The Art of the Holiday Card
One of my absolute favorite parts of the holidays is sending and receiving holiday correspondence. Each day in December as I sift through the mail, anticipation builds as glimpses of those hand addressed envelopes appear. I love to gather each one and take them to a comfy spot to sit and pour over every detail of each and every card. There are always those cards that stand out, whether it be their lovely design, a charming family capture or a sweetly written sentiment. Today I'm breaking down the art of the Christmas card and how to create a thoughtful presentation that is a fitting reflection of your family.
It starts with a photo
Whether it be a photo you snapped on a family vacation or a professional session you booked with a local photog, your picture is worth a thousand words. As I sift through my stack of cards, the ones that stand out to me are the photos that look authentic. Choose a photo you love that represents your family. If you plan to do a professional session and styling is your thing, look to Pinterest for inspiration. Choose a location that resonates with your family or a backdrop that reflects your lifestyle. On the amateur circuit, consider a compilation of Instagram snaps edited with a similar filter for a cohesive look and feel. Stephanie Bloom Photography is my favorite local photographer for family sessions.
Select a design
There are so many online options for selecting a design for your card. I tend to choose a photo or photos first and use the specs to help narrow my options (# of photos, orientation, etc). Minted has been my most frequented vendor as they were one of the first to offer the option to see your photo in every design. Other vendors have since caught on making selecting a layout more efficient than ever.
If you are organized enough to have your photos selected for this year, there are some serious deals to be had. Below I've listed the sites I visit each year and their current special offers. Most of these vendors also offer substantial Black Friday discounts - if you can be patient, there's no need to pay full price.
Minted 15% off orders with code: JOY19 (ends today!)
Shutterfly Up to 50% off + an extra 20% off with code: TWENTYOFF (ends 11/5!)
Snapfish 60% off cards with code: TWINKLENOV19
Paper Culture 40% off holiday cards (ends soon!)
Artifact Uprising - 20% off holiday cards with code: TRADITION20
Tiny Prints 25% off everything with code: TREAT25
Envelope
The envelope is the first impression of your season's greeting and a fun way to add a special touch to your tidings. I always order my envelopes through Minted to take advantage of their free recipient address printing. Even if I order my cards through a separate website, I head to Minted and purchase 100 envelopes for around $25. From there, I upload my spreadsheet of addresses and they take care of printing each and every one in the format of my choosing - free of charge! Minted also offers other fun add-on's like coordinating postage stamps, return address printing, playful inserts and more.
If you don't already have a self-inking return address stamp that you are jazzed about, consider investing in one. There are a number of shops on Etsy that offer customized designs. Working with an independent artist allows you to create a unique design that speaks to your family. These make fun holiday, housewarming or wedding gifts too!
Letter
I still love the old school sentiment of a Christmas letter. I have included one with our holiday card each and love reading back on letter's passed. I use it as an opportunity to catch extended family and friends up on the latest happenings in our home. It also gives a little extra room to express holiday cheer, a message of gratitude and best wishes for the new year. I use the outline below as a general guide for my letter:
Introduction
Highlight of the year
A snippet about each of the kids
A line about what the adults in the family are up to
A note of thanks and gratitude
I format my letter using Canva so I can sprinkle a few additional images throughout the text. I try to incorporate fonts and other elements that make the letter feel like an extension of the card.
I would love to hear what your go-to resources are for holiday correspondence. Do you love a styled professional look to your card or a more organic and casual photo reminiscent of your year? Let me know in the comments below!
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