Tips For A Stress-Free Christmas: Part 2

Christmas cards.
Some people love them, some people sigh at the thought of sending them out. Ironically, one of the biggest tasks of Christmas, besides buying gifts, can be making/designing/creating/buying/sending out your Christmas cards.

Why do you send out a Christmas card? Do you send them out just because you feel like you “have” to? Because everyone else is doing it? Do you send them out for the right reasons?

When you look at the long list of people you need to send a card to, do you look at it in a negative or positive way? Often times, we think of the objective side of it – that many cards to send, that many cards and stamps to buy, that many cards to write in. Have you ever thought “what a BLESSING” it is to have to send that many? I am not saying that if you don’t send a lot, that you don’t have many special people in your life. Some only send cards to family members and a few friends. Some to many more. When you look at the pile of cards ready to be mailed, say a prayer of thanksgiving for all the many people you have in your life. It truly is a blessing.

One of the biggest parts of sending out Christmas cards is addressing them.
How do you organize your addresses? Do you have an on-going sheet of who you send cards to? Do you live by an excel spreadsheet? Do you just go through your address book and decide who to send one to that year?

Whatever your system may be, I decided to share with you how I organize the Christmas card-side of Christmas.

Below is a free printable for your Christmas Mailing List. I included columns which year also whether you sent OR received a card from that person as well. Some base their sending a card to someone on whether or not they received a card from them. Not that you are trying to keep tabs on people, but if Jane hasn’t sent you one in years, do you feel you need to keep sending one to her?

I personally have set up an excel spreadsheet so that I can rework it if need be. I have different categories, such a family (for both sides), friends in different areas, work, etc. That way I am not overwhelmed at the list, but can see exactly who I send a card to, instead of just going down a list. With the printable below, you could leave one row empty and write in the categories if need be.

I also make my own Christmas cards. I know I sound crazy and that I have too much time on my hands, but one of my hobbies IS making cards. I enjoy every moment of it and that is why I do it. I make about 100 per year (though that number is creeping up), but I figure too, the money I save is worth it. We also take a picture each year and I also write a letter to go inside, so it’s about personal as personal can get. That is just who I am. But I have to say I do love getting store-bought cards as well because they say things I could never think of. So no matter what type of card I get, I appreciate it!

Then the addressing of cards: I have thought about doing labels, but I am not to that point yet. There is something about handwriting the address. I am known to use labels for the return address, but I do appreciate (still) writing out the address. That may change in a year or two, but for now, handwriting is what I’m sticking with.

Tips on how to have a stress-free Christmas card holiday:
1. Ask yourself WHY you send out Christmas cards. If you don’t have any good reason, maybe rethink sending them!

2. Start early. Maybe you already bought cards last year when they were half-off. If you haven’t, buy them now while the selection is good! It is never too early to start buying them!

3. Go through your address list. You may just go through your address book, but I would encourage you to make a list (use the printable below if needed). That way, each year, all you have to do is pull out your handy-dandy sheet and you are good to go!

4. Buy stamps early. It’s one thing you can check off your list.

5. Follow the printable below, to ensure you won’t forget anything! For example, start thinking about your Christmas card picture: location, time, what you will wear, etc. Again, it is never too early. If you are starting to stress about it, then you have waited too long.

6. Start addressing early. For me, the main reason for this is so that I don’t have to address 100 at a time – I get writer’s cramp WAY too fast otherwise. It takes some time, but don’t feel you have to do it in one night.

7. HAVE FUN. Sending out Christmas cards is supposed to be fun, not a chore!

What do you enjoy most about sending/receiving Christmas cards? What do you dread the most?