"Between Friends" comics creator and cartoonist Sandra Bell-Lundy mails out greeting cards, has dinner with her girlfriends, even organizes a tobogganing party at her home in Welland, Ontario.

Every year she helps plan the annual Christmas party for the Canada Chapter of the National Cartoonists Society, which she chairs.

It's important, she said, for cartoonists to connect face to face, rather than through phone calls and e-mail.

"The nature of this business is that we are far-flung and don't get to see each other often," said Bell-Lundy, 48 and married with two kids.

"Keeping in touch is an obligation ... but it's a good obligation because it forces you to connect with people," she added. "Time has a way of passing so quickly when you are busy. I enjoy the effort after I have made it."

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