holiday cards

People love getting holiday cards. For many people, cards are the only way to stay in touch with friends who have moved away or distant relatives. Holiday cards should reflect your family style and closeness. The most popular holiday cards these days are photo cards, which are designed to have a family picture (or pictures of the children) attached on the front. The inside of the photo card features a custom printed holiday message and room for a hand-written message.

Who to send to:
Holiday cards are a great way to reach out to all your friends and family, especially those you have not kept in touch with regularly. Typically, cards are sent to all friends, neighbors, close business associates, and of course family. In other words, there is no limit to the number of people to send holiday cards to. For married couples, a great way to overcome the most mundane part of sending holiday cards (gathering addresses) is to start with your wedding list and add to it from there. A handwritten note on a Christmas card or Holiday Greetings card can also take the place of the gift in tight times.

When to send:
It is appropriate to send holiday cards as soon as you have them addressed. Holiday postal service is slow and getting worse each year. You should beginning planning activities like gathering updated addresses and ordering printed cards by September or October. Feel free to mail them when they are ready any time after Thanksgiving. Most people appreciate early cards and they will not be lost in the clutter of hundreds of mail pieces that tend to arrive during the holidays. Generally, cards should be received before Christmas day, but in practice, you usually have until the new year day.

What to include:
For photo cards, find a professional looking photograph of your family or your children. People love to keep track of how your children are growing, so including just a photo of your children is very common too. Including your family name and a personalized holiday verse printed on the inside of the card is a great way to personalize a holiday card.

Signature:
Always sign and write at least a quick sentence that is personal to the recipient. Otherwise, it becomes a very business-like, informal mail piece.

text by Tiny Prints - Birth announcements & Baby shower invitations