Something happened last night that made me feel warm and fuzzy inside and full of seasonal cheer. Unusually for this time of year it didn't involve a bottle of Lidl's finest Gluhwein.

While out with friends for a bit of pre-Christmas over-indulgence, by way of a warm-up to the main event, one chum told the tale of her disappointing Christmas e-card experience. And I must emphasise that she did this completely spontaneously without any pro-print encouragement or ranting from this direction.

She'd received an e-card from a good friend. This was bad enough ("It felt second rate. And I can't put an e-card on my mantelpiece"). Worse, when she clicked on the link in said card it didn't even work properly. A message popped up saying something along the lines of "if you experience any difficulties opening your e-card please contact our administrator on this number".

Yeah right. There's about as much chance of that happening as there is of a white Christmas in Woolloomooloo.

This e-card left nothing but a lingering feeling of disappointment. Whereas I am sitting here looking at an array of glittery, flittery, foiled, embossed, embellished, die-cut and just plain old CMYK Christmas cards that will keep that warm and fuzzy feeling going for the next fortnight.

Bing Crosby had it right: "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, with every Christmas card I write." Not "click on".

Seasonal felicitations dear reader, and may all your Christmas cards be proper printed ones.