Canadian Gift Guide

In your circle of friends, chances are there is one social goddess who rules the likes of brunches, baptisms, and birthdays with unequivocal grace (hint: it could be you). With the holiday season upon us, there’s no doubt you’ll be invited to a number of soirees, or you might be the one to throw a few yourself. If you or someone you know lives by their social calendar and loves to throw the parties of the seasons, why not stand out from the card AND be eco chic with a subscription to Cocodot.

This etailer’s wares are in fact, primarily virtual, making them part of the next wave of online merchandisers. Essentially you sign up for a membership – either monthly, annually, or on an 18-month basis. At the moment, Cocodot is offering rock bottom introductory rates that let you lock into a price way lower than their advertised ones. If you want to give it a whirl for the busy holiday season, try out the $4.95/month option, which you can cancel at anytime. Alternatively, if you’re in the midst of planning a wedding or some other momentous occasion, or you’re just a keener when it comes to sending out greetings for all sorts of occasions, consider opting for the $29.95 annual membership, with massive savings from their regularly advertised price of $99 for the year.

From there, the card-giving world is your oyster. Having a Cocodot membership basically gives you creative control from hundreds of stunning designs (including Lilly Pulitzer’s eye-popping collection, above), including customizing music and fonts. You can either email or share your cards and invites via facebook, since everyone and their dog is on the latter.

If an event is your thing, beyond just sending out an invitation, you can actually create a pretty detailed event page, particularly helpful if you’re doing a wedding and asking people to RSVP by email anyway. With the ability to upload a photo of the happy couple, a detailed RSVP system, message boards, directions / weather widgets, linking all wedding events, and pointing people to your gift registry, this site takes all the crazy wedding hoopla and configures it into a nice one stop shop. Wedding invites are easily one of the most extravagant and pointless expenses when it comes to wedding favours, so why not save a bundle and snap up a Cocodot membership for the bride-to-be instead?

Yes, I know there are similar free sites out there, but none with the level of customization and professionalism that Cocodot offers. I am particularly fond of the fact their products are so beautiful and stunning, it actually presents you with a viable way to replace pricy, headed-for-the-bin greeting cards. In the past, e-cards have had a stingy, tacky reputation, but a site like this one makes me think those days are of the past.

Consider purchasing a subscription for your most card happy friend (everyone’s got one), your sis or bosom buddy that’s on her way to the altar, the requisite social planner in your group, or if you happen to know an event planner – introduce them to this awesome service with a twist as an alternative to polluting our planet with excess glittery paper. Although…for the record, Cocodot now features printing services (whatever you print includes an online companion – in case Grams doesn’t have the internet kapiche?) using eco-friendly paper and inks.

If you’re still curious to explore a little more before committing to Cocodot, You can sign up to manage one single event (including a wedding) for only $19, or send a single greeting card for just $0.99. Either way, Cocodot is a wrap for this pre-holiday season!