Sending holiday cards can be a rather stressful task to accomplish, but with these tips, you can keep your joy and your sanity while preparing your holiday cards.
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Tip 1: Select a Photo that Makes You Smile
Select a photo that actually makes you smile or even laugh a little. The person receiving the card will most likely do the same. So what does this selection process mean? Well, that your photo doesn’t necessarily need to be taken by a professional photographer. Yes, you could just go through the photos that you have saved on your phone and select a few of your favorites. Think of different scenarios for your photos that don’t necessarily include everyone in the family or everyone in one photo. You could just do individual shots and then put them into a pre-designed template. Also, you could send a card with a photo of just the kids or your four-legged members. After deciding your direction and your photos, tada, photo selection check!
Tip 2: Select a Holiday Card Company that Cares
Select a card company that’s going to be reliable and that also has great customer service while still being fairly inexpensive. You don’t necessarily want to spend a ton of money on just the cards as you have postage costs to account for as well. Personally, I have used Vistaprint for years. The company is my go-to for all printed items. They have excellent customer service and their products are gorgeous, yet still affordable.
I have had plenty of chats and phone conversations with their customer service reps and they do a fabulous job understanding your vision and executing a unique touch to a predesigned card. They will double-check your items and in a few easy steps, you are checking out as one happy customer. I truly think they strive to really brighten your day when you receive a card from them. Okay – well that was my ode – now it’s your turn to create.
Tip 3: Prepare Your Envelopes with Ease
When your cards arrive, you can start by putting your return address on the cards. To simplify this process, buy a stamp with your name and address. I really didn’t learn this time-saving tip until later on, when I realized that all of my themed return mailing stickers were a bit tacky when used all year long. You live and you learn in the stationary realm I suppose. When you purchase your cards, you can conveniently buy a stamp from Vistaprint as well.
Tip 4: Organize Your List in Less Time
So as the years went by, I learned some valuable time-saving tips. I wish I just started with these suggestions! I use to get out my guest list from my wedding and my stacks of old envelopes and start the sending process that way. Then, finally, it dawned on me, make a list, better yet, type a list! I no longer call my mother or my grandmother or stock people on the internet to find their newest location. I just made a Google Sheet that I update each year.
As the cards arrive, I double-check the return labels with my own listed addresses. If they don’t match, I try to update them for this year, but if not, the list is ready to go for the following season. Also, having this ongoing list allows you to easily make groups and then add new friends and family to the sheet. Let me tell you, this sheet is much better than the messy pile of odds and ends and who knows where card list from 2013. I guess you do get wiser or at least more aware of the value of time as you age!
Tip 5: Add in Extra Cheer
Try to include a little extra holiday cheer to your cards by adding something little inside the envelope. It could simply be that you hole punch your card and add a little bit of ribbon to allow for a DIY ornament.
A few other methods would be to include motivational quote cards. Let’s face it this has been quite the year, and it is always nice to hear some positive motivation. Blessings of Grace, Blessings of Joy, and Let Your Light Shine are also nice add-in options. These tiny little cards may just be what someone needs to hear. Let them know you care as this little insert is much more about the thought than the price tag.
For other options to add cheer, utilize the small DIY ornaments below to make a fun night for the kids or even you to create handmade ornaments for your friends and family.
If time is of the essence, the ornaments below are still very cute, and a nice addition to a holiday card. Remember, the option on the left is beautiful, but it does have glitter. Yes, glitter, so that means you may not like that glitter sprinkled, or let’s face it showing up all over your house for you to still find in June! So just in case, you didn’t want to be glittered, select the second option.
Through these tips, you can now keep your joy and sanity when preparing and sending your gorgeous holiday cards. Your friends and family members will appreciate your kind thoughts as they look down and smile at your loving photo. I hope that you enjoy your holiday season with love and cheer!
& Remember
Start with the Bed,
Juliet
