Just a phone call away
Since my birthday is over, Christmas is over, New Year is over, and Chinese New Year is not quite round the corner (despite all the Chinese New Year songs blaring over department store PA systems), I feel that I can safely say this: I do not like SMS greetings. Especially the ones that get forwarded to everybody in the sender's contact list.
Perhaps because there are only so many variations a greeting can take. "Happy new year! May all your dreams come true in 2007" sounds like something you might wish anyone, even if the feelings behind the message were entirely genuine.
The only birthday text message that sticks in my mind was from Mel, on my 27th birthday. She sent, "Happy birthday! You young fart" (obviously, she's older than me, although I ain't gonna say HOW much older). My reply? "Pboooooot!" I remember this coz she made me laugh.
When it comes to conveying greetings, I would rather call and connect with the person than send a text message. I'm not saying that all text messages are impersonal -- I myself send 'em to friends all the time. I'm just saying, it's a special occasion and it warrants maybe a little bit of extra effort. Hopefully, you are wishing your friend not for the sake of wishing, because it's the thing to do on such an occasion, but because you really care and want to celebrate together with them.
I rarely send SMS greetings, especially on religious and cultural festival days. I used to reply those that I received, as a gesture of politeness and a way of letting my friends know, "Yes, I'm thinking of you too!" But I've now ceased replying unless the message is clearly personal. I don't know... I just figure that if the person is a friend I'm already in regular contact with, he or she won't be offended or hurt if I fail to reply, coz our friendship is so much bigger and deeper than that. In contrast, if the person is someone I'm already not in much contact with, and they just send a generic or forwarded SMS to me, it doesn't reflect any desire to build on the relationship, so it won't matter much if I don't reply.