Christmas Card

Each year, Americans send more than 1.9 billion Christmas cards. Whether the cards are humorous, sentimental, or religious in nature, they provide a fun way for people to stay in touch during the busy holiday season.

Who should you send Christmas cards to? Generally, cards are a way of remembering people you don’t see on a regular basis. If you can’t afford a gift for everyone on your list, Christmas cards are a nice way of letting people know you care. Depending upon your needs, you might send cards to:

• Friends
• Extended family
• Coworkers
• Professional acquaintances
• Neighbors
• Your child’s teacher, soccer coach, etc.

Ideally, your cards should be mailed around the first week of December. But, if your cards have more of a general winter theme, you can send end them out anytime before New Year’s Day.

When it comes to sending Christmas cards, you have several options. Making the right choice depends on your budget, how many cards you plan to send, and how much time you want to devote to the task.

Of all the Christmas card options available, purchasing store-bought cards is by far the most popular. Finding an attractive design is fairly easy and many cards have plenty of space for you to add a note to the recipient. Generally, you can purchase store-bought cards shortly after Halloween. Choose your cards as early as possible to allow plenty of time for addressing and mailing.

Sites such as Shutterfly let you upload a family photo and create a card that’s personalized with a short message. It’s a convenient, but slightly more unique, alternative to traditional Christmas cards. However, it’s important to make sure you’re not violating any copyright laws with the photo you choose. If you wish to order personalized photo cards that feature a studio portrait of your family, you’ll need to contact the photographer directly.

If you’re crafty, making handmade Christmas cards is a great way to get into the holiday spirit. Rubber stamps, paper punches, and computer clip art make it easy to create a unique Christmas greeting. Although you could create a different card for every recipient, most crafters design one card to be reproduced as necessary. If you have children, let them help with the assembly process to cut down on the amount of time required.

Some people say they’re a breach of etiquette, but e-cards are better than no cards when you’re pressed for time. Go to sites such as Hallmark.com or Yahoo Greetings to send out free e-cards to everyone on your list. If you wish, you can even send a gift certificate for the recipient to spend at his/her favorite store.

In some families, it’s a tradition to include a letter summarizing the year’s activities with your Christmas card. But, other people shun Christmas letters as pretentious, tacky, or boring. Clearly, including a Christmas letter isn’t mandatory.

If you decide to include a letter with your Christmas card, remember the following tips:

• Don’t brag about expensive new cars, home renovations, or luxury vacations.
• Don’t talk about bizarre medical ailments.
• Don’t use your letter as an opportunity to gossip about other people. Stick to stories about your own life.
• Don’t push your religious beliefs onto other people. If you are sending Christmas cards to people who are of a different faith, be respectful of their views.
• It’s fine to be funny, but don’t be mean. Remember that sarcasm can be hard to interpret when it’s in a written form.
• Keep it short. If your letter is more than one page long, most people will toss it in the trash.
• Proofread your work. Typos can cause unnecessary embarrassment.

• Last Minute Christmas Presents
• Christmas Lawn Decorations
• What Are the Top Christmas Presents
• Good Christmas Present Idea
• Christmas Shopping Trivia

• Free Christmas Comedy Skits and Plays
• Christmas Songs to Listen to Online
• Christmas Music Online
• Free Christmas Skits
• Christmas Pajamas

• Printable Coloring Christmas Cards
• Free Email Christmas Cards
• Unique Religious Christmas Cards
• Printable Christmas Cards
• Company Christmas Card Sayings