10 Reasons to Mail Christmas Cards!
*This post is sponsored by Minted.com. They gave me Christmas cards so I could tell you all about my experience. All opinions are 100% my own, as are the cute kids 🙂 There are affiliate links for your convenience. That just means if you order through the link I might receive a small commission. Your price stays the same.
Ahhh Christmas cards. To send or not to send, that is the question.
I choose SEND. I’ll give you the run down on why, in case it’s one of those things you lie awake pondering at night.
I love Minted and their Christmas cards so when they offered to work with me on mine this year I jumped at the chance! (it forced me to tackle them early, which is a great thing!)Â Maybe you’re on the fence about sending cards out this year. Here are some thoughts on why I do and I think you should too!
- It forces me to be intentional about taking a family photo every year, or at the very least, a picture of my children.
I love pictures. I’ve always been the one lugging around a camera, making everyone says cheese when they would rather be ignoring me. All those eye rolling people always ask me for a copy of the pictures I take…proving what I believe, that everyone really enjoys picture mementos of life. However, in all my snap happiness it seems I’m as elusive as Big Foot because I never seem to appear in the photos. I’m always behind the camera. While I’m not looking for a photo shoot, photographic proof that I co-exist with my people is a good thing…at least once a year.
2. I love my family and want to give you an update on how big they are getting and how cute they are.
There.
I said it.
I’m totally prejudice about my littles. I think my people rock and I love to show them off.
3. The thing is – I think the same thing about your peeps.
I want to see how big they’re getting and how cute they are. I really really do.
4. Walking to the mailbox becomes fun
We joke around our house every time we get the mail. My kids watched the cartoon Caillou when they were little and in one episode his mom gets the mail and says, “Bills, bills, bills…sure would be nice to get a letter.” Amen sister. I couldn’t agree more. There is nothing better than pulling joy out of your mailbox instead of the year round gift of bills. I want to receive that joy in my mailbox and I want to offer it to you.
5. I’m old fashioned
Snail mail is becoming a thing of the past, people hardly handwrite notes anymore. In the day of e-mail and texting the personal touch is lost. Mail is personal and I like that. So, I will be mailing you your Christmas card until I die or the post office shuts down, whichever comes first.
6. You are never to old to send Christmas cards
My parents don’t really mail cards. They should (are you reading this mom and dad?) Just because you don’t have kids at home doesn’t mean people don’t want to hear from you. I love getting cards from empty nesters showing off their grandkids or their dog or their latest vacation. Whatever age you are you’re my friend and that means I want to hear from you. See the next entry…
7. Christmas cards make me feel loved
When you take the time, effort and stamp to mail a card it means you are thinking about that person. You desire to keep up with them, know how they are doing and acknowledging that even though you may not have talked in 10 years you still think about them. Exchanging Christams cards is the only communication I have with some friends and that’s ok. It makes me smile to know that in the busy rush of this crazy world at the end of the day we are still friends. I’m not one of the numbers to them nor them to me.
8. The letter kind are my favorite
I LOVE getting a letter stuffed inside a Christmas card, typed out telling me about Johnny’s soccer and Sue’s dance team. Detailing the family vacation to Big Bend, a new job or a new cat. Whatever the detail, bring it on. It’s odd that I love this and have never done it, hands down letters are the best! I catch myself smiling ear to ear when reading the important highlights of my dear friend’s past year. Cheering for kids I may not have even met yet, but feel like I know. It’s different than Facebook updates.
9. I keep them all
I scrapbook, it isn’t something I’ve talked about much here, but I am a scrapbook machine. I keep a yearly scrapbook and every year ends with all the pictures from the Christmas cards we receive. I know you wonder about spending money on something that goes in the trash December 26th, but at my house it’s safe from the round file. It’s so much fun to look over years past and see families grow and change. My kids love looking over them too. If you don’t keep your cards, it’s definitely something to consider.
10. Put it in perspective
Christmas cards can be expensive, if you pay to have pictures made, then buy online, then pay for a stamp. I get it. I hesitate every year about the financial outpouring. But every year I mail them anyway. I have never regretted it. There are many ways to be creative and cut costs, maybe I will post about that another day. For now think about this…for $1.50-$2.50 per person/family you can keep relationship at the center of the Christmas season. Christmas is about the greatest gift of love poured out for us through Jesus Christ’s birth, so that we could be in relationship with God. Relationship is what it’s all about!
 For our card this year I went simple. I took our pictures (big money saver). You can do it too. Try picmonkey (affiliate link) for photo editing if you don’t have software of your own, you can lighten, brighten and change up your pics in a multitude of ways.
For your cards consider trying Minted. They offer a wide variety of card options, you can go as simple or as elaborate as you want. My favorite feature they offer is the Find It Fast feature. This lets you upload your picture and preview it in all the cards at once to see how it looks. It’s an awesome time saver! It really helps make the selection easier. Getting them done sooner than later alleviates the pressure that comes with the holiday rush! So get your card ready to go now and start looking for love to show up in your mailbox!
Now tell me, I’m dying to know…do you mail Christmas cards???
I’m with you, girl. It isn’t Christmas without sending and receiving Christmas cards.
AMEN!
Kimberly Ann, I’ve been sending Xmas cards for the past 40 years! Love sending and receiving but don’t do pics!
Guess I’ll have to add you to the list this year! Lol
Love you!
hmmm…I am 40 and have never received one. I know you send them, but I also know you have made the statement that you don’t think anyone cares to hear from a bunch of old folks. Just don’t want you to fall off the wagon. AND since I’m the favorite you should send me a card too 🙂
These two comments just made me laugh out loud and reminds me of my mom and I! Must be the name Kim! LOL I do send cards out. We are empty nesters but I don’t care! Our oldest was just married 2 weeks ago so can you guess what part of our card will be about this christmas????
Christmas cards – one of my most favorite holiday traditions! Nothing beats walking (ok, maybe skipping!) to the mailbox to see what beautiful faces will be smiling back! I couldn’t agree with this post any more!!! Great job!
I love getting your Christmas card every year and Christmas cards from all my friends and relatives. I have been a slacker for the past 20 years and rarely send Christmas cards or any other kinds of cards (although I do try to email and call occasionally). However, I think you make some excellent points and I am contemplating a Christmas card this year, so watch your mail!
I LOVE Christmas cards! I save every single card I get and make a book! Love them!
You have a lovely family. Bless you all and the pictures are great.
I’ve sent Christmas cards since the first Christmas we were married. February 12 will be 50 years and I still love sending and receiving cards!
Hello sweet lady! Okay, I’m bad. I’ve stopped sending Christmas cards the past few years. When the girls were younger I did for all the reasons you stated above. But now that they are grown, I’ve slacked. I even have grandchildren now too. You have struck a cord in me to consider maybe picking it up again. I use to be the one who mailed them the first weekend in December faithfully so they could be enjoyed all month long – maybe I wasn’t so bad after all. By the way, I love mom’s comment above. Cracked me up! Your family is beautiful. I would show them off too.
You, of all people need to send a card…I would never have pegged you as a non sender! People want to hear from you, send them! It’s an order 🙂
Yes all these reasons! And I scrapbook too….thought lately my Christmas cards seem to be the only thing getting into a scrapbook. I keep all the Christmas cards together and it’s so fun to flip back through the years and see how everyone has changed.
Me too…I am way behind on the scrapbook!
I’ve already ordered mine this year and started my Christmas card scrapbook! LOVE THIS. 🙂
you go – good work!
I wish I were as organized as you are! I agree with ALL your points, very well said! Beautiful picture and beautiful family! Thanks for linking up to Vintage Charm this week! xoKathleen
Thank Kathleen…I still don’t have them addressed yet, so….
All ten of your points are right on the mark. I sent Christmas cards for years but haven’t in several years. If I can get my act together I’m going to try to send them this year. Your post really hit a heart cord with me. Thanks for sharing on Vintage Charm and hope to see you back this week. sb
so glad, hope you decide to do it…I know you will not regret it!
Amen to all the reasons you like receiving them. They are my fix for the year with friends, some of whom I haven’t seen in years. But seeing their families grow up makes me feel a part. Keep sending my friend!! And I loved your mom calling you by both names!! Love you girl.????????
I know – Just that yearly check in with friends can be enough! Love you too!
I normally don’t like Christmas cards. But this post may make me change my tune. I like the being forced into taking a family photo each ear and watching everyone grow up. We don’t have that in my family, but it’s never too late to start! Thanks for sharing.
It is never to late to start something new. The card is probably the only reason I have documented a family pic every year!!! Do it!!!
I LOVE Christmas cards. It’s a tangible way of connecting with someone. I love getting them and sending them. We do keep our letter quite short (half of a sheet of paper). Sometimes our letters seem very similar from year to year; but you know what … my life is quite similar from year to year. I’m another one who saves the photo type of cards from year to year. We don’t send photos, but I love getting them.
The letters really are so great, same every year or not…I love them!
I love Christmas cards! It took us years but I finally found a nice way to display the ones we get in the mail. Putting them up is one of my favorite things to do in December!
I grew up in a house that never sent Christmas cards. When my first child was born we started making cards for Christmas and Easter and have every year since. However, last Christmas I opted for a digital card. Mainly because I waited too long. But everyone had great feedback about the digital card. No one felt bad deleting the email after. (I always feel bad tossing cards.) And people could leave comments which was a big hit. I did send cards to a few non-computer family members. I have mixed feeling about the digital. It’s much quicker, cheaper, and easier; but you can’t hang them up (unless you print them.) We will always do cards in one form or another. But I’m still deciding which we will use this year.
It is a tough call. They can get expensive and digital is a great way to go. I too have contemplated that one. I have a few friends that send digital and I love them just as much! I think touching base in the best way for you is perfect whatever you decide! I am glad you broke the mold and send cards!
I am one of those people that makes their own cards every year. Even if I don’t send them (because I don’t find the time to get to the post office, I’m making them into the wee hours of the morning the night before Christmas Eve, or they’re too bulky to figure out how to safely send through the mail system) I will hand them out in person to family members at our Christmas gathering. One year my card was a CD of my favorite Christmas songs-a gift as well as a greeting.
I love the CD idea! One year I skipped Christmas cards and did New Year’s cards because I just couldn’t do it before the holiday, but I couldn’t stand NOT doing it either!
I agree with everything, amazing how much alike we are Kim, I do it all here as well. This year the cards that had no pics I made triangles out of them hole punch them each side and made them into banners for mantels , fireplaces etc. Some of my my fav Santa and religious cards are framed for decor around the home and others are made into ornaments. I just cant throw away cards they are so special to me. Love this so much and your kids are gorgeous models the blue eyes so beautiful! Lovely family God bless yall alwys.