Create Your Own Free Talking E-cards

E-cards are a convenient way to let friends and family members know you care about them. Even better, many e-cards will talk, giving an audible message along with great graphics and a fun presentation. You can create your own talking e-cards for free, if you know the right sites.

MyFunCards

MyFunCards has a wide variety of no-cost talking e-cards, including birthdays, Mother's Day and Father's Day, Christmas, New Year, Jewish holidays, thank you cards, and more. They also have a selection of Spanish language cards. MyFunCards is unique because the voice for the talking card is actually your voice, based on you making a recording with your computer.

1. Click through to the site and choose the e-card you would like to send from one of the categories on the left side of the page.
2. Once you have made your selection, type and/or record a message in your own voice using your computer's microphone. You can have a written message, recorded message, or both. If you opt for both, the typed message doesn't have to match what you say in the recording. Keep in mind the e-card will only talk if you record a message.
3. Continue to the next step where you will need to enter the recipient's name and email address and choose the subject line. You will also be asked for your name and email address, but these fields are optional.
4. Next, choose whether to send the message now or to schedule the e-card to be sent later. You can also elect to be emailed a copy of the e-card, and/or choose to receive an email notification when the recipient opens the card.

Ecards.Co.UK

Ecards.Co.UK has a wide variety of free animated e-cards, and the talking birthday cards often have talking characters that sing happy birthday. Many of the designs even allow you to upload photos of faces to be placed on the card! You can choose from categories such as romance, birthday, expressions (thank you, congratulations, get well soon), humor, holidays, and more. Cards use pre-recorded character voices based on the theme.

1. To send a card from this site, select the category from the menu bar at the top of the page.
2. Preview the cards to listen to the pre-selected messages and choose one you like.
3. Once you've chosen a card, click on Send Card.
4. On the right side of the screen, you will be asked to fill in your name and email address, and the recipient's name and email address.
5. You can also add a typed message and choose the date the card will be sent.

Note: When you send a free e-card through this site, they will send you advertising e-mails in return, so keep that in mind when deciding which email address of yours to include in the form.

123 Greetings

123 Greetings has a wide variety of free e-cards, including many video cards with recorded messages. You must register to use the site, but you only need to provide your name and email address. You can choose from cards for various occasions and holidays. 123 Greetings stands out because you can also choose a card to celebrate an offbeat holiday like Flower Basket Day or Bubble Bath Day. Each design has a pre-recorded message in a voice that matches its character.

1. Use the search box in the upper right corner to search "YouTube" to narrow your search to talking options. You'll then see the vast selection of video cards that talk.
2. Review the category options on the right side of the search results screen and make your selection.
3. Within the category you choose, select the card you're interested in and press the play button to preview it. If you like it, select "Customize and Send This Card" above the preview.
4. Fill out the requested information about yourself and the recipient and choose the delivery date.
5. Review and adjust the opt-in check boxes below the delivery date. You can uncheck receiving the newsletter, for instance.

Jimpix

Jimpix is a great place to find a wide variety of free short videos with pre-recorded messages that can be sent as e-cards. There's no membership, and you don't have to register or create an account to use the site. Choose from categories such as birthdays, Christmas, and expressions, like many other sites. However, on Jimpix you can also choose a film, GIF, or music e-card.

1. To begin, you can either search "videos" along with the occasion of the card (like birthday, Christmas, etc.) or choose the category you're looking for and select the videos section.
2. Once you find a video card you like, click on it and press play to preview it.
3. To send the card, fill in the information below the preview, including your name and email address. You can also choose the date to send the card.
4. When you're done, you can either review the card or click "finish" to send.

JibJab

JibJab has a variety of free talking e-cards that can be sent for different of occasions. You must register to use JibJab cards, but you don't have to upgrade to a paying account. The free cards cover occasions such as sports, friendship, music videos, birthdays, get well soon, and more. The cards have music and pre-recorded voices appropriate to their characters. What makes JibJab special is that many of the cards allow you to place pictures of your face and your friends' faces on the cards, making them very personal and funny.

1. Finding the free JibJab cards by browsing can be a bit tricky, so be sure to use the search box on the upper right of the page to search for the term "free."
2. From the search results, select the video that you want and watch the preview. You will hear the music and the talking message.
3. If you like it, click the 'Make Your Own' button below the preview.
4. If it's a card that allows you to upload photos for the faces, the first step will be choosing photos. Afterward, you can enter a typed message, which won't be spoken.
5. You can then send the card immediately or schedule it for a future date.

CrossCards

This Christian-themed website has a selection of e-cards you can send for free. Some cards have religious themes, such as scripture, church family, support and sympathy cards. They have a section of Spanish cards and cards for occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, new babies, and loss of a pet as well as major holidays like Christmas. There's also a selection of Facebook cards featuring motivational quotes and invitations. The cards are fairly simple with a large image that you can send to one email address or share to Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. No membership is required to send the e-cards.

1. To find an e-card, scroll through the page and pick the category you are interested in.

2. Scroll through the cards on the category page and click on the card you have chosen.

3. Click the send button or click on the social media icons if you want to share it on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

4. You will then enter in the email address of the person you are sending it to or you will see the social media post screen where you can enter your information.

5. If you are emailing, the next screen will have a box where you can enter a Subject and Message and choose a delivery date. Then click the send button and you're done.

Using Talking E-Cards

E-cards with spoken messages can be a fun and quirky way to reach out to people you don't see often or don't know well. While you can certainly send e-cards on the standard birthday, holiday and anniversary schedule, many of these sites have cards for all kinds of occasions. If you want to thank someone, wish them well in a difficult time, or just let them know you're thinking about them, sending this type of greeting can be a great option that doesn't cost anything or take much time.