Grandmother Elated to Receive Christmas E-card

By Brandon Muller

OGDEN, UT -- Amidst the hustle and bustle of a heavily commercialized holiday season, one grandmother has proof that thoughtfulness has not been forgotten.

Two days ago, Eunice Garlow, 83, received a Christmas e-card from Ken Patchell, her 28-year-old grandson.

"When I opened my inbox and saw the subject line 'Ken Has Made A Holiday Card 4 U!' I almost lost it," grinned Garlow as she recalled her tears of joy. "I phoned my best friend Margaret to share the news before I even opened it."

Inside the email, a single link led to a website where a dancing snowman gyrated to a MIDI file version of Run-DMC's "Christmas in Hollis". Below the festive spectacle, flashy graphics wished the recipient a "Happy Holidays From Ken!!"

"Can you imagine the countless hours that must have been involved to create this for me?" asked Garlow in amazement. "I had no idea he was this talented."

According to certain Google searches, e-cards are a special way for friends and loved ones to share the holiday spirit with each other. Exploding in popularity in recent years, e-cards are projected to overtake traditional Christmas greetings (which are simply typed into a blank email by the sender) within five years.

Garlow has had an email account for less than a year. Although impressed by the technology, she still prefers to have correspondences that she can hold in her hand.

"I just have to find a way to print this e-card out" Garlow declared as she stood underneath a printed and framed copy of the "FWD: FWD: FWD: Funny Jokes!!!!!" email her grandson sent her a week before her birthday earlier this year.

Reached for comment, Patchell said he is glad his grandmother appreciates his sentimental gesture.

"I probably looked at a dozen different themes before I chose that one," said Patchell. "Then, I had to type in each email address separately because the stupid thing wouldn't let me import my address book! God, what a nightmare. Next year I'll just send a text. Can you find out if she has a cell phone?"

Garlow now spends most of her Internet time repeatedly pressing the Send/Recv button in her Outlook Express, hoping to hear from the rest of her grandchildren.