Punchbowl Blog

This post was written by Ariel Faulkner, Content Manager

This month, families all across the country will make resolutions, clean out the closets, and get a fresh start on life. January is our opportunity to step back and prepare for the year ahead, and that includes getting ready for all the special occasions we’ll celebrate along the way.

Here are a few tips and ideas to help you get organized for a year full of special moments and priceless memories:

• Wrap Up December: It’s time to bid the holiday season a final farewell! If you haven’t done so already, send free thank you notes to everyone who gave you gifts over the past few weeks. Friends and relatives will be missing you, so this is also a good time to organize all your photos from the holidays and share them online. Finish making any returns and gather all your gift cards in one place so you don’t lose them.

• Mark Your Milestones: Keeping track of birthdays and anniversaries for all the important people in your life can be a challenge, especially during busy times of the year. Use our free email Reminders service to build your list and we’ll make sure you never miss another special occasion!

• Plan Your Next Celebration: Spending time with your loved ones is one of the best ways to start off the new year, so don’t let too much time go by before your next get-together. Plan an event for the Chinese New Year (January 23), Valentine’s Day or Anti-Valentine’s Day (February 14), Mardi Gras (February 21), Leap Day (February 29), or St. Patrick’s Day (March 17). There are also plenty of reasons to host a watch-party in the weeks ahead: The Miss America Pageant (January 14), Super Bowl (February 5), Grammy Awards (February 12), and the Oscars (February 26).

• Give Your Party Space a Makeover: Nothing says Happy New Year like a before and after photo! Repaint, redesign, or rearrange the room in your house where everyone hangs out at a party. Here are a few tips about how to feng shui your party space. Having a whole new look will inspire your creativity when it’s time to decorate for your next event.

• Try a New Recipe: You’ve sampled dozens of new dishes over the past few weeks. Email your friends and request your favorite recipe from their party, or track down something you’ve never tried like these winter stew recipes. This is a great time to test drive something new. You never know; it could become the centerpiece of a party menu!

How will you celebrate in 2012? Tell us about your plans on our Facebook page!

This post was written by Stephanie Fader, Sr. Marketing Manager

A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog post about our beautiful digital greeting cards for the holidays. Our digital holiday cards offer the ability to send a thoughtful holiday greeting online that has the look and feel of a traditional paper card. And what could be more fitting for the holiday season than the flat holiday photo cards that have become increasingly popular over the last few years? Now you can send those cards online with the look and feel of the traditional holiday cards that we all know and love!

Check out a few of the new digital holiday cards, which can be customized with one or multiple photos!

While the cards above are Plus designs and require a membership, there is a huge selection of free eCards for Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s and general Season’s Greetings. For those who want to send a beautiful holiday photo card this season, here’s a special offer for 30% off a membership good through the end of this week! Just enter the code PBCARD3 at checkout by Friday, December 16, 2011. See membership options now.

The response to our digital holiday cards has been fantastic so I wanted to share some feedback we’ve received through social media:

“I adore, no, love your site. Thank you for making ecards so much fun!!” - Deborah L. via Facebook

“Very attractive, classy cards.” - Jo S. via Facebook

“Punchbowl makes it easy and fun to stay in touch with your digital cards!” - Chelsea W. via Facebook

“Very cool digital cards.” - @LibbyKane via Twitter

“I recommend @punchbowl for digital greeting cards. Classy, great stationery and free.” - @leahlizross via Twitter

“Punchbowl is a fabulous online card tool, highly recommended!” - @as_dalton via Twitter

Have you sent holiday cards yet? There’s still plenty of time to send free digital holiday cards this year to everyone on your list!

This post was written by Stephanie Fader, Sr. Marketing Manager

Holiday party planning season is in full swing! Families and friends plan all types of festive holiday parties from cookie exchanges and gift swaps to tree decorating parties and traditional Christmas dinners.

Whether you’re hosting an annual holiday celebration or want to create new holiday traditions, we’ve got 5 great tips to help you plan a splendid holiday party!

1. Choose a date that works for key guests. The holiday season is a very busy time of year. To help narrow down the ideal holiday party date, send a Date Decider to some or all of your guests.
2. Find an appropriate venue. Depending on the size and type of your party, you may decide to host your holiday gathering outside your home. Old-fashioned inns offer a rustic charm, while a bar or restaurant can provide a lively atmosphere. Find a local venue for your holiday party.
3. Send beautiful invites. Regardless of whether your event is big or small, an accurate head count is a must. Send online invitations to keep track of your guest list. Your guests can also RSVP for their guests!
4. Choose a festive theme. If you want to host a holiday party but aren’t sure where to start, choose a theme. A party theme can give your party a focus and will make your job of planning a little easier. It can also be fun for the guests. Some ideas include Ugly Sweater parties, Tree Trimming parties, or a Secret Santa. See more holiday party themes.
5. Set up a hot cocoa bar. Whether you host your party at home or in an outside venue, incorporate a hot cocoa bar to give the party an extra special holiday touch. Don’t forget the peppermint sticks!

Of course there are a number of other ways that you can create a memorable holiday party for guests. Decorations, menu selection, and entertainment all contribute to festive holiday fun. Browse more winter holiday party ideas and find the right touches for your celebration!

This post was written by Stephanie Fader, Sr. Marketing Manager

Earlier this fall, we introduced our new Digital Greeting Cards service - a suitable alternative to traditional paper greeting cards complete with folded designs, matching envelopes, realistic postmarks, and the complete mail-opening experience. We’ve received wonderful feedback about Digital Greeting Cards so far and we’re just getting started.

Free holiday eCards, for example, are a wonderful way to send warm thoughts to family and friends during the busy winter season. Families can write a personal message, modify text colors and fonts, and upload their own photo to create a truly personalized digital greeting. Winter holiday categories include Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year, and Season’s Greetings.

As for more immediate card-sending occasions, there are also digital greeting card categories for Veteran’s Day eCards (Friday, Nov. 11) and Thanksgiving eCards (Thursday, Nov. 24). Simply choose a design, edit your message, and send your well-wishes to as many people as you like - free!

Need to send cards for another occasion? Check out our selection of digital greeting cards for birthdays, announcements, occasions, everyday, and care and concern. Browse all of our free eCard categories now and let us know what you think on our Facebook page!

This post was written by Stephanie Fader, Sr. Marketing Manager

Remembering the specific birthdays of all of your dear friends and family members can be tough, especially during the busy fall and holiday seasons. For those of us who are more forgetful, however, there are still ways to stay on top of important dates and celebrate them with a heartfelt gesture.

For Punchbowl customer Betsy D., this has been a familiar predicament and she recently shared her experience with us. Betsy has been a long-time customer of Punchbowl and says that our Reminders service has saved her on many an occasion when she forgot until the last minute to send a card. Most recently this happened on her best friend’s birthday. When Betsy received the email reminder from us she did what she always does — she visited the site to send a free eCard to her friend. However, what Betsy found surprised her.

When Betsy arrived at the site to send a card, she was prompted to “create a digital card.” She had not yet seen our new Digital Greeting Cards service, a way to send thoughtful well-wishes online that have the look and feel of traditional greeting cards. Betsy, who has followed our site improvements over the years, was intrigued and started to explore the options from the card designs and categories to the envelope liners and custom postage. She was so thrilled with Digital Greeting Cards that she was compelled to write to tell us!

Betsy says, “To be able to customize the card so much, make it really like an actual card you’d send in the mail with the envelope and everything…it’s terrific! I absolutely love it!”

Thanks for your feedback, Betsy. We’re so happy we could help you celebrate!

Do you need a way to keep track of all the birthdays, holidays and anniversaries in your life? Try our free Reminders service to build your list and we’ll make sure you never miss another special occasion. Also, if you haven’t tried out our new Digital Greeting Cards service, browse free eCards now!

This post was written by Matt Douglas, Founder & CEO, @mattdouglas

I’m very excited to announce that after many months of development, Punchbowl has introduced a new Digital Greeting Cards service. The new service is a suitable alternative to traditional paper greeting cards complete with folded designs, matching envelopes, realistic postmarks, and the complete mail-opening experience.

In conjunction with the announcement, we have unveiled DigitalGreetingCard.org, a new site for the digital greeting card industry. The site aims to spur conversation about the impact paper greeting cards have on our society, culture, and environment. Visit the site to declare your independence from paper greeting cards and ask your friends to do the same.

Here’s the full announcement:

Punchbowl introduces new Digital Greeting Cards service

At long last, new technology brings to life a suitable alternative to paper greeting cards

Framingham, MA (PRWEB), September 12, 2011 — Today, Punchbowl launched Digital Greeting Cards, a new service that offers the ability to send thoughtful well-wishes online that have the look and feel of a traditional paper greeting card.

Digital Greeting Cards is a suitable alternative to traditional paper greeting cards complete with attractive folded designs, matching envelopes, realistic postmarks, and the complete mail-opening experience. The cards can be personalized with accents such as envelope liners, custom postage, and rubber stamps. Digital Greeting Cards eliminates the need to visit a store, find a physical mailing address, and purchase postage stamps. It’s a more convenient way to express important feelings to those you care about the most.

“In the past few years, we’ve seen the dramatic shift from paper to digital in books, newspapers, and magazines,” said Matt Douglas, CEO, Punchbowl. “Digital Greeting Cards is the next chapter in the evolution from paper to digital.”

Highlights of Digital Greeting Cards include:

• Hundreds of free designs, organized like the greeting card aisle
• Greeting cards that have the look and feel of paper cards
• Card delivery that replicates the act of receiving and opening a paper card
• Inks, fonts, and text controls to easily write a heartfelt message
• Custom accents such as envelope liners, rubber stamps, and postage stamps

“When I saw the new Digital Greeting Cards, I couldn’t believe how much they resemble paper cards,“ said Adrienne Donohue, Punchbowl user. “For most occasions, I’m going to make the switch from paper cards to digital.”

In conjunction with the new product launch, Punchbowl has also unveiled DigitalGreetingCard.org, a new site for the digital greeting card industry. The site aims to spur conversation about the impact paper greeting cards have on our society, culture, and environment. Consumers can visit the site to declare their independence from paper greeting cards and ask their friends to do the same. For more information, visit http://www.digitalgreetingcard.org

Digital Greeting Cards fills a gap between paper cards and eCards. Traditionally, paper cards have been reserved for more meaningful, milestone events while free eCards have been seen as a way to send a casual, fun greeting for lighthearted occasions.

To explore the new Digital Greeting Cards service, visit: http://www.punchbowl.com/ecards

This post was written by Stephanie Fader, Sr. Marketing Manager

Did you know that August has more birthdays than any other month? That means more baby showers to plan and more birthdays to celebrate when August starts in just a couple of weeks!

Traditionally, July, August, and September are the most popular months for birthdays. Here are a few more fun facts about birthdays:

• Tuesday is the most common day to deliver (according to the U.S. Census)
• Sophia and Aiden were the most popular baby names in 2010
• More people are born on October 5th than any other date (makes sense…that means conception is right around New Year’s!)
• May 22 is the least common birthday date

How many people do you know with August birthdays? Do you need a way to keep track of all the birthdays in your life? Create a list of birthday reminders on Punchbowl to keep track of all the important birthdays in your life, including family, friends, and coworkers. You create the list and schedule when you want to receive your reminders, and we’ll send you emails to make sure you don’t forget the dates! Reminders is a free service so check it out today!

This post was written by Matt Douglas, Founder & CEO, @mattdouglas

After months of hard work by the entire Punchbowl team, I’m very excited to announce the launch of Digital Invitation Studio in time for Halloween party planning. Digital Invitation Studio is a beautiful collection of pre-packaged online stationery sets for events and celebrations, complete with invitations, envelopes, liners, rubber stamps, and postage. The best part: it’s completely free to use so you can eliminate the costs of paper and postage from your next party or event.

I look forward to hearing what you think about Digital Invitation Studio — please share your feedback on our Facebook page.

Here’s the official announcement:
Wouldn’t it be great if you could have the quality, experience, and personalization of printed invitations without the cost of paper and postage? Today, Punchbowl.com, the one-stop site for start to finish party planning, has reshaped the fine stationery market with the unwrapping of Digital Invitation Studio — a beautiful collection of free, pre-packaged online stationery sets for events and celebrations, complete with invitations, envelopes, liners, rubber stamps, and postage.

With hundreds of pre-packaged online stationery sets in stunning designs and color palettes, Digital Invitation Studio turns the page on paper as the sole option for hosts who want the elegance of printed invitations. In addition to beautiful stationery sets and custom accents, Digital Invitation Studio allows hosts to deliver a stamped envelope directly to a guest via email and replicates the act of opening a paper invitation.

“For the first time in online party planning, there exists an alternative to traditional paper invitations without any of the associated costs,” said Matt Douglas, CEO, Punchbowl. “With envelopes in different shapes and colors, themed postage stamps, and realistic postmarks, Digital Invitation Studio offers the quality and sophistication of paper invitations for free.”

Highlights of Digital Invitation Studio include:
•    Hundreds of pre-packaged stationery sets in stunning designs and color palettes
•    An assortment of standard envelope sizes in multiple color options
•    Custom accents such as envelope liners and rubber stamps
•    Free customizable postage stamps
•    Improved guest experience that replicates the act of opening a traditional paper invitation

“The distinction between digital and paper invitations has been eliminated with Digital Invitation Studio,” said Michael Waxman-Lenz, former GM of AmericanGreetings.com and Punchbowl Board Director. “Consumers can use Punchbowl for all aspects of planning a party online — from sending invitations, to managing the guest list, to finding local vendors.”

Over one million registered users have chosen Punchbowl for party planning. Punchbowl is ideal for planning birthday parties, baby showers, Halloween parties, Christmas parties, and even Thanksgiving dinner. In addition to the consumer site Punchbowl.com, the company licenses its technology to leading retailers such as Oriental Trading Company and 1-800-FLOWERS.

To explore Digital Invitation Studio, visit: http://www.punchbowl.com/digital-invitations

This post written by Stephanie Fader, Marketing & PR Manager

As we move into fall, we start to see a lot of group events and fundraisers (PTO events, walk-a-thons, etc). Those are often events for which there is a need to collect money. Enter PayPal.

If you need to collect or raise money for an event, use the PayPal feature built right in to the party planning workflow to request donations via PayPal or credit card.

To use the PayPal feature, go to the Invitation Options page and answer “Yes” to the question, “Request contributions via PayPal or credit card?” You’ll see the options below where you can enter the name of your event or what you’re raising money for, a suggested contribution amount, and your goal.

When your guests RSVP, they will have the ability to contribute to your charitable cause or simply help alleviate your expenses. Here is what guests see:

Hopefully you’ll be able to take advantage of this useful feature so you don’t have to worry about awkwardly tracking guests down for donations!

This post written by Stephanie Fader, Marketing & PR Manager

As the leader in start to finish party planning, we try to take care of the small stuff so that you don’t have to. Perhaps no part of “the small stuff” is more maddening than giving out directions.

Guests come from all over, and busy hosts rarely have the time to sit down and dole out custom directions to friends coming from all different locations. MyPunchbowl gives you the ability to eliminate the stress of giving out directions: include a map with your invitation!

If you’d like to include a map with your invite, the first thing to do is make sure you enter the correct address of your venue (whether it’s a restaurant, park, or even your house). The address you populate in the Event Details section is the address that displays on your invitation.

Once you’ve finished designing your invitation, proceed through the workflow. You’ll want to go to the Invitation Options page to turn on the map feature (select “Yes”, you do want to include a map for guests). Then, confirm that the address is correct.

When guests receive the invitation and respond, they will see a Google map where they can easily click a link to get directions from their location.

Here’s one other thing to consider - when you’re on the Invitation Options page you can enter a different address than the one on your invitation if you need to. Whatever address is in the Map section of the Invitation Options page is what will show up the invitation for your guests.

Hopefully you’ll use this feature to include a map with your next invitation. Doing so will likely save you time providing guests with directions so you can focus on the details that really matter!