Where to Find the Best Free Father's Day E-cards

Father's Day is fast approaching. This year it falls on Sunday, June 21, 2009. As many of us attempt to cut costs, free e-cards have gained in popularity. They are a fun, animated way to tell dad how much you care. Here is a guide to navigating the Internet to find the best Father's Day free e-card websites for dad's special day.

www.hallmark.com - Hallmark is easily one of the most-used websites to send free e-cards. Their slogan has always been, "When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best," and they take their e-cards just as seriously. You must join their website, which is free to do, in order to send their free e-cards. However, not all of the e-cards on their website are free. They do offer free Father's Day e-cards, and the site is very user-friendly. One of the fastest-growing parts of their website is the "Hoops & YoYo" e-cards, mostly free, that are for a variety of occasions and holidays. These two cartoon characters offer a humorous look at every circumstance. For Father's Day, they offer the free Hoops & YoYo e-card "All Hail Dad," offering a look at a stereotypical dad in a loving fashion.

www.bluemountain.com - Blue Mountain tends to offer more serious, personal-themed cards for all occasions. Similar to Hallmark, this is a reputable, well-known brand of greeting card. On this site you are invited to sign up for a free trial, which lasts one month. They offer premium free e-cards for all occasions, including Father's Day, that are quite poignant. They offer both flash e-cards and talking e-cards. One of the nicest free Father's Day e-cards I saw had grown up and baby footprints and read "I'm glad I'm your daughter." Please remember to cancel your membership after the one month free trial.

www.123greetings.com - This is easily my favorite website for free e-cards, and Father's Day e-cards are no exception. There is no log-in, no trial membership, and the website hosts a range of cards with feelings of both a personal and a humorous nature. I have used this site multiple times, and will be using it again this Father's Day to send free Father's Day e-cards. One of the nicest Father's Day e-cards is a photo of a child and his grandfather holding hands, wishing grandpa a "Happy Father's Day."

www.americangreetings.com - American Greetings offers both free e-cards and a free trial premium membership. Users that sign up for the free-trial premium account are given access to more services throughout the site. This site also allows you to create and print free cards for all occasions at home, using your computer and printer. You need to set up an account and sign in, regardless of whether you choose the premium membership or not. Once you sign up, there are many free Father's Day e-cards available to send. You can search the site by recipient, occasion, and even by the intended tone of the message, helping you save time in finding the perfect e-card. By inputting the search terms "Father's Day," I received seven pages of free Father's Day e-cards, some in different languages, and some including notable cartoon characters. There's even a baby Sponge Bob free e-card to wish dad a "Happy Father's Day."

www.ecardfunny.com - This is a generic free e-card website, which offers e-cards for all occasions. Father's Day free e-cards are offered, and similar to other websites, they allow you the option to be notified once dad has viewed it. All of these cards are cartoon in nature. The site is very user-friendly, but does not have as much variety as the others. A great example of their Father's Day free e-card offerings is the card "Thank you Dad," which plays soft music and has a father and son joining hands on the beach.

In researching for this article, my computer was very unhappy with the website Myfuncards.com (www.myfuncards.com). It kept warning me about adware and spyware trying to worm its way into my system. Please let me be the one to save you the grief. When looking for a free Father's Day e-card, you will be in great shape if you send one to dad from the above websites. Happy Father's Day!