Bring Back the Tradition of Sending Christmas Cards
For years and years, it was a family tradition to send Christmas cards from family and friends. Mailboxes would be full of brightly colored envelopes holding notes of wishes, love, and good cheer. Many cards came from people we saw regularly, yet a few individuals would use the Christmas card as their only annual correspondence. Either way, the beautiful cards find their way onto refrigerators, door frames, and other artistic displays for all to see. It is safe to say they became a part of our homes’ holiday decorations.
That is until they stopped arriving.
During the holiday season in more recent years, the mailbox may only see a few of these envelopes. Most holiday wishes today come in the form of emails, social media posts, or a generic text message. And, every year we tell ourselves – I think I will send out Christmas cards this year. But time gets away from us.
Make this the year you bring back the tradition of sending Christmas cards.
Start now! Sending out Christmas cards is a bit of a process. Not a hard one, but a process, nonetheless. Therefore, you want to start now. Remember, you are going to get those cards in the mail this year, right?
Make Your Christmas Card List First things first, you have to make your Christmas card list. Who do you want to send cards to? Be sure to include family, friends, close colleagues, family friends, and neighbors. Making this list before you buy your cards allow you to know how many cards you need so you don’t end up with too many or, worse, not enough.
Purchase Your Cards Now you are ready to purchase your Christmas cards. There are so many cards to choose from so how do you narrow down the best one for you? These cards can be filled with Santa, reindeer, a snowman, Christmas trees, Christmas ornaments, and more.
Remember that list you wrote? Think about what you what them to feel when they open your Christmas card. What type of response are you looking for? Laughter? Shedding a tear? Feeling warm and fuzzy? A genuine smile? Ready for a tip? Choose a handmade card. By doing so, you can get any of the responses above that you are seeking – amplified. It is a thought out, carefully chosen Christmas wish – and that is what will be reflected to the one who opens the envelope.
For those extra special individuals, why not opt for a personalized Christmas card? Imagine getting a card in the mail – which is exciting in itself – and then opening the card to see your name or other personalization. Wow! It’s like taking that response and moving it to the next level.
Take some time to find the perfect card that shares what you are feeling this holiday season. Then purchase a set of the boxed holiday cards!
Gather Addresses Having one another’s addresses isn’t as commonplace as it once was. Take the time now to gather the addresses of everyone on your list. If you know either telephone or email addresses, it is easy enough to send out a quick message to everyone asking for this information.
Start Writing Once you have your cards and you know where they are going, get to writing! Sure, you could just sign your name in them, but what fun is that? Consider going the extra step to write a short, personalized little note on each card. This will make the recipient feel extra special, too.
You’re Ready to Send Place those cards in the envelope, seal them, address them, and stamp them. You are ready to mail them! But, wait – don’t mail them too early. A good rule of thumb is to mail them no sooner than December 1st.
This year sure has been different than any other year. And, for most of us, it’s the oddest year in our lifetime! We could all use some nostalgia and a little bit of sentimentality. What do you say? Re-ignite the tradition of sending Christmas cards the old-fashioned way – through the mail. You have the power to spark joy in mailboxes around the world this season.
We could all use more joy this year.