For the first time in my life, I sent mostly e-cards this holiday.

I usually favor printed holiday cards. In fact, I had printed my cards. I’d brought them with me to Sedona, ready to sign and send. I had plenty of time, a good pen, a stack of stamps. Alas, I had no C5 envelopes—and neither did any of the stores in Sedona.

So I went with Plan B: I made a PDF of my card.

Although I created the design and the photo illustrations—and although I accompanied each e-card with a personal greeting—I still felt a pang of guilt each time I pressed “Send.” It just felt so impersonal.

Yet over the past few days, I’ve experienced an unexpected twist: I’ve actually heard back from most of my recipients.

Some of the messages have been brief “how’re ya doins.” Others have led to longer exchanges. Either way, it’s been wonderful to get back in touch with some former colleagues and a few scattered friends.

I haven’t decided yet whether I’ll go fully digital next year. But I’m delighted to discover that my “impersonal” e-cards were far more engaging and interactive than I possibly could have imagined.