Trials and tribulations of the everyday Greeting card.

Here is the question I would like to pose to you. It has been something playing on my mind since the Muffin did the big P and took possession of my finger in the form of inserting a big shiny rock on it.
That question is, do you send Engagement Congratulations cards? Is it acceptable to NOT send engagement cards? Should this Cupcake consider investing in one for the Muffin to congratulate him on taking the plunge and getting down on both knees next to the bed..?
I know that is more then one question, but one kind of leads to the more. It is quite a serious business, that of the greeting cards.

Since announcing our pending doom to the world and Facebook, we have received three cards congratulating us on chaining ourselves to each other for eternity... or the foreseeable future, whichever comes first.
The first one came from my work. My boss was nice enough to buy me a pretty card and get everyone in the office to sign it.
I was so super excited that it went straight on the pin board at home, right on top of the accursed Telstra bill that never seems to go away.
The second came from The In-Laws. I thought it was very sweet of them to send us one (Although I would like to take this moment to say how incredibly unfair it is that Muffin's brother gets his name on the card when he doesn’t live at home, and the Rooster and the Hen insist that they don’t have to anymore because "I moved out so I have to send my own cards."). That ca rd took pride of place over the rates bill on the pin board.
The final one came from Muffin's grandmother. I can’t actually remember if I have ever met here, but still, I think that it is super sweet that she sent us one.
So three engagement cards from people.
His family at that.
The Hen will see to it that she sends a card to my Brother and Sister-In-Law for their first wedding anniversary, but she can’t do this? Is that an indicator that this tradition is becoming forgotten?

Which brings me back to my original question of is it plausible to send the cards?
Should the people who neglect to send them be shunned?
Frankly, I don’t think it would occur to me to send out a card to someone who found themselves in the same position as me and my muffin.
Perhaps I would do the all important Facebook message, but I am pretty sure that is as far as I would go.
Has society today become so impersonal that congratulations are limited to cyber space and rarely much else?
Or is it just impersonal enough that we have found a way to save on greeting cards, postage and sincerity?
Do you like what we have become? Automatons that rely on the internet to remind us of important events and to announce exciting news
I think I am going to send out Christmas cards this year...