Oh no! Christmas is just around the corner, and in the frenzy to get ready, you haven’t mailed out your Christmas cards yet!

Never fear. It’s never too late to send E-Christmas cards to your family and friends.

Once considered an impersonal gesture or an easy way out, E-cards are quickly becoming accepted in the mainstream, especially since many have become quite entertaining. After all, they accomplish two of the main purposes of sending a regular card:

1. They Show That You’re Thinking of the Recipient

Sure, a paper card takes more physical effort. You have to go out to the store, buy a card, write in your personal message, address it, and mail it, so it has a bit more of a “warm” feeling, at least at first glance.

But are paper Christmas cards really more personal? Most people send their holiday cards en-mass.

They buy a few boxes of cards with artwork and greetings that are generic enough to fit most of their friends and family. Then they sit down at the table and hurriedly rush through the task of running through their address book and writing out the cards assembly-line fashion. They might write in a personal line or two, but you’re more likely to get a copy of a general family newsletter.

With an E-Christmas card, it’s easy to type in a customized note. Something that shows the other person you’re thinking specifically of him or her is so much warmer than a mass-printed newsletter.

2. They Share the Spirit of the Season

Christmas cards are a way to connect during the holiday season, even if you haven’t seen someone in a long time and even if they live far away. Email and social media sites like Facebook are the preferred way to stay connected these days, and E-Christmas cards fit right into that.

Of course, some of your friends might not be Christian. They could be Jewish or follow another religion or have no religious beliefs at all. Instead of buying a box of Christian-themed cards, Hanukkah cards, and general seasonal wishes, you can easily select an appropriate design for each person online. The world is becoming more diverse, and E-cards let you connect with your entire friend base in a way they’ll appreciate during the holidays.

E-Christmas cards also have some advantages over paper cards:

1. They’re Environmentally Friendly

Paper is going the way of the dodo bird as online communication becomes the norm and people try to reduce their impact on the earth. Sure, some people save their Christmas cards from year to year, but eventually they have to be tossed unless you want to end up on Hoarders. Most people pitch them at the end of the season.

With E-cards there’s no waste because you don’t need paper for a card, envelope, and stamp, and they don’t require any fuel to be burned as they head to their destination.

2. They’re More Customized Than a Paper Card

You don’t have to spend the time and money searching through stores for a card that perfectly fits your recipient because E-Christmas cards put an infinite number of designs right at your fingertips. Even if you wait until the last minute, it’s never too late to find that perfect artwork or verse.

You’re more likely to add a personal message with an E-Christmas card, even if you’re sending it out late. It’s so much easier to type a line or two in each E-card than it is to write dozens of notes with cramping fingers.

3. They Arrive at Their Destination Immediately

This is perhaps the biggest E-Christmas card advantage. There’s a point where you know it’s too late to send a paper card because it won’t arrive until December 26, or even after, but E-cards can be sent on Christmas Eve, or even on the holiday itself, since they’re not dependent on the postal schedule.

If you wait until the last minute, you know your greetings will arrive immediately once you hit that “send” button. If you have internet access, you can never say it’s too late to send out Christmas cards.

Sure, it takes some getting used to for those who like displaying their cards as part of their holiday decor, but technology brings changes and we all adapt. The timeliness and other advantages make E-Christmas cards a great option.