Holiday Greetings from Our Home to Yours

Christmas cards are a wonderful way to let others know you are thinking of them during the holiday season. I have been guilty in the past of sending my cards out a day or two before Christmas and then never to everyone I wanted to. With some planning and organization though sending Christmas cards can be fun and not a chore. The new improvement I have made to my card list is to use a card system for my addresses. From this idea I created the Christmas Contact Cards that incorporate all the things I wanted in an address system including 14 years worth of sent/received information! Each card has room for the following information: First and Last Name, Spouse/SO name, children, pets, address, home phone, work phone, mobile phone, pager, email address, classification (in conjunction with the Christmas Organizing method) and room to record sent and received information for 14 years!

Christmas Cards with Extra Meaning

For many people sending Christmas cards is their way of sending a small gift to their friends and family. With a little planning you can send that one card to everyone that is their favorite one - you know the one you just rave over above all the rest! This year I am making hand-made cards with home-made paper. I am going to use a cookie cutter to use as a guide to cut out the design. I will then punch a whole in the top and tie a pretty string so the recipient can use it as an ornament on their tree. You can find envelopes of various sizes at any office supply store. Another idea is to use the coloring book feature on some print software (I use Printmaster) and let your children color the cards in with colored pencils and then make into an ornament. This would involve the entire family and make them that much more important! Be creative! Even if you just get a Christmas rubber stamp to use on the outside of your envelopes - it gives it that extra touch.

Sending Out Your Cards

Make a list of everyone you would love to send a card to - include your roommate from college, sorority sisters, high school friends, etc - you know all those people who you mean to keep in touch with! Rate the people on your list like the gift list with a letter system (A=have to send, B=want to send, C=would like to send). Now go around your house with a basket and gather up all of your address books, old Christmas card envelopes, etc. to get the addresses for your cards. Transfer them to your new address cards if you get them or into ONE address book either paper or computer!. Now group the people on your list into their rated sections. Next find all the addresses for all the people on your have to list and put those together or mark them some way. Repeat for each group. If you decide to make your cards make one up now to see how hard they are and the supplies you will need. If you are buying your cards start looking now! The goal is to have the cards addressed and ready to mail December 1^st.

Articles about Christmas Cards

10 Tips to sending Holiday Cards