsDay
Send an electronic greeting. Use your preferred method of communication – electronically. It may be text, video, live, or pre-recorded. Make it short or long. Maybe it will be on social media, or perhaps, it will be a sweet card through e-mail. Gather the family together for a group discussion or play a game online. However, you send it, Celebrate Every Day® with enthusiasm, and share it using #ElectronicGreetingsDay to post on social media.
ELECTRONIC GREETINGS DAY HISTORY
Not long after the advent of electronic mail (e-mail) in 1993, the electronic greeting came along. Judith Donath created the first electronic greeting card site in 1994 at the MIT Media Lab. It was called the Electric Postcard. National Day Calendar® is continuing research on the source of Electronic Greetings Day.
Electronic Greeting FAQ
Q. What is another word for “electronic greeting”?
A. Other words for “electronic greeting” include:
- e-greeting
- e-card
- electronic card
- digital message
Q. Do I have to use e-mail to send an electronic greeting?
A. No. These days there are a variety of ways to send an electronic greeting.
- video
- text
- instant message
- voice mail
- electronic billboard
- the big screen at the sports arena
- digital message board
Q. Should I send my electronic greeting to all my contacts?
A. No. Do not send an electronic greeting to all your contacts, especially at the same time. While it might be efficient to send an e-card to all your contacts at once, it is certainly frowned upon. This includes group texts.
Q. Should I sing a song?
A. Whether or not you can sing, songs are an appropriate choice for an e-card.
November 29th Celebrated (And Not So Celebrated) History
1942
During World War II, coffee rationing begins due to growing demand. Coffee drinkers reduced their intake by pouring less into their cups. They also stretched the coffee they had by reusing the grounds and making a weaker brew. Another method to stretch their supply included grinding chicory root into their coffee grounds before they brewed their coffee.
1961
The NASA Space Program launches its first animal into space. A chimp named Enos orbited the Earth aboard the spacecraft Mercury-Atlantis 5 and returned to Earth safely.
1972
Atari launches the video game, Pong. The popular arcade game became the first commercially successful video game.
1994
Mary J. Blige releases her second studio album My Life. It would be named the 1995 Billboard Music Award for Top R&B Album.
November 29th Celebrated (And Not So Celebrated) Birthdays
Louisa May Alcott – 1832
The American novelist and short-story writer is best known for her colorful characters in the novel Little Women, many of whom she drew from her real-life family. She wrote several other novels, including Little Men, Jo’s Boys, and Good Wives.
C.S. Lewis – 1898
The British author of several books on Christianity is best known for his children’s series, the Chronicles of Narnia. The series follows the four Pevensie children as they discover the magical world of Narnia.
Emma Morano – 1899
Emma Morano was born in Civiasco, Italy, and lived to be 117 years and 137 days. Until her death, she was the last person still living who was born in the 1800s. In her lifetime, Morano saw the invention of motion pictures, the fortune cookie, the crossword puzzle, television, penicillin, the jet engine, Teflon, the microwave oven, the internet, and so much more.
Joe Weider – 1919
In 1946, Joe and his brother Ben Weider founded the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness.
Joseph Shivers – 1920
Shivers was a chemist for Dupont in the 1950s who developed a polymer to replace rubber in textiles. In 1958, Dupont patented Spandex under the brand name Lycra.
