I love sending holiday cards to my friends and family. Part of it is because I love getting things in the mail so I assume other people do as well. Part of it is because it allows me to let others know that I am thinking of them during the holidays. And part of it is because it makes me happy!
I have a whole process of how I write and send out my holiday cards. Following this plan makes it so much easier and faster for me. Here is my system of how I write and send my holiday cards.
First, I gather all my supplies together:
Stamps. I order my stamps from the USPS about a month or so before I send out my cards. I used to go buy stamps in person but nowadays either they don't have the holiday stamps, the post office is so crowded, or I can't get to the post office when it is open. I always buy the holiday stamps because I think it is so much more cheerful to get a card with a holiday stamp on it. This year I ordered stamps with holiday elves on them. They are so cute!
Embellishments. I like to decorate my envelopes with either Christmas-themed washi tape or stickers. For washi tape, I usually put a strip of tape across the back of the envelope. This year I found these adorable stickers from Target that say Merry & Bright that are the perfect size for the pointy part of the envelope flap.
Pens. I use either a Sharpie or a Paper Mate Flair (my favorite pen) to address and write my cards out. I do this partially because, especially on the envelope, I want to make sure the addresses stand out on the colored paper to make it easier for the post office. Sometimes if you are using a ballpoint pen on a red envelope, it is difficult to read.
My list of recipients. I keep a holiday card list of people to send cards to. The list has everyone's name and address so that everything is in one spot and I'm not having to look on my phone or look for that random scrap of paper. If someone sends me a holiday card, I automatically add them to my list for the next year (if they are not on it already).
The cards themselves. I can't forget the most important part - the holiday cards! Now, holiday cards can be quite expensive. My favorite store to buy holiday cards from is Half Price Books. They have a great selection and they are usually $5-7 a box. I also will go out after Christmas, during all the sales, and buy cards for the next year. I do try to purchase cards that say Happy Holidays. I stay away from cards with a Merry Christmas message because I know that not everyone celebrates Christmas and it can be triggering for some but I do want to let these people know I am thinking of them which is why they are on my holiday card list.
Once I have all my supplies in front of me, I turn on some Christmas music, grab something warm to drink, and start writing. I use sort of an assembly line process to write my cards:
- I address all the envelopes.
- I turn the envelopes over and write my return address on the back. One of these days I'm going to get some return address labels.
- I open up the cards and write out my message. I always include the year in the upper right corner of the card, as well as the recipient's name above the printed message. I then write a short note at the bottom of the card and sign it.
- I put the card in the envelope and seal it up.
- Once I've written out all my cards and they are all in their envelopes, I will then add my washi tape or stickers to the back of the envelopes.
- Finally, I drop my cards off at the post office to be sent off to my friends and family.
And that's how I write and send my holiday cards!
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