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Welcome back to the Organized for Christmas series friends.We are only six and a half weeks away but that’s okay because we are getting stuff done. It feels so good! This week we will be tackling Christmas cards but first let’s recap the last four weeks:
Task #1: Set up gift planner app and budget
Task #2: Find and organize gift storage space
Task #3: Set up a holiday planner
Task #4: Giftster Wish List app
Today’s post, in this ongoing series, is all about Christmas cards. I know they aren’t as popular as they once were, but many people still send them, including me, so for that reason I want to address it here. See what I did there? 🙂 This post is for those that want to send cards out but would like to get the task done early this year so they don’t have to stress about it later.
Assignment #5: Christmas Cards
Nowadays it seems (in my circle anyway) that Christmas PHOTO cards are the most popular way to go. It’s what I do each year because they are so easy to create and send. I absolutely love getting those updated family pictures each year from my friends and family, those in town and out. I’m not even a sentimental person but I really look forward to getting those picture cards. I also have many friends that live elsewhere and aren’t on Facebook so sometimes Christmas is the only time I get to see a picture of their family.
I love creating my own family Christmas picture card year after year for another very good reason. I love adding them to my Christmas Keepsake Album to pull out and look at each year. Such fun to see how we’ve all changed!
I purchased my photo album at the dollar store a few years ago and I added the sweet free buggy printable to the front from Craftberry Bush.
I use the online Costco photo center to create and print my cards using one of their holiday templates. They are a good price, the quality is great and it’s quick and easy to do. Then I just stuff them into envelopes, print off address labels (I have a Word spreadsheet I use) for out of town friends, add stamps and mail them off. Done. I don’t hand sign them or anything because I always add a “love the Wittmann family” to the card when creating them. Easy and beautiful! They really are no stress at all this way. It’s also fun to get my kids involved stuffing envelopes and putting on stamps while we watch a Christmas movie. Yep I’m one of those people that loves a good sappy Hallmark movie and starts watching them the minute they are available to watch on TV. The best!
As a side note, this year I want to make these keepsake Christmas card books with my friend’s photos I’ve received over the years.
So if you are a looking to get either traditional cards done this year, photo cards or any other form of Christmas card that makes you happy, here is a task list for the week to help you get it done.
This Week’s To Do List
Set up a Christmas card list:
Here is a Christmas Card Tracker free printable to help you keep track of all the cards you want to send out that you can use year after year.
Set up addresses in a Word document:
This is helpful so you don’t have to continue writing them out each year. Just click on Mailings and Labels to set them up.
Arrange to have a picture taken:
If you are doing a picture card, then a family picture or picture of the kids is necessary. This area can be so stressful that is for sure. It can be a lot of work and not always affordable to hire someone. One of my favorite Christmas card photos was a picture I took of my three kids outside. It was -30 degrees C out so we had to make it quick and it turned out so well with their rosy cheeks and Santa hats on. I loved it and it only took 2 minutes 🙂 For family pictures, a $20 remote for your camera is a great investment for easy pictures. Just remember the pictures don’t have to be perfect, candid pictures are often the best ones. I took a picture of my kids in the air jumping off a rock one year and used the caption “don’t forget to jump for joy this Christmas”. It turned out really cute.
Create or write out Christmas cards:
Write out Christmas cards if that’s the route you are taking or if doing online cards, upload your picture to an online site and insert into a Christmas template. Have them printed and either go pick them up or have them mailed to you. I’m picking mine up tomorrow.
Addresses/Stamps/Seal:
- Buy stamps
- Stuff envelopes
- Add stamps
- Add address labels
- Add return address labels (I always get mine from Mabel’s Labels)
- Seal envelopes
- Mail at the beginning of December
Create a Christmas card mailing station:
If you only have a little bit of time each day to work on your cards, grab a basket or box and create a “mailing station” to corral all your supplies so they are all together, ready for when you need them.
There you go. Christmas cards done in November! Whoot, way to go girl!
Thank you so much to those that have emailed or left a comment telling me how much this series is helping you. I really appreciate it!
Keep up the great work! 🙂
Becky L says
I make photo greeting cards through Shutterfly. I trimmed down my count by 10 this year. I wound up getting a great deal of 2 free sets of address labels that matches my cards and 10 free cards. Shopped when discount was best. No shipping fee. They’ll be here late next week. Postage stamps today. We had our photo taken when we were at a yogurt shop all together before we ate. Grandchildren were dressed in Halloween costume. Turned out cute! Years ago I sent nearly 100 Christmas cards. It’s dwindled. Many haven’t sent to me so after 2 yrs they’re off my list. I’ve not put photos in any book yet but have kept them in envelope. Good idea!! Thanks for your organizational help.
Sunshine says
I send cards to all the relatives and special friends even to those that don’t send cards to us. I’ve considered dropping them many times and considered stopping cards altogether, but I love sending them, and just when I think it doesn’t really matter, I hear that our card really made someone’s day. Sometimes it’s the older relative I don’t know well, but she’s lonely, and getting a hand-written note means the world to her. Or the dear friend with a dozen children who really cannot afford to buy or send out cards, but she still sends me letters or email once in a while. If you’re truly out of touch with someone, then sure you can drop them off the list. But you may never know just how important your greeting is. If they don’t send cards, yours might be the only one they receive.