It’s December, which means it’s officially the beginning of the winter holiday season! Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or any other holiday, this is a wonderful season to celebrate love, friends, and family! And, with all that’s going on in the world, we should never miss a chance to tell our loved ones how much they mean to us. Sending holiday cards is the perfect way to spread this cheer! So, I wanted to share some tips for how to master the holiday card this season!

Start early!

The holiday season is a busy time for everyone, so planning in advance will be essential to make sure your timing is right. If you want professional photos taken of you with your family, significant other, or pets, make sure you reach out to a photographer far in advance! They will typically be quite busy over the holidays, so book as soon as possible!

Too late to get photos taken? Don’t worry, because you can also opt for a designed card instead! Stationery designers (like myself!) may offer custom or semi-customizable templates that you can use to make this process even quicker! Personally, I love designing holiday cards; it makes me happy because this season is filled with so much love and joy!

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If you don’t have photos to add, a handwritten note to your close friends and family is very meaningful and will be a perfect way to show your love. If you want to reach out to broader friends and family, you may also type a letter sharing the highlights of your year and the things you are most grateful for. This is a meaningful way to connect and share your life with your loved ones. My family has done this for years, and it is one of our favorite traditions!

Make things easier on yourself!

Want some insider tips on how to save yourself some stress next time you want to send out holiday cards? One of the best things you can do is to create a document with all of the names and addresses of family and friends who will be receiving a card. Then, buy labels and print! Simple as can be: No more painstakingly writing out 50 different addresses! And, this trick will even be handy in the future as well. Save the address document and you’ll be already prepared for next year too!

Take a tip from Santa and check your list twice! Making sure you order the right number of holiday cards is also important. Planning for a few extras is always a good idea to make sure that you don’t accidentally miss anyone, and you’ll have a keepsake for yourself as well! But, don’t go overboard! Take it from a seasoned pro, it is very easy to overestimate and somehow end up with 20+ extra holiday cards (speaking out of personal experience)! Do yourself a favor and double check your numbers prior to ordering.

Get festive!

Want your cards to look beautiful and festive without much cost? I am a big fan of getting creative with the basics, like a stamp and stamp pad from your local craft store!

After all that work, be sure to send your cards out early!

Starting your holiday card process early is important so that you can get everything photographed, designed, and addressed in a timely manner. And, it’s just as important to send them out early as well! The mail system is always bombarded during the winter holiday months, with everyone rushing to send their cards and order gifts. With all this hustle and bustle, the best thing that you can do to guarantee your loved ones will receive their cards in time for the holidays is to send them early! Additionally, as we’ve all heard, there are many supply chain issues and delays this year. This can affect everything — all the way down to your normal mail delivery. To be safe, you may want to plan an extra week in advance this year!

Overall, don’t forget what this season is about: Sharing love and joy with those we care about! Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to make your card “perfect.” Your loved ones will feel special just knowing that you thought of them!

Happy holidays everyone!