This was originally posted on another blog of mine (Happy Homemaker Reviews). I consolidated them to continue to simplify my life. – Jen (04.2012)
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I LOVE to send Christmas cards. I simplified one year and didn’t send ANY and I wasn’t real happy about that. Since then, I’ve modified my Christmas Card “policies” to save time & money at Christmas.
1. Alternate years.
I send to EVERYONE one year, then just family & select friends the next. This keeps me current with addresses & keeps me on lists of others so we don’t lose touch completely.
2. Buy after Christmas.
I buy my cards after Christmas. Always. Except charities that offer mass for card recipients. Those I use if I send them a donation.
3. Purge!
Go through your list. I always send to godparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, & grandparents. Cousins only get it if I see them once in a while, we talk, or they reciprocate. Friends get it if they are too far to see & reciprocate OR we talk occasionally. If we see them frequently & they don’t send cards, I don’t either. I limit it even further on off years.
4. Do it early.
I usually have them done by December but 100 Days to Christmas had me start in October. They went out yesterday.
5. Set up an assembly line.
Write, stuff, address, seal, return address, stamp, mail.
6. Enlist help.
My 3 year old LOVES to stuff envelopes & put on stickers. My husband has (under duress) put on address labels & stamps in the “big” years.
7. Go simple.
If you aren’t attached to cards (like me), you can save time by writing a year in summary letter or doing a photo card.
8. Print address labels.
If you keep your address book on your computer, you can print labels instead of hand addressing them.
