Shower Them with Love with Hallmark Card Showers {$25 Hallmark Gold Crown Stores Gift Card Giveaway}

During the course of writing a blog titled Thanks, Mail Carrier, I've heard a variety of stories over the years from people and their attachment to the mail. While some actually have a current or retired mail carrier or postmaster in their lives, most people are like me and simply just love receiving the mail.

But, let's face it, typical day-to-day mail isn't always so thrilling. Bills, fliers, ads, store mailings, catalogs, more bills... it can be somewhat of a letdown to rush out to the mailbox and find a handful of items that mostly go straight into the recycle bin, right?

Which is why when I started flipping through the pile one day last month and found card after card after card addressed to me, I could hardly believe my eyes! It seemed that my dream mail day had arrived thanks to Hallmark and their innovative new Card Showers service.

Card Showers by Hallmark is the new way the organize multiple people in showering a single person or group with greeting cards. While the concept isn't new, the ease of inviting, connecting and participating is an advancement that only Hallmark would invent.

Instead of traditional word-of-mouth or church bulletin boards to spread the message about birthdays, new babies, illnesses and more, this free service does all the work for you.

The result? Someone like me who is beyond overjoyed and touched to open their mailbox and find it overflowing with card after card and all of their words of care.

When it comes to setting up a Card Shower, the process really couldn't be much easier. This free service can be planned and prepared weeks in advance of the event right from Hallmark.com/CardShowers.

After selecting from the large variety of occasions available (e.g. anniversary, new baby, health & healing, birthday, appreciation, and more) and choosing the date for your cards to arrive, you log into your Hallmark online account (or create one if you don't have one) and begin inviting other people to participate — up to 1,000 participants!

Using email and Facebook, the Card Shower coordinator shares the important details — who the Shower is for, why it is occurring, when to mail cards, and where to send them (either directly to the honoree or to the coordinator to hand-deliver them) — and can even allow participants to pass an invitation along to people they know, helping to spread the word about the event.

As invitees RSVP, the coordinator can track who has responded, if they have purchased their card, and if it has already been mailed. Participants even save money, as if they indicate that they would like to purchase their card in store, they are given a Buy 2 get 1 free coupon for use at all Hallmark Gold Crown Stores.

Rather purchase online? You're brought to Hallmark.com directly to a selection of cards appropriate just for this occasion — what a time saver! You can then customize your card choice and purchase it right there, where Hallmark will stamp and mail it right out for you (to U.S. addresses only).

In the end, the very lucky honoree is bombarded in snail mail that is guaranteed to bring a smile to their face (just imagine how happy you'd be to find a mailbox full of cards from people thinking of you)!

As an added bonus, Card Showers participants can extrend the fun by visiting the event page and posting comments and photos, and sharing stories and memories, even once the event is over.

Hallmark has long been known for helping people stay connected and best express their feelings, so the addition of the new Card Showers to their already-vast collection of cards, gifts and services is a perfect fit. I love the way that they've taken all of the work, hassle and stress out of organizing a mail campaign and have made it possible to show love and appreciation for family, friends, teachers and more with only a few clicks of your mouse.

The only thing left to do? Decide which lucky person in your life is most deserving of being shocked to find their mailbox overflowing with cards of love, kindness and best wishes!

Thanks to the generosity of Hallmark, one person will be one step closer to picking out their favorite greeting cards and starting a Card Shower as well, because...

One lucky person will win a $25 gift card to Hallmark Gold Crown Stores!

(Enter with the Rafflecopter form below - if you don't see the form, click here! If you have any problems entering, there is a video tutorial found here that can help.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A big thank you to Hallmark for providing a gift card for me as for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.